The “Teddy Bear” cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) is a species of cactus native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its fuzzy, soft-looking exterior is deceiving. The silvery branches are densely packed with barbed spines that detach easily and painfully. Minnesota resident Mickey Moore learned this the hard way on a sunny Saturday in early April 2025.
Luckily for her, three 1979 graduates of Allegheny College happened to be hiking on the same Tom’s Thumb trail in the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy near Scottsdale, Arizona.
Moore’s group, which consisted of couples whose husbands had met at Saint John’s University in Minnesota nearly 45 years ago, had walked up a small incline to reach a photo-worthy vista. There they met Steve Bice, Jamie Goduti and Tom Wormer, Phi Delta Theta fraternity brothers who met at Allegheny 50 years ago. The Allegheny group offered to take a photo of the Minnesotans, and soon both parties discovered shared connections and stories.
“It was a warm, easy connection,” says Moore.
Recalls Wormer: “As we resumed our hike, we heard a shout behind us and saw that one of the Minnesota hikers had fallen and landed on a large “Teddy Bear” cholla. There were segments of the cactus in her arms, legs, and torso, penetrating through her clothing.”
Says Moore: “My friends froze. Our group had no idea how to get me upright, let alone how to remove the cactus spines from my body.”
That’s when the “Allegheny Three” sprang into action.
The Allegheny alumni helped lift Moore from the brush and stood her on solid ground, propped against her hiking poles. “Then, without hesitation, they began the painstaking process of removing the cactus spines. They were methodical and compassionate, guiding me through deep breaths, counting down each painful pull, and stopping whenever I needed a break,” Moore recalls.
Wormer added, “None of us is a professional ‘cactologist,’ but I’m a retired surgeon, Steve is a semi-retired anesthesiologist, and Jamie is a long-time ski patroller in Maine. We all just jumped in to help in any way we could.”
Goduti recalled: “I have seen a lot of injury and trauma, as I did 12 years as a ski patroller at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine and a few other EMT events. Seeing a person covered in hundreds or more of cactus quills was an eye opener. Had we had a patient with any less courage than she, fainting or falling to the ground, we would have had a far more difficult scenario.”
Several other hikers passing by provided advice and tools for removing the cactus spines, Wormer says. “We eventually accumulated two combs, a fork, three tweezers, a knife, and a needle-nosed plier, all of which helped us to get the spines removed. Emergency services were called, and initially we thought she might have to be helicoptered off the mountain, but by the time they arrived we had removed the majority of the spines and she was able to walk down the trail with their assistance,” says Wormer, who lives in Canandaigua, New York.
“I’m glad we stopped to help,” adds Bice, who splits his year between Scottsdale and the Pacific Northwest. “She could never have removed the cactus spines by herself.”
On the way down, fellow hikers offered encouragement, prayers, and support, says Moore. “By the time we reached the base, I was flanked by a small parade of paramedics and friends. And then, there they were again, Steve, Jamie, and Tom, waiting to make sure I was all right. I had the honor of meeting their lovely wives, Kate, Beth and Melissa, and trying, through tears and laughter, to express my gratitude,” she says.
All in all, the ordeal lasted about two hours, Moore says.
After returning home, Moore contacted the Allegheny Office of Alumni Affairs to share her story and gratitude. “In just one afternoon, I saw what kind of people Allegheny helps shape. Steve, Jamie, and Tom are men of deep character, competence, and compassion. They were delightful to talk with, generous in spirit, and unshakable in the face of crisis. I cannot imagine what that day would have looked like without them.
“I didn’t need my faith in humanity restored. I already believe in the good in people,” says Moore. “I was profoundly humbled by the overwhelming generosity and kindness they showed me. I am committed to paying it forward, and I will forever carry with me the example they set. To the Allegheny College community: Thank you for helping to develop these extraordinary men. I’ll never forget them — my Cactus Heroes.”
