Teen Rancher Rescues Drowning Man with Cowboy Skills

A young rancher from Montana, Jory Thomas, credits being in the right place at the right time and his cowboy skills for saving a man from the Yellowstone River. While camping with his family near Greycliff on July 5, Jory heard cries for help coming from the river.

“We all heard, ‘Help, help,'” Jory told KTVQ. A rafting accident had thrown four people into the river, leaving one man drifting downstream clinging to a cooler.

“This current was pretty fast then, and he was moving pretty quickly,” Jory said. “My only focus was on helping him get out of the water.”

He quickly emptied his pockets and crossed a waist-deep side channel. Armed with a 12-foot lariat, something he hadn’t packed for camping before, he ran along the riverbank. Relying on instincts developed from roping cattle, Jory managed to lasso the man on his first attempt.

He pulled the man through chest-deep water until first responders arrived. Off-duty ICE officer and lifeguard incidents elsewhere highlight similar heroic efforts by trained individuals aiding those at risk of drowning.

Jory started taking his roping practice seriously after working with cattle on his family ranch. “God was basically putting me in the place of all this,” he stated. He never anticipated using these skills to save a human life but was glad for the outcome.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office honored Jory with a Certificate of Achievement. The recognition came from Sheriff Alan Ronneberg and Undersheriff Ron Swanson, acknowledging his courageous act near Pelican Fishing Access.

The sheriff’s office celebrated his bravery in a social media post, concluding with “Well done, Jory!”