An intense rescue along the waters of a California beach was captured on video.
The rescue happened Saturday at Seabright State Beach near the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk.
“I’ve never seen a rescue this intense before. So, when I saw that unfolding, I just didn’t know how it was going to turn out,” Scott Vander Dussen said.
Vander Dussen, who shot the video, said conditions appeared to change rapidly and the 10-year-old boy appeared to be overpowered and swept out.
“That just missed the opening seconds where the first lifeguard, just fearlessly ran out into those huge waves and did what was needed to bring help to that boy,” he said.
For minutes, the lifeguard fought through wave after wave, never letting go of the young boy.
“He’s a hero. He should get a medal of honor or a huge raise or something. He was amazing,” Santa Cruz resident Karen Crivelli said.
Several good Samaritans also rushed into the water to help, but the powerful surf quickly knocked them off their feet.
Lifeguards said that while those efforts are appreciated, they can quickly create even more victims.
“I understand the instinct to want to go and help someone. And often the more effective way to help is going to be getting someone who is trained and professional to respond to that,” Anaiis Moise, a Santa Cruz marine safety officer, said.
After a tireless fight against the waves, another lifeguard reached the pair and together they brought the boy safely back to shore.
“My heart for sharing the video was to bring a cautionary tale to people coming out to the beach. We want to see people come out, have a good time, enjoy the weather, but get home safely,” Vander Dussen said.
President Donald Trump commented on the video and the lifeguard’s actions, saying the White House would like to welcome him and his family.
“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 said in a post on X.
In a statement to Action News 8, California State Parks lifeguards for Santa Cruz said in part, “We have made 34 rescues for beach visitors that misjudged the danger these waves present. Conditions change rapidly and what seems normal is potentially deadly.”
For those who watched it, the rescue is a powerful reminder of just how quickly the ocean can turn dangerous.
“People ignore, and there are rescues every day in this area. So, the beaches are safe as long as you don’t turn your back to the water and you obey the rules,” Crivelli said.
The National Weather Service is urging the public to remain out of the water for parts of the Pacific Coast through Tuesday.
The agency pointed to an increased risk of sneaker waves and strong rip currents.
