She Was Filming the Waves When a Surfer Disappeared

Benita Karo was filming the waves along a beach in Oceanside, California, when she noticed a surfer walking out of the water with his board. A huge wave was building behind him, and he had no idea it was coming.

She watched it hit him and throw him straight into the rocks. The impact was so violent that she immediately looked for him to come back to the surface.

But he didn’t appear. Benita stopped filming and ran toward the water, where she found the man floating face down, completely unconscious.

She Had Only Planned to Film the Waves

It was the morning of September 26, 2026. Benita, a 39-year-old mother from nearby Carlsbad, had gone out for a walk with a coffee before celebrating her daughter’s 14th birthday later that day.

The surf was unusually powerful. Swells generated by Hurricanes Odalys and Polo had been reaching the Southern California coastline, creating dangerous conditions around beaches, jetties, and rocky sections of the shore.

Benita had stopped near a lifeguard tower to record the waves when she spotted the surfer. He was carrying his board and trying to leave the water, unaware of what was approaching behind him.

The man was 75-year-old Bob Asselin, who had been surfing for roughly 50 years. He was experienced in the ocean, but he was in a difficult spot when the wave caught him.

After seeing the collision, Benita shouted for help and started searching the water. When she finally spotted Bob, he wasn’t moving, and the waves were still crashing against the rocks around him.

She Ran Into the Water Fully Clothed

Benita hurried down a ramp toward the surf without stopping to take off her clothes. She knew Bob needed immediate help, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to pull him out alone.

When she reached him, she grabbed him and lifted his head above the surface. He was unconscious, and the water kept pushing both of them against the rocks.

She held on, supporting his head and trying to keep his face clear of the water. Every incoming wave made her job harder, and she couldn’t move him far enough to get him safely onto shore.

Fortunately, another surfer noticed what was happening and came to help. People staying at a nearby beach house also rushed down when they realized someone was in trouble.

Together, they managed to pull Bob away from the rocks and get him onto dry ground. By the time emergency responders arrived, the group had already completed the most difficult part of the rescue.

Paramedics took over, cutting away part of Bob’s wetsuit so they could examine him. He was breathing, although he’d been seriously hurt, and they rushed him to the hospital for treatment.

Her First Job Had Been as a Lifeguard

Benita later explained that she’d worked as a lifeguard when she was just fifteen years old. Her job had been at a water park, where she watched over swimmers in a wave pool.

She hadn’t worked as a lifeguard in years, but when she saw Bob unconscious in the ocean, her old training came back. She knew she needed to keep his head above water until enough people arrived to get him out.

There was one big difference between her teenage job and what she’d just experienced. At the water park, an emergency meant someone could switch off the wave machine. Out in the ocean, the waves just kept coming.

Benita didn’t escape completely unharmed. The rocks left her with cuts and scrapes on her face, back, and toe, and she admitted the experience had shaken her badly.

In an interview afterward, she explained that she kept replaying the accident in her head. She had watched a man disappear beneath the water, gone in after him, and helped bring him to shore without knowing whether he would survive.

The hardest part came afterward, when the ambulance had gone and she had no way of knowing how Bob was doing.

She Finally Heard He Was Recovering

The good news eventually came from Bob’s wife, Mary. She contacted Benita and told her that her husband was recovering well after receiving medical treatment.

By then, video of the accident had spread widely online, and news stations were covering what Benita had done. She spoke about the other surfer and the people from the nearby house who had helped get Bob safely onto shore.

Later, Inside Edition brought Benita together with Bob and his wife. This time, she was meeting the man she’d rescued while he was awake and able to speak with her.

Bob said he didn’t remember the moment the wave struck him. Watching the footage afterward gave him a chance to see what had happened, including the woman who had come into the water to help him.

He thanked Benita and described her as a heroic girl. Mary was equally grateful, calling her an angel for what she’d done.

Bob was making a strong recovery, and despite the accident, his wife had one more piece of news to share.

After fifty years of surfing and a frightening trip to the hospital, the 75-year-old was already talking about getting back on his surfboard.