The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission announced a former Point Loma High student has been selected to receive a Carnegie Medal, known as “North America’s highest honor for heroism,” which comes with a medal and a grant of $7,500.

Tyler Badet was an 18-year-old senior and surf team member at PLHS on Jan. 6, 2021, doing what he does almost every day of the year – surfing. On this particular day, Badet had chosen the area along Sunset Cliffs known as “The Arch” to catch winter waves cresting at 10 feet.

In an interview with the Peninsula Beacon at the time, Badet indicated he has observed and noted the water patterns at every beach where he surfs along the coast. And he knew that when he saw a man and woman preparing to jump into the churning 59-degree waters they would likely be overwhelmed by the conditions.

His suspicions were almost immediately confirmed when the pair began flailing and yelling for help.

While other nearby surfers did not respond, Badet first reached the man who grabbed onto Badet’s board. Badet swam to a rocky area where the man could climb to safety and then returned to the lady who was in panic mode.

When he brought her to the same spot where the man climbed out she would not release her hold on his board. While he was being washed around by waves, Badet became tired and knew it would take lifeguards to complete the extrication of the woman from the waves.

Lifeguards arrived along with San Diego Fire-Rescue and were able to remove the woman from the water. Badet paddled back out and later went home.

When telling his story at the time to a Peninsula Beacon writer, Badet mentioned that nobody at the scene took his name. The writer messaged San Diego Fire-Rescue and Badet’s heroics became known.

Since then, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and others have recognized Badet’s feat and honored him.

There are stringent requirements for candidates for the Carnegie Medal and candidates must have left a position of safety or stayed in peril after escape was possible so they could rescue another person. They must have taken extraordinary risks in doing so. Some of the honorees died performing their rescue. The actions of all nominated people are investigated and confirmed by Carnegie Hero Fund Commission staff.

Badet, now 20, is a student at Point Loma Nazarene University and still surfs almost every day.