President Trump is praising a heroic teenage lifeguard who went viral for rescuing a young boy from violent waves in Santa Cruz, CA.
On Saturday, a video of the 16-year-old lifeguard, Ryder, pulling a 10-year-old boy out of the dangerous surf spread like wildfire on social media.
The video ended up catching the attention of President Trump’s son, Eric.
In a post on X, Eric Trump shared the full, dramatic footage and called for Ryder to be presented with the highest civilian honor:
Give this 16-year-old lifeguard the highest civilian honor. This is truly the best of America! Well done! pic.twitter.com/Pq99xNK6WI
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) July 27, 2026
Now, President Trump has confirmed that Ryder will be invited to the White House and awarded with a High Civilian Honor!
He will also be inviting Ryder’s family and the young boy whose life was saved to attend the ceremony.
Read what he had to say on Truth Social:
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! President DONALD J. TRUMP
He deserves it, indeed!
This kid was extremely lucky that the lifeguards were there and skilled enough to pull him out of those monstrous waves.
Things could have taken a very tragic turn, under different circumstances.
Witnesses who were on the beach that day say that Ryder’s rescue was even more impressive than it appeared in the viral clip.
Fox News reported:
One person claiming to have witnessed the rescue said it lasted far longer than the viral video showed. Beachgoers reportedly formed a human chain in an effort to help before it was eventually broken apart by the pounding surf, according to social media users.
After pulling the child safely onto the beach, Ryder reportedly sprinted past his lifeguard tower to get aid as paramedics arrived to evaluate the boy, the witness said. Despite the dramatic rescue, Ryder later returned to duty and continued watching over beachgoers for the rest of the evening.
The rescue may have come during Ryder’s first season as a lifeguard. California State Parks requires state lifeguards to be at least 16 years old.
Another social media user who said she knew Ryder emphasized how extraordinary the rescue was.
“I’m not sure how many people know how hard it is to hold onto someone like that in the ocean, during these heavy conditions and pounding shore break. This lifeguard handled it like a pro, pulled him in most of the way solo and never gave up. That is a feat in itself, especially in those conditions. A true Hero & waterman. I seriously hope he gets recognized for this,” the user said.
Other people claiming to have witnessed the incident said the surf had initially appeared relatively calm, with many beachgoers standing at the water’s edge when a massive wave suddenly crashed ashore.
“It was so big it nearly reached us by our things all the way up the beach!” the witness said.
ADVERTISEMENTSeabright Beach is known for its powerful shore break, with waves shaped by swells arriving from multiple directions, creating hazardous conditions even for experienced swimmers.
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