What began as an ordinary summer shift on a California beach quickly turned into a life-or-death rescue that has captured national attention. On July 25, 16-year-old rookie lifeguard Ryder Williams plunged into towering waves at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz to save a 10-year-old boy who was being swept away by dangerous surf.

A terrifying video shows a rescue at a Santa Cruz beach when a child was swept into powerful waves, prompting a 16-year-old lifeguard to save the child’s life.

A child was saved from the ocean in a dramatic rescue after being pulled in by powerful waves. Footage captured by witness Scott Vander Dussem shows a Santa Cruz lifeguard, who is…