Teen surfer helps save person after jump from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge

Rescue Teen surfer helps save person after jump from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge By Luz Pena Thursday, November 12, 2026 5:45PM A group of surfers helped rescue a person who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday, reaching him in the water before the Coast Guard arrived. SAN FRANCISCO -- A group of surfers helped rescue a person who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge on Tuesday afternoon, reaching him in the water before a U.S. Coast Guard boat arrived. Among them was 17-year-old Colby Ralls, of San Rafael, California, who was surfing with two others when voices from the bridge alerted them that something was wrong. "I yelled to my dad, call someone. Everyone was yelling to the beach, to call someone. And then he ended up just jumping off. There was guys up there, telling him not to. He just jumped off and just right as we saw that happened. Me and a couple other guys that were out there just started paddling to go get him," Ralls said. Ralls said the surfers immediately headed toward the person after witnessing the jump. "He was yelling help as we were paddling towards him- while he was still alive," Ralls said. The three surfers reached the man, whom they believed to be in his 20s, and worked to keep him afloat. "Stabilizing the board and just keeping him afloat because you couldn't really swim and the guys were talking to him like, hey, it's okay, it's okay. We're getting help," Ralls said. Within minutes, a Coast Guard rescue boat reached the group and took over. "They're gone fast. You know, they're like, we need to go. We need to go. It was just such a miracle that he even survived that drop. It's kind of crazy," Ralls said. AccuWeather: Gusty thunderstorms today in the Philadelphia region Baby buried alive for 24 hours released from the hospital; father charged 2 hours ago Malayshia Allford case: Medical examiner's report reveals new details in murder of missing girl U.S. Coast Guard Lt. John Thompson, who was part of the watch team that day, said the surfers' quick actions were critical. "Hitting that water at that speed and you can experience shock very quickly, so those surfers being there, be able to pull the person onto a surfboard, provided those vital seconds in order to be able to save the person," Thompson said. After the rescue, Ralls and the other surfers returned to shore and continued processing what had happened. He said the man had a pulse and was breathing when they reached him. "There should be easier ways to get help for people like that. You know, I just I just really hope he's okay," Ralls said. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the man was in stable condition when he was transferred to an ambulance. Ralls said he hopes the man recovers. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Find crisis resources here . Report a correction or typo Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved. Related Topics SOCIETY RESCUE U.S. & WORLD MENTAL HEALTH SURFING GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE NYC building collapse investigation focuses on structure's history, nearby construction 14 minutes ago Missing teen found alive after 6 days in the Australian woodlands 2 hours ago 'She is still alive': Pregnant woman rescued from NYC building collapse rubble, husband says 3 hours ago Man rescued after becoming trapped in trench against concrete slab Watch Live ON NOW AccuWeather: Gusty thunderstorms today in the Philadelphia region Baby buried alive for 24 hours released from the hospital; father charged 2 hours ago Malayshia Allford case: Medical examiner's report reveals new details in murder of missing girl SS United States completes final voyage, sinks to Gulf floor to become artificial reef Ex-boyfriend fatally shoots woman's current boyfriend; woman returns fire killing ex, deputies say