{"id":967734,"date":"2026-07-29T22:35:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T22:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/967734\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T22:35:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T22:35:21","slug":"teen-lifeguards-viral-rescue-in-santa-cruz-captures-awe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/967734\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen lifeguard’s viral rescue in Santa Cruz captures awe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The dramatic footage of a teenage lifeguard saving a child from punishing waves along the California coast has captured the attention of the nation, drawing praise from the shores of Santa Cruz<\/a> all the way to the White House<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Video of the rescue at Seabright State Beach on Saturday, captured and shared<\/a> by local photographer Scott Vander Dussen, has gone viral on virtually every social media platform. The footage shows the rookie lifeguard, just 16 years old, holding onto a limp child as massive swells repeatedly pound the duo. <\/p>\n

They eventually make it to shore with the help of a second lifeguard. No one suffered any serious injuries, officials said. <\/p>\n

President Trump re-shared the video in a post on X \u2014 calling the teen a \u201cheroic young man\u201d who he hopes will come to the White House to be properly honored for his valor. <\/p>\n

\u201cVery brave, he deserves it!\u201d the president said. <\/p>\n

But the family of the lifeguard, who identified him to the Guardian<\/a> as Ryder Williams, said the teen felt he was simply doing his job. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me he doesn\u2019t know why everyone was blowing this out of proportion,\u201d Shane Williams, Ryder\u2019s father, told the outlet. His comments to me are like \u2026 \u2018Any other lifeguard on duty would do the same thing I did.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sees [the rescue] as his job \u2014 his duty,\u201d Shane Williams said. \u201cHe did his job that day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the father said he was moved watching the video of his son. This summer was Ryder\u2019s first as a California State Parks lifeguard. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was such a stud out there,\u201d Williams told the Guardian. \u201cI\u2019m super, super proud of him.\u201d <\/p>\n

Lifeguards across the state have made thousands of rescues<\/a> over the last few days as people have flocked to the coast to escape a long summer heat wave. But in their quest for relief, they\u2019ve found massive, dangerous waves and strong currents fueled by tropical cyclones from the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the National Weather Service<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Lifeguards with the California State Parks\u2019 Santa Cruz District, which includes Seabright State Beach, performed 34 rescues over the weekend and more than 5,000 \u201cpreventative contacts\u201d with beachgoers, which may have avoided additional rescues. <\/p>\n

But Vander Dussen, who captured the now-viral video, said this rescue would always stand out to him \u2014 which is why he shared it on social media. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen lots of interventions and rescues,\u201d Vander Dussen said. \u201cI have never seen something like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

He was at Seabright beach Saturday afternoon when he heard a crash from what he called a sneaker wave<\/a> \u2014 swells that suddenly surge much farther up a beach and are considered potentially dangerous because they can overtake unsuspecting beachgoers.<\/p>\n

As the foaming waters began to retreat, he said he saw a \u201cyoung man\u2019s head popping up, being carried out to the ocean.\u201d Almost immediately, he said, several people, including himself, alerted the closest lifeguard tower. But they soon realized a lifeguard from a slightly closer tower was already jumping into action: Ryder. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when I turned the camera on and started to document it,\u201d Vander Dussen said, adding that he \u201chad no idea it was going to be that intense.\u201d<\/p>\n

He watched the lifeguard expertly navigate several powerful wave cycles but became worried about the child, who appeared limp during the rescue. <\/p>\n

Eventually, Ryder made some progress bringing the boy inland, and with the help of another lifeguard, they made it ashore. The 10-year-old boy who was rescued received some immediate medical attention but was soon released to his parents, Vander Dussen said. <\/p>\n

After watching the video several times, Vander Dussen said he became more and more impressed by the young lifeguard. <\/p>\n

\u201cRyder really knows what he\u2019s doing,\u201d he said, calling him a \u201cquintessential Santa Cruz lifeguard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he said the teen had remained \u201cincredibly humble,\u201d even as he\u2019s told him about how wide the video has spread. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot to process for a young man,\u201d Vander Dussen said. But he said he deserved the praise, calling him a \u201clocal hero\u201d who \u201cknows the ocean in and out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the perfect person you\u2019d want out there rescuing you,\u201d Vander Dussen said. <\/p>\n

State officials agreed. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur State Park lifeguards courageously risk their own lives every day to keep our visitors safe,\u201d State Parks spokesperson Angelica De La Pe\u00f1a said in a statement. \u201cTheir dedication never goes unnoticed and they are truly heroes to their local communities, Californians and the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vander Dussen said he initially shared the video not just to raise awareness about water safety but also to increase support for lifeguards, whom he called key first responders \u2014 though federally they aren\u2019t classified as such. <\/p>\n

He is hoping the video helps boost support for an effort in Congress<\/a> to ensure they are considered first responders, which would allow them to be eligible for some specific benefits<\/a>, especially if something goes wrong on the job. <\/p>\n