PHOENIX — The man behind some of Disney’s most beloved characters returned to the Valley to thank the crews who helped save his life.
Glen Keane has spent decades bringing heroes to life on the big screen.
On Friday, the decorated Disney animator got the chance to meet some real-life heroes.
Keane, 72, was rescued from Mummy Mountain in the Valley on July 29th after hiking to the summit in triple-digit heat. The rescue made international headlines after crews learned the man they had helped was the Oscar-winning animator behind characters including Tarzan, Aladdin and the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast.”
Keane also animated Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” telling ABC15 that his wife served as his model for the character.
But when Phoenix and Tempe rescue crews responded to the emergency call, they had no idea who was waiting for them on the mountain.
“ You were all over the place!” Keane told rescuers as he greeted them at Phoenix's Station12 on Friday.
To show his gratitude, Keane brought the rescuers something uniquely personal: a drawing depicting the rescue.
Keane said he initially considered drawing one of the Disney characters he helped create.
“I was thinking maybe I should draw Aladdin here or something,” Keane said. “I said, no, no, no. This is not about me. You guys are the heroes.”
Keane said there was nothing fictional about what happened on the mountain.
“There’s no fairy tales to this,” he said.
Keane previously told ABC15 he wanted to take his children and grandchildren to see the trails he used to hike when he was a boy growing up in the Valley.
His father was Bill Keane, the creator of the comic strip “The Family Circus.”
But after Glen reached the summit of Mummy Mountain, he said he realized he didn't have enough energy to make it back down.
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Rescuers eventually hoisted him safely back to the trailhead from Phoenix's Firebird chopper, which is now out of service for several weeks as it needed prior repairs.
At the time, Keane joked that his wife would probably poke fun at him for the ordeal.
Instead, he said, she was worried sick.
“She was actually in tears,” Keane said. “So we're thankful, so thankful.”
Keane has spent a lifetime bringing heroes to life on the big screen.
After his rescue, he said he knows exactly who the real heroes are.
“I can't just go off into the sunset and be happy,” Keane said, recalling his flight back to L.A. from Phoenix, “I felt like I really need to say thank you to what you guys did.”
For the man behind so many memorable movie moments, this was a real-life happy ending — and one he says he will never forget.
“There was so much dust I couldn't see anything,” Keane recalled of the hike.
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