- Ben Carlson was pronounced dead July 6 after rescuers searched for him by air, water and foot for three hours
- He was the first lifeguard to die in Newport Beach, California, where locals and tourists alike flock
- Lifeguards along more than six miles of pristine sand had rescued more than 200 people by the time the call came to help a distressed swimmer
- The swimmer, who has not been identified by authorities, was brought to shore and survived
Hundreds
of surfers paddled out on boards to remember a Southern California
lifeguard who drowned a week ago while saving a swimmer caught in
treacherous surf.
The Orange County Register reports
that more than 2,000 people joined the paddle-out tribute Sunday in
Newport Beach in memory of 32-year-old lifeguard Ben Carlson.
Thousands more watched from the pier and beach.
Carlson died a week ago during a rescue after disappearing under 10- to 12-foot waves.
He
was the first lifeguard to die in the Orange County city known for
sandy beaches and waves that attract the attention of surfers worldwide.
A Coast Guard helicopter hovers over people
gathered for a memorial for Newport Beach lifeguard, Ben Carlson off the
Newport Pier Sunday, July 13, 2014 in Newport Beach, California
People gather for a memorial for Newport Beach lifeguard, Ben Carlson off the Newport Pier Sunday, July 13, 2014 in Newport
People gather for a memorial for Newport Beach
lifeguard, Ben Carlson off the Newport Pier Sunday, July 13, 2014 in
Newport Beach
Surfer Bobby Zahabizadeh says he's grateful for the lifeguards. He was just a few towers away when Carlson died.
Lifeguards
along more than six miles of pristine sand in this Southern California
beach city had rescued more than 200 people by the time the call came to
help a distressed swimmer east of one of the main piers.
Ben Carlson, a lifeguard with 15 years of experience, sped out with other guards in a rescue boat and jumped into the water.
The
32-year-old, a passionate surfer and one of the fastest swimmers on the
200-strong mostly seasonal lifeguard staff, was pronounced dead late on
Sunday after rescuers searched for him by air, water and foot for three
hours.
Ben Carlson, a lifeguard with 15 years of
experience, sped out with other guards in a rescue boat on Sunday and
jumped into the water, but he quickly disappeared under 10- to 12-foot
waves
Ben Carlson was described as a 'swimming monster' who knew how to handle himself in 30- and 40-foot waves while surfing
He
was the first lifeguard to die in Newport Beach, where locals and
tourists alike flock to enjoy wide sandy beaches and waves that attract
the attention of surfers worldwide.
‘He just loved being out on the water, he loved the opportunity to help people,’ said his father, Chris Carlson.
‘He
was a water monster - that was one of the things that was so
unbelievable to us; a lowly 10-foot wave would take him out because he
was so experienced.’
He said his son knew how to handle himself in 30- and 40-foot waves while surfing.
Newport Beach lifeguard boats converge at the
end of the pier after the three hour search for a missing lifeguard Ben
Carlson ended
'He just loved being out on the water, he loved the opportunity to help people,' said his father, Chris Carlson
‘It's
one of those professions that people think you're getting in the way of
fun, or it's kind of a cakewalk job, and something like this happens,
and people realize how truly dangerous it can be,’ Carlson said.
The swimmer, who has not been identified by authorities, was brought to shore and survived.
Conditions
on Sunday were especially treacherous, with swells of 12 feet or more
crashing in without warning and a strong current that took swimmers by
surprise.
Around 100,000 people packed the beach with about 80 lifeguards on duty, said Rob Williams, the city's chief lifeguard.
‘It's
not typical that we always have 10- to 12-foot surf, but it does happen
once or twice a year, and it happened to be a Sunday with fantastic
weather on a holiday weekend,’ said Williams, whose guards made more
than 200 rescues and issued 3,000 warnings to beachgoers that day.
Carlson was the first lifeguard to die in
Newport Beach, where locals and tourists alike flock to enjoy wide sandy
beaches and waves that attract the attention of surfers worldwide
Newport Beach lifeguards rescued hundreds of swimmers over the weekend due to dangerous rip currents
The city gets 10 million beach visitors annually.
The
National Weather Service had warned Sunday of dangerous rip currents
and high surf along Southern California beaches due to a swell
originating in the Southern Hemisphere.
Beachgoers
said on Monday that a particularly huge swell surged ashore in the late
afternoon, drenching blankets and upsetting picnics.
Shortly after, rescue boats buzzed between the waves and helicopters began flying low over the water up and down the beach.
‘The
waves were huge. I saw it and I thought a tsunami was coming,’ said
Shirley Reinker, 72, who has lived along the beach for 40 years.
The
fallen lifeguard was raised in the inland suburbs of Southern
California but always loved the ocean. As soon as Ben Carlson was old
enough to get a driver's license, he tried to get a lifeguard job about
an hour's drive away in Newport Beach, his father said.
Rescuers took three hours to locate the teenager
after he disappeared under a 10-foot high wave and were later seen
tearfully consoling one another on Newport Beach
He
traveled to surf big waves and played water polo at the University of
California, Irvine. And while worked as beverages director for the
Wahoo's Fish Taco restaurant chain, he would lifeguard whenever he
could, the elder Carlson said.
He
was one of the fastest swimmers on staff, Williams said. All lifeguards
must be able to swim 0.6 miles in under 20 minutes and re-qualify
annually, but Carlson had additional training to work on a boat as a
rescue swimmer and drive patrol vehicles, Williams said. As a seasonal
guard, Carlson made about $22 an hour.
Friends
hung his red lifeguard jacket over the bar at a local Irish pub blocks
from the beach, a lifeguard hangout. A sign outside read: ‘Ben would go.
We love you. You will be missed.’
An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
For his part, the elder Carlson takes some solace in that his son died doing what he loved most, and that he was a man of faith.
‘He's in paradise today - swimming with dolphins,’ he said.
