President Trump said Monday he plans to invite a 16-year-old California lifeguard to the White House after video of the teenager battling powerful surf to save a drowning boy went viral, saying the teen would receive what he called a “High Civilian Honor.” Mr. Trump did not specify which formal award — such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom or a Congressional Gold Medal — might ultimately be presented, and the White House had not detailed specifics as of publication.
“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,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social and X. “Very brave, he deserves it!”
The president’s post came hours after his son Eric Trump reposted the rescue footage, writing that the lifeguard, identified simply as Ryder, deserved the nation’s highest civilian honor for what he called “truly the best of America.”
The rescue unfolded Saturday at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California, as hazardous surf pounded much of the state’s coastline. A bystander’s video showed a boy believed to be about 10 years old swept into heavy, breaking waves before Ryder dove in after him, repeatedly vanishing beneath the surf while refusing to let go of the child.
Witness Scott Vander Dussen, who recorded the rescue, told NBC Bay Area that ocean conditions “changed in a heartbeat” and caught beachgoers off guard. He said he was “certain if the lifeguards weren’t there,” the boy would not have made it home that night, according to the Santa Cruz station’s report.
The boy was evaluated by paramedics before being released to his parents, NBC Bay Area reported. Santa Cruz lifeguards must complete dozens of hours of rescue and medical training before hitting the sand, and dangerous surf conditions were expected to continue through Wednesday, the outlet said.
Ryder’s mother later posted online thanking supporters for the outpouring of praise, saying he “was just doing the job that he absolutely loves.” Rather than a GoFundMe, she asked well-wishers to donate to the county’s Junior Guards training program and argued that lifeguards deserve recognition as first responders given the coastline’s rough conditions.
Many commenters praised the teenager’s bravery, with several calling him an unsung hero.
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