Have You Seen This? Teenage lifeguard saves boy from drowning

By Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted - July 29, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Does anyone remember the scene in "Spider-Man 2" when Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker rushed into a burning building despite not having his superpowers?

That scene always exemplified bravery to me, and I had a similar feeling watching the viral video of a 16-year-old lifeguard in California rushing into waves double his height to rescue a drowning 10-year-old boy.

The incident occurred Saturday at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

A now-viral video of the rescue shows the lifeguard, Ryder Williams, slowly bringing the child to shore despite getting continuously pummeled by waves and violent surf. After a while, several others stepped in to help Williams complete the rescue.

According to the BBC, the child had been swept about 15 yards offshore when Williams reached him. The New York Times on Wednesday reported that the child was pulled from the ocean without serious injuries and released to his parents.