Montana Teen Uses Lasso Skills to Pull Drowning Man From Yellowstone River

A 14-year-old Montana resident credited divine intervention after using his developing cowboy skills to rescue a man struggling in the Yellowstone River following a rafting mishap. Jory Thomas was camping with his family near Greycliff on July 5 when he heard cries for assistance emanating from the water downstream.

A raft and paddleboard had collided with a bridge support, ejecting four people into the current. While three managed to reach shore safely, one man remained in the river clinging to a cooler as he drifted rapidly downstream. Thomas recognized the urgency of the situation and acted immediately without waiting for additional help.

The teenager emptied his pockets, waded through a side channel, and sprinted along the riverbank before retrieving a 12-foot lariat he had brought from home. His grandmother later noted to local media that Thomas had never previously packed a rope for a camping trip.

On his first attempt, Thomas successfully lassoed the man and hauled him toward shore through chest-deep water until emergency responders arrived at the scene near Pelican Fishing Access. Thomas had only begun serious rope practice earlier that year while assisting with cattle operations on the family ranch.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office subsequently awarded Thomas a Certificate of Achievement, with Sheriff Ronneberg and Undersheriff Swanson publicly commending his actions on social media.