Disney animator Glen Keane thanks rescuers after Arizona mountain airlift

Legendary Disney animator Glen Keane, known for supervising animation in classics such as "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "Tarzan," recently visited the Phoenix Fire Department to thank the crews who rescued him from Mummy Mountain in Arizona.

On July 29, the 72-year-old animator was hiking with his family when he became unable to descend the mountain on his own. Rescuers utilized a steep-angle rope system and a helicopter to airlift Keane from the mountaintop. Following the rescue, Keane presented the firefighters with an original hand-drawn artwork depicting the rescue mission, inscribed with the message, "Our family helping your family."

Keane, a Disney Legend who worked at the studio from 1974 to 2012, expressed his gratitude for the self-sacrifice of the first responders, noting that admitting the need for help was a difficult moment.