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President Donald Trump on Tuesday commended a 16-year-old lifeguard for a dramatic rescue at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California, declaring his intention to bring the teen and his family to the White House for a potential high civilian honor. The lifeguard, identified as Ryder on social media, gained widespread attention after a video captured Saturday showed him battling dangerous surf conditions while repeatedly submerged beneath powerful waves while securing a young child.
“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump wrote on X. Eric Trump also weighed in on social media hours earlier, urging that the lifeguard receive the nation’s highest civilian recognition and calling the rescue “truly the best of America.”
The rescue triggered substantial online engagement, with observers highlighting the extraordinary difficulty of maintaining control of a person in the turbulent ocean conditions present that day. Witnesses reported that beachgoers attempted to form a human chain to assist before the force of the waves broke their formation apart, and some noted the rescue lasted considerably longer than the viral video demonstrated.
After bringing the child to safety on the beach, Ryder reportedly rushed to summon paramedics for evaluation before returning to his lifeguard duties for the remainder of the evening. The rescue may have occurred during Ryder’s inaugural season as a lifeguard, as California State Parks mandates lifeguards be at least 16 years old to work.
Seabright Beach is recognized for its powerful shore break conditions, where swells from multiple directions converge to create hazardous situations even for seasoned swimmers and water users. Those who witnessed the incident described initially calm conditions that suddenly shifted when an enormous wave crashed onto the shore with unexpected force.
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