A 14-year-old Montana rancher-in-training used his cowboy skills to rescue a drowning man from the Yellowstone River following a rafting accident.
The incident occurred on July 5 near Greycliff, Montana, when Jory Thomas was camping with his family. They heard someone screaming for help, and Thomas immediately sprang into action.
Thomas said there was no time to wait, and he emptied his pockets, crossed a waist-deep side channel, and ran along the bank. He then grabbed a 12-foot lariat he'd brought from home and used it to rope the man in the water.
Thomas pulled the man toward shore through chest-deep water until first responders arrived. The teenager said he'd only started taking roping seriously this year while helping with cattle on the family ranch, and that his skills improving the more he roped cattle.
Thomas believes his faith guided him to act, saying "God was basically putting me in the place of all this." He later reflected that he never expected the same skills he learned on the ranch would save a person's life.
The Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office later honored Thomas with a Certificate of Achievement for his bravery. Sheriff Alan Ronneberg and Undersheriff Ron Swanson recognized the teen for rescuing the man near Pelican Fishing Access.
Thomas said he never expected his skills would be used to help someone in need, but he's glad he was there to make a difference. "I just thought I could help with cattle," Thomas said. "Not really helping humans and stuff like that. But I'm glad I was here to help."
