Jory Thomas used a 12-foot lariat to reach the man after four people were thrown into the river near Greycliff.
GREYCLIFF, Mont. — A 14-year-old rancher used a skill learned while working cattle to rescue a man drifting down the Yellowstone River after a raft and paddleboard struck a bridge pillar.
Jory Thomas was camping with his family near Greycliff on July 5 when they heard people calling for help from the river. Four people had been thrown into the water. Three reached shore, but one man remained in the current, holding onto a cooler as he moved downstream.
Thomas emptied his pockets, crossed a waist-deep side channel and ran along the riverbank to catch up with the man. The teenager said the current was fast and the man was moving quickly, leaving little time to wait for emergency crews.
“Only thing I could focus on was helping him get out of the water because I didn’t want to see anyone go in front of me,” Thomas said.
Thomas had brought a 12-foot lariat to the campground. He had spent much of the year practicing his roping skills on the ranch where he grew up, including working at cattle brandings and throwing loops at a roping dummy during the cooler part of the day.
When Thomas reached a place where he could get close enough to the man, he threw the loop toward him. The teenager said he caught the man on his first attempt.
Thomas then slowly pulled the man through chest-deep water toward the riverbank. First responders arrived as the rescue was unfolding. The report did not identify the man or provide additional information about his condition after he was brought from the water.
Sandy Thomas, the teenager’s grandmother, said the family visits the campground several times during the summer. She said Jory had never brought his lariat on one of those trips before July 5.
“Jory comes over quite frequently and has never, ever brought his lariat with him before,” she said. “And that day he did.”
Thomas said his father and brothers serve with the local fire department. He believed waiting for responders was not an option because of the river’s speed and the distance the man was traveling downstream.
After reaching shore, Thomas told his family he believed he had saved a life. His grandmother said members of the community had praised his actions, though she described his response as consistent with a willingness to help others.
Thomas said he had expected his roping practice to help him handle cattle, not rescue a person. He said he was grateful that he had the lariat with him and was in position to act when the man needed help.
Author note: Last updated July 20, 2026.