Glen Keane, an Oscar-winning animator formerly with Disney, found himself the focus of a daring rescue mission on a mountain in Paradise Valley, Arizona. On Wednesday, Phoenix firefighters arrived in a helicopter to assist Keane, who faced a medical emergency during his hike.
The 72-year-old animator shared with 12 News that he had embarked on the hike with his grandchildren, but soon realized he was in trouble. Encountering difficulties on the increasingly narrow path, Keane understood he needed emergency assistance.
Upon his call for help, a helicopter was quickly dispatched to his location atop the mountain. The rescue team managed to hoist Keane using a rope, transporting him to a safer landing area, the outlet reported.
Reflecting on the incident, Keane, known for his work on beloved classics like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, expressed gratitude. He remarked on feeling “blessed” that firefighters could come to his aid during such a perilous situation.
In 2018, Keane received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his project “Dear Basketball,” a collaboration with the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for the Phoenix Fire Department for further comment on the story.
Glen Keane, a one-time Disney animator who won an Academy Award, was rescued by helicopter by Phoenix firefighters atop a Paradise Valley, Arizona mountain Wednesday, as he was experiencing a medical emergency
Keane, 72, who’s worked on famed films such as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, told the outlet he ‘felt blessed’ firefighters were able to rescue him amid the dangerous situation. Pictured 2017 in NYC
Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller, speaking to AZFamily, said that reports were made at around 8 a.m. of a hiker experiencing dizziness.
Keane told the outlet that as he was ‘being lifted up’ via helicopter, he had been ‘looking at all the areas that I used to climb around as a kid’ growing up in Arizona.
He added, ‘And I thought, Lord, thank you. This was just a real blessing to have that crew. And they were really risking their own lives on the edge of that narrow little ledge.
‘I mean, it was very much just like a razor’s edge up there.’
Keller told the outlet AZFamily that hikers need to exercise caution on hot days prior to venturing out.
He said, ‘You need to do a gut check and say, “Hey listen, is it really smart for me to be out on this trail when it’s 93 degrees at seven in the morning?”
‘You’re not only putting yourself at danger, you’re also putting your firefighters and your first responders at danger.’
The fire captain added, ‘You may start your hike at seven in the morning and an hour-and-a-half later, it could be a 25-degree difference. You have to take that into account.’
Keane told the outlet he ‘felt blessed’ firefighters were able to rescue him amid the dangerous situation
The animator in 2018 won the Best Animated Short Film Academy Award for the Dear Basketball, which he had worked on with the late Kobe Bryant
Keane declined to seek medical treatment after the incident, fire officials told the outlet.
The animator told AZFamily that he had a different perspective on the situation after the scary incident.
‘If you’re bringing up your family, make sure you know that you are in safe territory and don’t count on it being the same way you saw it when you were a little kid,’ he said. ‘Things change.’
The Phoenix Fire Department put on its Facebook page a clip of the daring rescue, saying ‘This morning #PHXFire Technical Rescue Teams safely airlifted a hiker off the summit of Mummy Mountain.’
The department continued, ‘The complex technical hoist operation is an example why our members train for these situations.
‘Despite the extreme temperatures and unique terrain, the patient was safely extracted from a dangerous position on the mountain. Remember: take a hike, do it right.’