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Animator Glen Keane rescued from Arizona mountain

Published 30 July 2026

A 72-year-old Oscar-winning animator was rescued by helicopter from a mountain in Arizona on Wednesday, July 29, after becoming ill and stranded on a narrow trail while hiking with his grandchildren. Glen Keane, the former Disney animator known for his work on classic films like "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast," was airlifted from Mummy Mountain in Paradise Valley by the Phoenix Fire Department.

The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. local time when firefighters received an emergency call reporting a hiker with a medical emergency near the summit. Fire Captain Todd Keller confirmed the hiker was Keane, who was experiencing dizziness and could not safely descend on his own. Temperatures in the area reportedly reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit at the time.

Keane recounted the moment he realized he needed assistance, describing the path as a very narrow ledge. He told local news outlets that his grandchildren navigated the terrain easily, but he found himself in a precarious position. "I got up there and was like, 'Uh, what the heck did I do? I shouldn't have done this,'" Keane said. "But, I knew that I really needed help."

A rescue helicopter was dispatched to...

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