Colby Ralls, 17, of San Rafael, told ABC 7 he was surfing with two others when they heard people on the bridge shouting. They watched as someone near the railing went over, and the three immediately paddled toward him. Ralls said the man, whom the surfers estimated to be in his 20s, was still calling for help as they approached.

The surfers reached the man and worked to keep him above water, using a surfboard to support him while trying to keep him calm and conscious. Ralls said the man had a pulse and was breathing when they got to him.

Within minutes, a Coast Guard rescue boat arrived and took over. The man was transferred to an ambulance in stable condition, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard Lt. John Thompson, part of the watch team that day, credited the surfers with buying the man critical time.

"Those surfers being there, being able to pull the person onto a surfboard, provided those vital seconds in order to be able to save the person," Thompson told ABC 7.

Ralls said he hoped the man would recover. "There should be easier ways to get help for people like that, you know," he told the outlet. "I just really hope he's okay."

The rescue took place near Fort Point, beneath the bridge's south tower, where surf conditions can make an already difficult operation more challenging. Surfer magazine describes the spot as an unusually fickle break generated by powerful northwest swells, with waves moving over a rocky bottom amid strong tidal currents and passing cargo ships.

The incident comes as the Golden Gate Bridge's suicide barrier has substantially reduced the number of deaths and reported attempts at the landmark, though it was never expected to prevent every incident. The horizontal barriers installed beneath the bridge in 2024 have been credited with a dramatic reduction in deaths. The bridge recorded 30 deaths annually on average before the installation, compared with four in all of 2025. All four occurred during the first six months of the year, with no deaths recorded in the second half.

The New York Times reported in January that the second half of 2025 may have been the longest period without a suicide at the bridge, although historical records from earlier decades are incomplete. There were also 94 aborted attempts in 2025, roughly half the annual average. Those incidents typically involve interventions by law enforcement officers, passersby, and others who manage to talk someone out of going over the railing. The lower number of attempts suggests the barriers may also be discouraging people from approaching the edge in the first place.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the Bay Area, you can also text BAY to 741741 for free, confidential crisis support through Crisis Text Line, or call San Francisco Suicide Prevention at 415-781-0500.