10-Year-Old Girl's Quick Action Helps Save Woman in Colorado River Rescue

Grace Lyons, 10, turned a Sunday afternoon at the Colorado River’s West Wetlands into a rescue scene after she heard cries for help, noticed a popped tube and headed toward the noise with her uncle on a paddle board. Yuma police and local media quickly hailed her as a community hero after her quick thinking helped direct rescuers to a woman who was struggling in the water.

Lyons said she had been visiting the river for two years, but described that day’s current as the strongest she had ever seen. Yuma police said the woman and a man had become separated from their group during a float, tried to swim to shore and then became trapped in thick tules. Local reporting said the woman did not know how to swim. Lyons and her uncle searched for the source of the cries, found the woman and helped keep her calm while they waited for help.

Yuma Fire and Yuma County Sheriff’s deputies finished the rescue with a boat and jet ski, and no injuries were reported. The timeline was brief but critical: a child heard distress, moved toward it and stayed engaged until trained rescuers reached the scene. On the Colorado River, that kind of immediate attention can keep a bad situation from becoming a fatal one.

The warning signs can be subtle until they are not. A swimmer who is not making progress, is pinned in reeds or tules, or is calling out in a way that sounds panicked needs immediate attention. The safest first move is to call for help right away and keep eyes on the person in distress while waiting for responders. Police also used the rescue to remind families to wear flotation devices, drink responsibly and watch out for one another during float season.

The rescue lands against a painful local backdrop. Yuma County has already seen deadly and near-deadly water emergencies, including a July 21, 2023 drowning near Gateway Park and a June 6, 2025 pool response involving a two-year-old girl who regained a pulse and was flown to a Phoenix hospital. In that context, Grace Lyons’ fast reaction was more than a good deed, it was a reminder that the river can turn dangerous in seconds and that vigilance saves lives.