A gripping video of a teenage lifeguard rescuing a child from treacherous waves off the California coast has captivated the nation, earning accolades from the Santa Cruz shores to the White House.
The footage, filmed at Seabright State Beach on Saturday and shared by local photographer Scott Vander Dussen, has gone viral across multiple social media platforms. It shows the rookie lifeguard, only 16 years old, gripping a lifeless child as massive waves crash around them.
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With assistance from another lifeguard, they safely reached the shore. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported, according to officials.
President Trump re-shared the video on X, honoring the teen as a “heroic young man” and expressed his desire for him to visit the White House for recognition of his bravery.
“Very brave, he deserves it!” remarked the president.
However, lifeguard Ryder Williams humbly stated he was merely fulfilling his passion. It was his inaugural summer in the role of California State Parks lifeguard.
“I’m thankful to have been able to return the child safely to his family,” Ryder mentioned. “This is my job and I genuinely enjoy what I do. I’m grateful for my fellow lifeguards who undertake rescues like this every single day.”
He recounted witnessing the child “lose his footing in ankle-deep water,” which prompted him to rush into the waves to assist.
“After the first wave hit, I was unable to pull him out as he was limp and the waves were incredibly forceful,” he reflected. “There were two to three additional waves before lifeguard Aaron Bohnen came in to help me.”
Yet, Ryder’s modest recounting overlooks the perilous nature of the event. Vander Dussen, who filmed the viral footage, noted the rescue was unprecedented in terms of the waves’ severity, and he was concerned at multiple moments for their safety.
“I’ve witnessed numerous rescues,” Vander Dussen shared. “I’ve never encountered anything like this.”
Shane Williams, Ryder’s father, expressed to the Guardian that he was deeply impacted watching the video and the public’s response.
“I’m tremendously proud of him,” Williams conveyed to the Guardian.
Lifeguards statewide have conducted thousands of rescues over recent days, as crowds flock to the coast seeking relief from a prolonged summer heatwave. However, this quest for respite has led to hazardous waves and strong currents driven by tropical cyclones in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the National Weather Service.
Lifeguards from the California State Parks’ Santa Cruz District, which encompasses Seabright State Beach, carried out 34 rescues over the weekend and made over 5,000 “preventative contacts” with beachgoers to help avoid further rescues.
Vander Dussen remarked that the waves initially seemed unremarkable at Seabright beach that Saturday afternoon, until he heard the roar of a sneaker wave—a phenomenon where swells suddenly surge up the beach, posing a threat to unsuspecting visitors.
As the turbulent waters receded, he spotted a “young man’s head popping up, being swept out to sea.” Immediately, he and several others alerted the nearest lifeguard tower. They soon realized that a lifeguard from a nearby tower was already springing into action: Ryder.
“That was the moment I turned on the camera to record,” Vander Dussen recounted, noting he “had no idea it would get that intense.”
He watched as the lifeguard skillfully navigated multiple powerful wave cycles, growing increasingly concerned for the child, who seemed limp during the ordeal.
Eventually, the lifeguard made headway in bringing the boy back to shore, and with help from another lifeguard, they reached safety. The 10-year-old boy received prompt medical attention but was soon reunited with his parents, Vander Dussen reported.
After reviewing the video several times, Vander Dussen found himself increasingly impressed by the young lifeguard.
“Ryder truly knows his craft,” he stated, describing him as a “quintessential Santa Cruz lifeguard.”
Despite his newfound recognition, the teen remained “incredibly humble,” according to Vander Dussen, even as he learned of the video’s widespread reach.
“It’s a lot for a young man to handle,” Vander Dussen observed. He believes Ryder deserves all the accolades, calling him a “local hero” who “understands the ocean inside and out.”
“He is precisely the person you’d want rescuing you,” Vander Dussen affirmed.
State officials echoed this sentiment.
“Our State Park lifeguards selflessly risk their own lives every day to ensure the safety of our visitors,” State Parks spokesperson Angelica De La Peña stated. “Their unwavering commitment does not go unnoticed; they are true heroes to their communities, Californians, and the nation.”
Vander Dussen mentioned that he initially shared the video not just to promote awareness of water safety but also to garner support for lifeguards, whom he deemed essential first responders—despite their federal classification.
He hopes the video contributes to bolstering support for an initiative in Congress to recognize them as first responders, providing access to specific benefits, particularly in the event of job-related incidents.
