A 16-year-old lifeguard who heroically rescued a 10-year-old boy from powerful ocean currents at Cypress Beach in California has been invited to the White House by President Donald Trump. The announcement came Tuesday, with the President stating his intention to present the young lifeguard with a high civilian honor.
"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 social media platform Truth Social. "Very brave, he deserves it!"
The dramatic rescue occurred on Saturday when the teenage lifeguard, who has remained anonymous, risked his life to save the boy who was being swept away by violent waves. Photographer Scott Vander Dussen captured the incident on video. According to Vander Dussen, conditions were mostly calm until a "sneaker wave" created dangerous currents.
"He was just sucked out," Vander Dussen told the Daily Mail. "We then saw the kid's head bobbing up and down" approximately 200 meters from the shore. The lifeguard immediately entered the ocean and fought through the strong currents to bring the boy back to safety. "It is unbelievable," Vander Dussen said of witnessing the event.
Following the rescue, paramedics assessed the boy, who was able to stand on his own and was released to his parents without serious injury. Vander Dussen noted that the lifeguard, described as a talented athlete and water polo player in his first year on patrol, finished his shift that day but had to be taken off the following day due to the attention he received from people wanting to express their gratitude.
Vander Dussen's footage of the rescue gained significant traction on social media, garnering millions of views and widespread praise for the lifeguard's actions. He expressed relief that the near-disaster had a positive outcome, stating, "I'm glad it has a positive spin. Hopefully we can capitalize it into something positive."