Trump to Give Viral Life-Saving Teen Lifeguard a ‘High Civilian Honor’

A teenage beach lifeguard went viral after tenaciously hanging onto a boy and saving his life in a potentially deadly situation. Now President Donald Trump says he is going to give the lifeguard an award.

A lifeguard named in the media simply as Ryder managed to hang onto a 10-year-old boy being swept out to sea at the Santa Cruz, Calif., beach, despite huge swells breaking over them repeatedly. Multiple other men tried to help as well, though it was some time before anyone could drag the teen and the little boy back to shore. At a time when almost every day brings a story of a youthful murderer or robber, it is important to remember that there are still many young Americans who are honest and brave, and that some of them are truly exceptional.

INCREDIBLE: A first-year lifeguard saved a 10-year-old boy from powerful waves off Santa Cruz after spotting him being pulled under. Witnesses say he held on with a “gorilla grip” until the boy was safely rescued.

Hero. 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/hhR27bChmG
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) July 27, 2026

Trump shared the video on Truth Social Tuesday and commented, “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!”

Vander Dussen filmed the viral video, and said the waves were pulling multiple people under that day. “It caught a lot of people off-guard. Unfortunately, this young man was overwhelmed and swept out in just a moment’s time.” Apparently the 16-year-old lifeguard’s struggle to save the younger boy lasted much longer than we see in the video, based on eyewitness testimony.

From Fox News on July 27:

A frantic rescue unfolded at a Santa Cruz beach when a child was swept into powerful, tsunami-like waves, prompting a teenage lifeguard to dive into the life-threatening surf.
The lifeguard — who witnesses said carried out one of the most heroic rescues they had ever seen — was identified as just a 16-year-old high school student, according to local outlet NBC Bay Area. A woman who claimed to be the teenager’s mother said on social media that the lifeguard's name is Ryder. … As the pair kept getting swallowed by the waves, multiple beachgoers attempted to help, often without success.

Each time a wave crashed over Ryder and the boy, Ryder somehow managed to keep or regain his hold and his footing.

It appears that Eric Trump might have been the one to bring the video to his father's attention, because Trump made his promise of the award for Ryder as a response to Eric's declaring, "Give this 16-year-old lifeguard the highest civilian honor. This is truly the best of America! Well done!"

Seeing that this boy did a very good job and after seeing that his mother said that she would like money to be donated to the association where his son has learned to be a lifeguard, I am supporting this project.

Ht7nCTBfrHqRhG4stZnQBhhLeSp5WQkZRPVQTQ2Ppump

They are donating… https://t.co/QyfQ1vJNN9
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) July 28, 2026

Ryder is a first-year lifeguard, and already he really did save someone's life. He didn't give up, and he never let go.

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