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16-year-old Ryder Williams, a first-year California State Parks lifeguard at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, heroically rescued an approximately 10-year-old boy on Saturday, July 25, 2026, after the child was suddenly swept into powerful 10-foot waves; in a dramatic viral video captured by beachgoer Scott Vander Dussen, Williams locked onto the boy and refused to let go despite being repeatedly submerged and battered by the surf for about two minutes, until a second lifeguard and bystanders helped pull them both safely to shore, with the boy later evaluated by paramedics and reported uninjured, prompting President Trump to invite Williams, his family, and possibly the boy to the White House for a high civilian honor.