Utah Man Heroically Rescues Bighorn Sheep from Frozen San Rafael River

Mike Nordenstrom never expected to become a hero that morning, but fate had other plans. While riding his e-bike along the San Rafael River, he stopped to take a photo and noticed something unusual— a bighorn sheep trapped in the freezing water, struggling to climb onto the ice.

“The poor thing just couldn’t get any traction,” Nordenstrom recalled. “His hind legs were in the water, and he was fighting to pull himself out. I felt terrible.”

With no one around to help, he quickly scanned the area for a solution. A fallen tree trunk nearby seemed to be his best bet. Though aware of the risks, he made a split-second decision to intervene.

“I grabbed the tree trunk with one hand, reached over, and took hold of his horn with the other,” he explained. “He kicked and fought, but in one seamless motion, he came up out of the water and onto the ice.”

While the rescue was nerve-wracking, Nordenstrom’s biggest concern wasn’t the ice giving way beneath them—it was what might happen once the animal was free.

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“I kept thinking, ‘Am I about to get head-butted?’” he said, laughing. “But it all worked out!”

Amazingly, both Nordenstrom and the bighorn sheep escaped unharmed. As the exhausted animal stood on solid ground, there was a brief, silent exchange between them.

“I told him everything was going to be fine,” Nordenstrom said. “He just stood there, looking at me. We had this moment, like we understood each other.”

Reflecting on the experience, Nordenstrom felt an unexpected connection to the creature.

“I guess I just have a bond with them,” he admitted. “I didn’t want him to suffer, but I also knew if it became too dangerous, I’d have to stop. But everything just fell into place—it was almost like I knew I’d be okay as long as I kept going.”

Thanks to his quick thinking and courage, a bighorn sheep that might have perished in the icy river got a second chance at life.

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Keelee McCain is a junior at Weber High School. This is her second year on staff, this year as Assistant to the Chief. She does have a life (probably) but she can't think of anything to write in here, so she's probably just going to ramble now. She has an orange cat who she likes better than any human. If you see her being quiet or not sitting on top of a desk, there is something very wrong. In her free time she enjoys harassing her favorite teachers and sleeping. Her life plans include making it through high school and leaving. Happy lifeing.

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