Glen Keane, the acclaimed Disney animator known for his work on classics such as "The Little Mermaid," "Tangled," and "Aladdin," recently had the opportunity to personally thank the Phoenix and Tempe Fire Department crews who rescued him from a perilous situation on Mummy Mountain in Arizona.
Keane, 72, was hiking with his grandchildren on July 29 when he found himself in distress due to the extreme heat and challenging terrain. "I think it’s the most difficult thing for somebody to say: I can’t, I need help. And I got to that point, and I was so thankful there was somebody I could call," Keane told KPNX in Phoenix. His daughter and grandchildren were able to navigate the trail back down safely.
A helicopter was dispatched to the mountain, and Keane was airlifted from the summit to a nearby landing zone. "We could tell he was in a weird spot," said Phoenix Fire Captain Patrick O’Neill. "They were only maybe 30 feet above us, usually they’re a lot higher, so our concerns there were rotor wash, wind blowing us around, we just made sure all the guys were in a safe location so nobody slipped."
O’Neill noted that his crews are accustomed to such rescues, stating, "His rescue was no different than the ones that we do, it was just on a different mountain and a different position."
Following the incident, Keane presented the rescue team with a custom drawing depicting the rescue operation, featuring first responders, helicopters, and the message "Our family helping your family." He emphasized his deep gratitude, saying, "I can’t just go off into the sunset and be happy, I felt like I really needed to say thank you to what you guys did, thank you all of you." Keane described the experience as a "real life fairytale," contrasting it with the animated ones he has created.