The teenage lifeguard who saved a young swimmer at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday has been identified as Ryder Williams. The 16-year-old lifeguard rushed into the water to save a 10-year-old child who was overwhelmed by wave after wave. The incident was captured on camera, and the video has since been watched millions of times.
More surprising, however, was that the rookie lifeguard returned to duty immediately after the rescue and went on to help in four more rescues as hazardous surf continued to batter the coastline. California State Parks later said Santa Cruz District lifeguards carried out dozens of rescues over the weekend after powerful swells triggered dangerous rip currents and unexpectedly large waves.
