Dramatic video has captured the moment a 16-year-old lifeguard raced into dangerous surf to rescue a young boy who was being pulled out by powerful waves.
The tense rescue happened Saturday at Cypress Beach in California, where the teenage lifeguard — who has chosen to stay anonymous — put himself in danger as he fought the ocean currents to reach the struggling child.
Photographer Scott Vander Dussen, who recorded the rescue, told the Daily Mail he was amazed by how quickly the young lifeguard reacted, noting that the teenager is still in his first year on the job.
Vander Dussen said the water had appeared calm for much of the day before conditions suddenly shifted, with a “sneaker wave” sweeping in and hammering the shoreline.
“He was just sucked out,” the photographer recalled, adding that they could then see the boy’s head “bobbing up and down” in the water roughly 200 meters from shore.
Within moments, Vander Dussen said, the lifeguard plunged into the ocean and battled through the rough surf before pulling the boy back to safety.
“It is unbelievable,” Vander Dussen said as he described watching the rescue unfold.
Afterward, Vander Dussen said he spoke with both the lifeguard and the rescued boy on the beach. Once he caught his breath, the young lifeguard returned to duty and continued working for the rest of the day.
Stunning footage captured the moment a hero lifeguard aged just 16 rescued a young boy being swept away by violent waves on Cypress Beach in California
The photographer who filmed the daring rescue told the Daily Mail he was stunned by the way the teenage lifeguard sprang into action – and revealed the teen is still only on his first year on the job
After the boy was saved from the ripping currents, Vander Dussen said he was thankful to see the swimmer was not seriously injured.
He said the boy was able to stand under his own strength soon after, and was cleared by paramedics at the scene before being released to his grateful parents.
Vander Dussen’s footage of the rescue went viral across social media and racked up millions of views, as the 16-year-old lifeguard was praised for likely saving the boy’s life.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that he was inviting the lifeguard to the White House to honor his efforts.
‘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,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.
‘Very brave, he deserves it!’
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that he was inviting the lifeguard to the White House to honor his efforts
The 16-year-old, said to be a talented athlete and water polo player, heroically dragged the boy from violent currents, and both escaped uninjured
Other bystanders then waded in to help the lifeguard and the boy from the waves
Vander Dussen said he feared for the worst as the boy’s terrifying ordeal played out in the waters, but was thankful for the teen lifeguard’s ‘absurd’ heroics for saving the day.
He said he lives blocks from the beach and knows the lifeguards well, and described the 16-year-old lifeguard as an excellent athlete who excels at water polo.
‘It’s his first year on lifeguard patrol,’ he added. ‘It was unbelievable.’
While the lifeguard was able to finish his shift that day, the next day he had to be replaced because he became a local celebrity on the beach, the photographer said.
‘He had so many people wanting to thank him, so they took him off’ his shift, Vander Dussen said.
The photographer who filmed the incident said despite the near-tragedy, the boy was cleared and released back to his family by paramedics soon after being rescued
The daring episode unfolded on Cypress Beach in California on Saturday, when the teenage lifeguard – who has opted to remain anonymous – risked his own life to save the boy being battered by the ocean currents
Photographer Scott Vander Dussen, who filmed the fearless rescue, told the Daily Mail he was thankful for the teen lifeguard’s ‘absurd’ heroics for saving the day
With the lifeguard set to be honored at the White House, Vander Dussen said he is just happy that the near-disaster turned out well.
‘I’m glad it has a positive spin,’ he said.
‘Hopefully we can capitalize it into something positive.’
