A Montana teenager used his rodeo skills to help rescue a man being swept down the Yellowstone River earlier this month. Jory Thomas, 14, was camping with his family near Greycliff when he saw a man being carried away by the fast-moving current after a rafting accident.
He grabbed the 12-foot lariat he had been practicing with for cattle roping, raced along the riverbank and successfully roped the man on his first throw. Jory then pulled him through the water until he reached safety, where first responders took over. "Luckily, I caught him first try," he says.
The teen says he never imagined his roping practice would one day help save a person's life. Jory’s grandmother says helping others has always come naturally to him, adding that the entire community is proud of his quick thinking and courage.
Source: SUNNY SKYZ
Photo: MLADEN ANTONOV / AFP / Getty Images