Harrison Ford doesn’t just play heroes in the movies – he rescues people in real life too. In 2001, the actor put his helicopter piloting skills to heroic use when he rescued a stranded 13-year-old Boy Scout near Yellowstone. The kid was smart enough to use his belt buckle to signal for help. Pretty resourceful for someone who’d spent 18 miserable hours lost in the wilderness.
Cody Clawson endured a brutal night hiding in a cave while rain and sleet pounded down. When Ford’s helicopter appeared overhead, the teen had no idea Han Solo himself would be his savior. But there he was, the Hollywood legend, swooping in like something straight out of an action movie. Except this was Wyoming, not a galaxy far, far away.
As a volunteer for Teton County Search and Rescue, Ford regularly donated his time and helicopter to help people in distress. The county saved a fortune – about $1,000 per hour in private pilot fees. Not bad for a part-time resident of Jackson who could’ve been kicking back in his mansion instead.
Clawson immediately recognized Ford’s distinctive voice from Star Wars when the actor spoke to him. The star gave the exhausted teen a hug and handshake after bringing him to safety. His recent crash landing on a golf course brought back memories of his numerous rescue missions. Now married with a 16-month-old son, Clawson remains grateful for Ford’s heroic rescue.
It wasn’t Ford’s first rescue either – just a year earlier, he’d saved Sarah George, a 20-year-old hiker suffering from altitude sickness on Table Mountain. She famously threw up in his cowboy hat. Talk about an unforgettable celebrity encounter.
Despite the media frenzy surrounding his rescues, Ford remained characteristically humble. He consistently deflected attention to the entire rescue teams and eventually stopped participating due to excessive publicity.
The press couldn’t resist drawing parallels between his on-screen heroics and real-life rescue work, but Ford wasn’t interested in the spotlight. He just wanted to help his community. Sometimes the best heroes are the ones who don’t want to be called heroes at all.
