Ardmore, Oklahoma, May 30, 2025 — Country music superstar Blake Shelton has once again proven that his heart is as big as his voice, stepping in to rescue a group of young men from a dangerous mudslide in his home state of Oklahoma earlier this week. The 48-year-old singer, known for chart-topping hits like “God’s Country” and his long tenure on The Voice, was back in Ardmore when he encountered a dire situation that could have ended in tragedy. Shelton’s quick thinking and selflessness not only saved the day but also reaffirmed his status as a real-life hero to his community, a role he’s played before in similar acts of kindness. This latest rescue, unfolding amidst the rugged beauty of Oklahoma, has left fans and locals alike in awe of the man who continues to give back to the place that shaped him.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of May 27, 2025, near the Washita River, a location Shelton has long been familiar with, having grown up in nearby Ada, Oklahoma. Shelton, who often retreats to his Oklahoma ranch to escape the spotlight, as he shared in a People interview in November 2024, was in town to visit family after wrapping his Blake Shelton: Live in Las Vegas residency earlier this month. He was driving his pickup truck, accompanied by his dog Betty—a loyal companion who has been by his side during previous rescues—when he noticed a group of young men in distress near the riverbank. Heavy rains earlier in the week had caused a mudslide, trapping four friends—Ethan Carter, 22, Liam Hayes, 21, Noah Brooks, 23, and Caleb Reed, 20—in a precarious situation.
The young men, all locals who had been hiking along the river, found themselves caught in a muddy quagmire after the ground gave way beneath them. “We were just out exploring, trying to enjoy the day,” Ethan later told reporters, his voice still shaky from the ordeal. “The rain had made everything so slick, and before we knew it, we were stuck in this mudslide, sinking deeper with every move. We couldn’t get out, and there was no cell service to call for help.” The group had been trapped for nearly an hour, their shouts for help lost in the vastness of the rural landscape, when Shelton happened to drive by.
Shelton’s history of stepping in to help those in need made his decision to stop an instinctive one. In November 2015, he rescued a group of four young men—Bryar Blanton, Lenyell Blanton, Josh Turner, and Adrian Poplin—from a mud hole near the same Washita River, an act that earned him widespread praise, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. At the time, Shelton had used his truck and tractor to pull the stranded group to safety, even taking a moment to chat with them about hunting, showcasing his down-to-earth nature. “He’s an all-around nice, caring guy,” Bryar had said, a sentiment echoed by many who have witnessed Shelton’s generosity firsthand. Just months earlier, in June 2015, Shelton had also towed a man named Roho Hartman out of floodwaters in Ardmore, giving him a ride home on his birthday, as noted by Today.
This time, the situation was even more dire. The mudslide had created a treacherous sinkhole, and the young men were at risk of being buried if they couldn’t be extracted quickly. Shelton, spotting the group from the road, pulled over immediately. “I saw these kids struggling, and I knew I had to do something,” Shelton later shared on a local radio station in Oklahoma City. “I’ve been stuck in the mud before—it’s no joke. But this was worse. They were in real danger.” With Betty barking encouragement from the truck, Shelton assessed the situation, realizing that his pickup alone wouldn’t be enough to free them.
Drawing on his rural upbringing—where he learned to hunt, fish, and navigate the challenges of country life, as he described in a Hook & Barrel Magazine interview in February 2025—Shelton sprang into action. He drove back to his nearby ranch, a 45-minute round trip, to retrieve his tractor, the same one he’d used in his 2015 rescue. “I told them I’d be back as fast as I could,” he said. “I wasn’t going to leave them out there.” True to his word, Shelton returned with the tractor and a tow rope, carefully maneuvering through the muddy terrain to reach the stranded group. Using the tractor’s power, he managed to pull each of the young men to safety, one by one, as they clung to the rope and cheered with relief.
The rescue took nearly two hours, with Shelton working tirelessly in the oppressive heat, his plaid shirt soaked with sweat by the end. “I thought we were done for,” Liam admitted, his voice filled with gratitude. “But then Blake showed up like some kind of superhero. He didn’t just save us—he stayed with us, made sure we were okay. He even cracked a few jokes to keep us calm.” After ensuring the group was safe, Shelton took a moment to talk with them, sharing stories about his own adventures growing up in Oklahoma. “He asked if we liked to hunt, just like he did with those guys back in 2015,” Noah said, referencing the earlier rescue. “He’s the real deal—just a good guy who cares.”
Shelton’s down-to-earth nature shone through in his response to the group’s gratitude. Echoing his 2015 tweet to Bryar Blanton—“No problem.. Now you boys stay outta jail!!! Ha!!!”—he told the young men, “You guys stay out of trouble now, you hear? No more mudslides!” The group laughed, their fear replaced by relief and admiration for the singer who had become their savior. Before leaving, Shelton posed for a photo with the young men, his tractor in the background, a moment Ethan later shared on social media with the caption, “Blake Shelton saved our lives today. Forever grateful.”
The story quickly went viral, amassing millions of views as fans and locals celebrated Shelton’s heroism. The hashtag #OklahomaHero trended for days, with many pointing out that this wasn’t the first time Shelton had stepped up for his community. In addition to his 2015 rescues, Shelton has a history of meaningful gestures, like inviting a six-year-old fan with a heart defect to sing with him on stage in 2022, as reported by HELLO!, and dedicating his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2023 to his late brother Richie, as noted by People. “Blake’s always been about giving back,” a longtime Ardmore resident commented on X. “He never forgets where he came from.”
The rescue also highlighted the growing dangers of natural disasters in Oklahoma, where heavy rains and flooding have become more frequent due to climate change. The Washita River area, a popular spot for locals, has seen its share of hazards over the years, from the 2015 floods that stranded Roho Hartman to the mud hole incident that same year. Shelton’s actions have sparked renewed calls for better safety measures in the region, with local officials praising his quick thinking. “Blake’s a hero, plain and simple,” Ardmore’s mayor said in a statement. “We’re lucky to have him as part of our community.”
For Shelton, the experience was a reminder of the values that have grounded him throughout his career—family, community, and the simple act of helping others, as he expressed in a 2019 Taste of Country interview about his renewed faith after meeting Gwen Stefani. “I believe in God now more than I ever have in my life,” he said at the time, a belief that has guided his actions both on and off the stage. Fresh off the release of his album For Recreational Use Only on May 9, 2025, as reported by Country.de, Shelton is preparing for his Friends & Heroes Tour, but he took a moment during a recent concert to dedicate a performance of “Ol’ Red” to the young men he rescued, calling them “my Oklahoma brothers.”
The young men, now safely back home, have vowed to pay it forward, inspired by Shelton’s selflessness. “He didn’t have to stop, but he did,” Caleb said. “That’s the kind of person I want to be.” As for Shelton, he remains humble, downplaying his heroism in his typical self-deprecating style. “I just did what anyone would do,” he told the radio station. “Those boys needed help, and I had a tractor. It’s that simple.” But for Ethan, Liam, Noah, Caleb, and the millions of fans who have followed the story, it’s anything but simple—it’s a testament to the power of kindness, rooted in the heart of a man who never forgets where he came from. Blake Shelton may be a country music legend, but in Oklahoma, he’s something even greater: a hero who shows up when it matters most.
