Stunning footage captured the moment a hero lifeguard aged just 16 rescued a young boy being swept away by violent waves.
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 stunned by the way the lifeguard sprang into action – and revealed the teen is still only on his first year on the job.
He said conditions on the waters were calm for most of the day, but the currents abruptly became dangerous as a ‘sneaker wave’ came through and battered the shoreline.
‘He was just sucked out,’ the photographer recalled. ‘We then saw the kid’s head bobbing up and down’ from the water around 200 meters from the beach, he said.
In a flash, Vander Dussen said the lifeguard leapt into the ocean, and fought his way through the waves to drag the boy back to safety.
‘It is unbelievable,’ he said of witnessing the courageous moment.
Vander Dussen said he spoke with the lifeguard and victim when they were back on the beach, and said the heroic lifeguard continued working for the rest of the day after catching his breath.
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.’
