{"id":807703,"date":"2026-08-09T08:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T08:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/807703\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T08:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T08:06:09","slug":"disney-animator-glen-keane-thanks-resucers-after-mummy-mountain-hike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/807703\/","title":{"rendered":"Disney animator Glen Keane thanks resucers after Mummy Mountain hike"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Disney animator behind classics such as \u201cThe Little Mermaid\u201d and \u201cTangled\u201d just got the opportunity to thank the first responders who saved him from a mountaintop<\/a> during a hike.<\/p>\n

About a week after the incident, Glen Keane, 72, said he was grateful for the team that made it happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s the most difficult thing for somebody to say: I can\u2019t, I need help. And I got to that point, and I was so thankful there was somebody I could call,\u201d Keane told KPNX in Phoenix<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve done a lot of animated fairytales, but this was a real life one, and I really wanted to see the crew who were responsible<\/a> for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keane also presented the department with a tribute to his rescuers. It was a drawn picture of the rescue,<\/a> showing all of the first responders, helicopters and reads \u201cOur family helping your family<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 72-year-old hiker is airlifted during a helicopter rescue. FOX10<\/p>\n

Illustration of a mountain rescue with a helicopter, \u201cOur Family Helping Your Family\u201d text, and firefighters in the background. Phoenix Fire Department<\/p>\n

A 72-year-old hiker is airlifted during a helicopter rescue. FOX10<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t just go off into the sunset and be happy, I felt like I really needed to say thank you to what you guys did, thank you all of you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On July 29, Keane, 72, was hiking Arizona\u2019s Mummy Mountain with his grandchildren when he realized he needed help. That\u2019s when a helicopter was called in. He was then lifted from the mountaintop and flown to a nearby landing zone, while his daughter and grandchildren were completely fine and safely navigated the trail back down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean I\u2019ve animated dramatic wonderful moments at the end of \u2018The Little Mermaid,\u2019 and \u2018Beauty and the Beast,\u2019 \u2018Tarzan,\u2019 and \u2018Aladdin,\u2019 that\u2019s nothing compared to being the object of such self-sacrifice,\u201d Keane told .<\/p>\n

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Glen Keane wearing a black polo shirt, glasses, and a blue baseball cap with an Arizona logo. Phoenix Fire Department<\/p>\n

Glen is also the legendary Disney animator behind many classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Tarzan. Phoenix Fire Department<\/p>\n

The crews were ultimately able to get Keane down to safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could tell he was in a weird spot,\u201d said Phoenix Fire Captain Patrick O\u2019Neill. \u201cThey were only maybe 30 feet above us, usually they\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill added that his crews are used to these kinds of rescues. <\/p>\n

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Keane, a legendary Disney animator, was rescued by Phoenix and Tempe Fire crews after the heat and terrain on Mummy Mountain became too much. Phoenix Fire Department<\/p>\n

Glen Keane presents fire crews with a masterpiece depicting his rescue. Phoenix Fire Department<\/p>\n

\u201cHis rescue was no different than the ones that we do, it was just on a different mountain and a different position,\u201d O\u2019Neill said.<\/p>\n

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