Star Wars legend Harrison Ford proved he’s a real-life hero when he rescued a stranded 13-year-old Boy Scout near Yellowstone in 2001. Cody Clawson found himself in a real mess – lost for over 18 hours in miserable weather, wearing only a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Not exactly proper hiking attire, kid.
The young scout spent a rough night curled up in a cave while rain and sleet pounded the wilderness around him. But he wasn’t about to become another statistic. Using his scout training and a bit of ingenuity, Clawson turned his belt buckle into an emergency signal, reflecting sunlight to catch the attention of search parties.
Lost in the wilderness, a resourceful scout transformed his belt buckle into a lifesaving beacon of hope.
Enter Harrison Ford, part-time Wyoming resident and apparently full-time hero. The actor, who regularly volunteered for search and rescue missions, hopped into his personal helicopter and took to the skies. After two hours of searching, Ford spotted the gleaming reflection from Clawson’s makeshift signal. The rescue happened at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when Ford finally reached the stranded scout.
The moment turned surreal for the young scout when he recognized his rescuer’s voice from Star Wars. Ford landed the helicopter, gave the boy a hug and handshake, and brought him to safety. Remarkably, Clawson declined an autograph, preferring the genuine interaction with his Hollywood hero. He became an instant celebrity back at camp – getting rescued by Han Solo tends to boost your popularity. Today, Clawson is happily married with a 16-month-old son of his own.
This wasn’t Ford’s first rodeo in rescue operations. Just a year earlier, he’d saved hiker Megan Freeman from Table Mountain. His volunteer work saved the search and rescue department a fortune – about $1,000 per hour.
Ford’s modest take on his heroics? He flies anyway, so he might as well help people.
The story resurfaced in 2015 after Ford’s plane crash in California, reminding everyone that sometimes movie heroes do their best work off-screen. It also proved that Boy Scout training actually works in real life – who knew a belt buckle could save your life? Just don’t expect Harrison Ford to show up every time you get lost in the woods.
