Inside the rescue: supervising lifeguard breaks down teen's heroic save

A supervising lifeguard has broken down the dramatic moment a teenage rookie pulled a young boy from dangerous surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, as footage of the rescue went viral. Sergeant Bryan Kine, supervising lifeguard for Santa Cruz State Beaches, spoke to Reuters on Thursday to describe the conditions that led to the near-tragedy and the actions that prevented it. The rescuer was identified as 16-year-old rookie Ryder Williams, who was repeatedly knocked down by powerful waves during the ordeal but refused to release his grip on the child. Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen also assisted in the effort. Bystanders attempted to help by forming a human chain, but the force of the surf broke it apart. After several minutes, a crowd was able to help bring the boy to shore. The rescue was one of 34 made by lifeguards over the same weekend, according to a State Parks spokesperson via Reuters.