Montana teen uses rodeo lasso to save drowning man in river

Digital Editor

GREYCLIFF, Mont. —

A 14-year-old boy is being called a hero after saving a drowning man with a rodeo lasso on a camping trip in Montana.

Jory Thomas was camping with his family near Greycliff, Montana, when he heard shouts coming from the nearby Yellowstone River.

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A raft and paddleboard struck the pillar of a bridge, according to local media reports, throwing four people into the water.

Three of those individuals were able to swim to safety, but one person was left clinging to a cooler and floating downstream, KTVQ reports.

“Jory didn’t hesitate and sprinted down the riverbank to catch up with the man,” wrote Sen. Steve Daines, who recognized the teen as Montanan of the Month.

Like a scene out of a Western movie, the 14-year-old threw his loop toward the drowning man.

“He had grown up on a ranch and brought his lariat on the camping trip, and was able to rope the man on his first throw. He pulled the man through chest-deep, swift-moving water, all the way to shore and safety,” Daines said. “Jory demonstrated quick thinking and coolness under pressure, with bravery far beyond his years.”

In addition to being named Montanan of the Month, Thomas was given a certificate of achievement from the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office.