A 14-year-old boy in Montana saved a man from drowning in the Yellowstone River on July 5 by using a rodeo lasso, according to reports. Jory Thomas was camping with his family near Greycliff when he heard cries for help.
Thomas observed that a raft and paddleboard had collided with a bridge pillar, sending four people into the water. While most individuals made it to shore, one man was drifting downstream, clinging to a cooler. The current was strong, and the man was moving rapidly.
"First instinct I thought was try and rope him and drag him out before he gets too far down the river," Thomas told KTVQ. "Luckily, I caught him first try."
Thomas, who had been practicing lassoing for about a year on his family's ranch, was able to throw his 12-foot lariat and snag the drowning man, pulling him to safety until first responders arrived. Officials from the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office awarded Thomas a Certificate of Achievement for his actions.
"God was basically putting me in the place of all this," Thomas said. "God was just telling me all of this at the time and saying, ‘Go get him, you got it, and I believe in you.’"