US President Donald Trump has announced plans to invite a teenage lifeguard to the White House to receive a prestigious civilian honour after the 16-year-old courageously battled towering waves to rescue a young boy from drowning off the coast of California.
The dramatic rescue took place at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, where a 10-year-old swimmer was caught in a dangerous shore break before being swept into rough surf.
The teenager has received widespread praise both in the United States and internationally for his remarkable bravery.
Footage of the rescue quickly spread across social media, showing the lifeguard, identified online as 16-year-old Ryder, repeatedly disappearing beneath crashing waves while holding tightly onto the frightened child.
The Santa Cruz State Lifeguard Association confirmed to Fox News that the teenager had done an “excellent job” during the life-saving operation, commending his swift response and calmness under immense pressure.
Posting on social media platform X, President Trump said the teenager’s exceptional courage deserved national recognition.
“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.
Images from the incident showed the teenage lifeguard, assisted by bystanders, pulling the young swimmer from the turbulent sea.
Trump’s remarks followed a post by his son, Eric Trump, who shared the rescue footage and urged that Ryder be awarded the country’s highest civilian recognition, describing the teenager’s actions as “truly the best of America.”
Witnesses at the beach said conditions deteriorated rapidly after a powerful swell unexpectedly surged ashore, catching beachgoers by surprise.
One eyewitness recalled that people on the beach formed a human chain along the shoreline in an attempt to help before a jet ski and a lifeguard rescue vehicle arrived at the scene.
“It was all so incredible and we all clapped and told the lifeguard great job as he ran past us to his tower to grab some aid once the kid was rescued,” the witness wrote in a comment on the Santa Cruz State Lifeguard Association’s Instagram page.
The witness also noted that Ryder remained composed throughout the ordeal before calmly returning to duty for the rest of his shift.
Paramedics examined the rescued boy on the beach before he was safely reunited with his family.
A woman identifying herself on Instagram as the teenager’s mother expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support shown by the public. She explained that her son did not have an Instagram account and said he was simply “doing the job that he absolutely loves.”
Instead of encouraging donations through a crowdfunding campaign, she urged supporters to contribute to local junior lifeguard programmes and called on authorities to officially recognise lifeguards as first responders.
“Thank you to all the lifeguards! They’re having quite the summer and these people are all incredible,” she wrote.
Lifeguards patrolling the Santa Cruz coastline carried out more than 25 water rescues on the same day as powerful swells, sneaker waves and dangerous rip currents battered Northern California’s coastline.