Oscar-winning animator Glen Keane was rescued from Arizona’s Mummy Mountain on July 29 after falling ill during a hike in triple-digit heat. The 72-year-old Disney legend later returned to Station 12 in Phoenix to gift rescue crews an original sketch thanking them for saving his life.
Glen Keane Rescued From Mummy Mountain After Hike in Extreme Heat
Glen Keane, the legendary Academy Award-winning animator behind timeless Disney classics such as The Little Mermaid,
Aladdin,
and Beauty and the Beast,
found himself at the center of a real-life dramatic rescue on July 29. The 72-year-old artist was hiking Arizona’s Mummy Mountain with his grandchildren when extreme heat and punishing terrain overwhelmed him near the summit in Paradise Valley.
Keane realized he could no longer make his way down safely. Family members accompanying him stayed calm as emergency calls triggered a multi-agency response involving both Phoenix and Tempe fire departments. While his daughter and grandchildren safely navigated the trail back down on their own, Keane awaited help on the rocky ridge.
Watching from above, Keane saw fire trucks arrive from both sides of the mountain with sirens blaring before rescue personnel scrambled up the steep slopes. I could see feet slipping on this kind of quartz and mica rock,
Keane recalled of the arduous conditions, noting the remarkable agility of the responders as they moved across the treacherous terrain.
Helicopter Airlift From the Summit Ridge
With ground navigation restricted by the severe environment, emergency services deployed a helicopter to hoist the animator off the mountaintop. Phoenix Fire Captain Patrick O’Neill noted that his crews recognized quickly that the hiker was in a weird spot
near the ridge.
“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.”
Phoenix Fire Captain Patrick O’Neill, via Nypost
O’Neill emphasized that despite the involvement of a prominent Hollywood figure, his rescue was no different than the ones that we do, noting that the operation simply took place on a different mountain and a different position.
The aircraft successfully lifted Keane from the summit to a nearby landing zone, where paramedics checked him over. Although his wife was worried sick and in tears
upon learning of the emergency, Keane emerged from the ordeal physically unharmed after being checked by medical personnel.
An Animator’s Personal Tribute to His Rescuers
Seeking to express his gratitude for the selflessness of the crews who hoisted him to safety, Keane visited Phoenix Fire Station 12 on Friday to meet the firefighters face-to-face. Rather than bringing a generic token of appreciation, the Academy Award winner—who won an Oscar for Best Animated Short in 2018 for Dear Basketball
alongside the late Kobe Bryant—presented the station with an original piece of artwork.
The custom drawing depicted the helicopter airlift itself, complete with firefighters on the ground and rescue equipment in action. The piece bore a simple, heartfelt inscription: Our family helping your family.
“I mean I’ve animated dramatic wonderful moments at the end of ‘The Little Mermaid,’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Tarzan,’ and ‘Aladdin,’ that’s nothing compared to being the object of such self-sacrifice.”
Glen Keane, via Nypost
Keane also reflected on the psychological barrier of admitting vulnerability, telling local reporters that asking for help proved to be the most challenging part of the entire ordeal.
“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.”
Glen Keane, via Nypost
Summer Hiking Warning From a Valley Native
Growing up in the Valley as the son of legendary The Family Circus
cartoonist Bill Keane, the animator had fond childhood memories of hiking Arizona trails. However, his recent brush with exhaustion on Mummy Mountain prompted him to issue a direct warning to others heading outdoors during the hottest months of the year.
Keane stressed that modern outdoor enthusiasts should not count on it being the same way you saw it when you were a little kid, emphasizing that trail conditions and extreme weather demand constant caution.
Reflecting on his return trip to Los Angeles after the incident, Keane reiterated that his swift extraction demanded a personal acknowledgment. I can’t just go off into the sunset and be happy,
he said, I felt like I really needed to say thank you to what you guys did, thank you all of you.
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