Teen Lassos Drowning Man From Montana River on First Try

When Jory Thomas heard cries for help across the Yellowstone River on July 5, he didn't hesitate to grab the one tool he knew could reach the drowning man: his 12-foot rodeo lasso.

The 14-year-old from Big Timber, Montana, was camping with his family near Greycliff when a rafting accident sent four people tumbling into the water after their raft and paddleboard struck a bridge pillar. While three made it to shore, one man drifted downstream clinging to a cooler as the fast current pulled him away.

Jory sprang into action, running through a waist-deep side channel and sprinting along the riverbank to catch up with the struggling man. He grabbed his lariat and swung it with precision he'd been honing for only a year on his family's ranch.

"First instinct I thought was try and rope him and drag him out before he gets too far down the river," Jory told KTVQ. "Luckily, I caught him first try."

The lasso landed perfectly around the drowning man on Jory's first attempt. The teen pulled him to shore and stayed with him until first responders arrived.

Why This Inspires

Jory had spent the past year practicing his lasso skills on a cattle head he built in his backyard. Those countless hours of repetition transformed into lifesaving muscle memory when it mattered most.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office recognized Jory's quick thinking with a Certificate of Achievement for his heroic actions. His mother, Robin Thomas, says helping others is simply part of who her son is.

"Jory is a strong believer of if somebody needs help, you're going to do everything you can," she told reporters. For Jory, the moment felt guided by something bigger than himself.

"God was basically putting me in the place of all this," he said. "I felt pretty good afterwards that I knew he was okay and was out of the water."

One teen, one lasso, one life saved.