A 16-year-old rookie lifeguard who pulled a 10-year-old boy from pounding surf in Santa Cruz, California, spent the final day of production on Fox's Baywatch revival — and left with a crew jacket from the show's star.

Ryder Williams was working his first shift as a lifeguard when he spotted Nathaniel Rai struggling in 8-to-10-foot waves and rip currents at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz. The rescue was his first ever. He made four more that same day. Nathaniel, who was on a family trip to Santa Cruz, was reunited safely with his father, Sumit Rai, who later praised the lifeguards who responded. KGNS

The story caught the attention of the producers behind Fox's Baywatch revival, a new take on the 1990s lifeguard drama. They invited Ryder and his parents to the revival's set on the Fox lot in Century City, California, on the last day of full production for its first season. Variety

Series star Stephen Amell, known for playing the title role in Arrow, gave Ryder a Season 1 Baywatch crew jacket during the visit. The revival is executive produced by Matt Nix, who serves as showrunner — the person responsible for the day-to-day creative running of a television series — and by Greg Bonann, who created the original Baywatch and was himself a lifeguard before the show ever aired. Variety

The Fox Baywatch revival is set to premiere in early 2027. No episode count has been confirmed. Variety

For a show built on the mythology of lifeguards, the invitation was a fitting way to close out a first season — bringing a real one onto the set where the fiction was made.