Harrison Ford rescued a lost Boy Scout in 2001

Even when he’s not playing Han Solo or Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford is a hero.

As the actor recovers from a California plane crash that left him with a broken pelvis and a broken ankle, a story has emerged that should please the Scouting community.

As ABC News explains, Cody Clawson was a 13-year-old Boy Scout in 2001 when he got lost near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

It was raining and sleeting that night, so Clawson — wearing only a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals — slept in a cave and was missing for more than 18 hours. When he woke up, he heard airplanes and helicopters flying above.

“I started looking for an open place that I could signal them,” Clawson told ABC News. “I used my belt buckle to reflect the sunlight.”

That’s a skill Clawson would’ve learned in Scouting, no doubt. And guess who spotted the signal and landed? 

Harrison Ford.

After Ford landed his helicopter, he said “good morning” to Clawson, who told the Daily Mail he’ll never forget that voice.

“The way he said it reminded me so much of his role of Han Solo in Star Wars. Then I was like, ‘Oh my God, Han Solo has just rescued me. How cool is that?'”

After Ford flew Clawson to a makeshift search-and-rescue headquarters, Ford had one more message for the boy.

“When we landed, Harrison Ford came over to me and said, ‘Boy, you sure must have earned a merit badge for this one.’ But I told him I’d already earned this badge last summer, and he laughed,” Clawson told the Daily Mail.

Clawson heaped on praise for Ford and his selfless actions that day.

“And what he did gave me a different perspective on stars. They sometimes get portrayed as snobby people, but there really is good, generous people out there.

“And to me Harrison Ford is one of those good people who we’re lucky to have as an influence on our lives.”

At the time Cody recalls Ford being interviewed about the rescue, and the Indiana Jones actor said, “I’m gonna fly anyway, so I might as well fly search and rescue and help people.”

Then Teton County Sheriff Bob Zimmer said Ford’s volunteer efforts saved the department $1,000 an hour, the amount it would have cost to hire a private pilot.

Cody admitted he was a little embarrassed by the incident but added that he was very popular with the kids on camp when they found out who rescued him. He said: “The kids asked if I got an autograph but I told them, ‘No, but I got a hug and a handshake, and that’s better.'”

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