A Green River man who risked his life earlier this year by entering a burning house to save the lives of a woman and her youngest child was honored on Tuesday by Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Ryan Pasborg, an oilworker in Sweetwater County, received a standing ovation for his heroic efforts by more than 20,000 people who attended the rodeo.

Pasborg was driving to work early in the morning last February when he saw flames shooting from a house. He pulled into the driveway and saw three children, still wearing their pajamas, running out of the house in sub-zero temperatures.

When they told him their mother and four-year-old brother were still inside, Pasborg bolted inside and found the boy and took him outside. He then returned to the burning structure and located the mother, who was unconscious and carried her to safety.  

Pasborg administered CPR on the woman until she was able to breathe on her own and then transported the whole family away from the house to where he was met by emergency officials.

“Thank God that today everyone from that house is safe and sound,” the PA announcer said to the standing crowd.

“Here is a selfless human being who is a modern-day hero,” he said. “A stranger passing by that saved a family when they needed him the most. Tell that man that he’s a hero.”

Pasborg was the special guest of Wyoming-based company “Cowboy Skill.”

“I am honored to meet Ryan today,” said Paul Goldean, president of Pace-O-Matic, which creates Cowboy Skill games. “What an incredible feat of bravery, running into a burning building and saving two people’s lives. Cowboy Skill is thrilled to host him.” 

This story originally ran in Cowboy State Daily on 07/26/2022.