.jpg?20260728')
A 16-year-old lifeguard has been hailed a hero after being captured on video saving a child from a monster wave at a beach in California, US.
Footage shows the high school student, identified as Ryder, wading into the surf to grab the small child just as a massive wave crashes down on them.
Ryder can be seen desperately clinging to the boy as wave after wave breaks over them, surfacing between swells to catch his breath.
Several beachgoers attempted to help but were quickly overwhelmed by the surf.
As the water eventually subsided, Ryder pulled the child safely onto the shore, where he was reunited with his family and evaluated by paramedics.
Social media users praised the teenager's bravery, with video of the rescue racking up more than 1 million views and 50,000 likes.
&uuid=(email))