Father of boy saved in dramatic Santa Cruz surf rescue says son 'assumed he was going to die'The family of the boy rescued by a Santa Cruz lifeguard in a dramatic viral video described the intensely emotional surf rescue for the first time. The family of the boy rescued by a Santa Cruz lifeguard in a dramatic viral video described the intensely emotional surf rescue for the first time. The family of the boy rescued by a Santa Cruz lifeguard in a dramatic viral video described the intensely emotional surf rescue for the first time. The family of the boy rescued by a Santa Cruz lifeguard in a dramatic viral video described the intensely emotional surf rescue for the first time. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KGO) -- The family of the boy rescued by a 16-year-old Santa Cruz lifeguard in a dramatic and heart-pounding viral video described the intensely emotional surf rescue for the first time.