by: Wiley Jawhary / Fox5 / July 30-31, 2026
A 17-year-old who was seriously injured after jumping from Sunset Cliffs is speaking publicly about his recovery, as San Diego lifeguards warn they continue to see teenagers making the same dangerous jumps despite the viral rescue that captured national attention.
While his family did not want FOX5/KUSI to identify him by name, the 17-year-old told us he is unable to walk without a walker, but is on the path to recovery.
“I slammed against the rock and I felt like paralyzed, and I couldn’t move,” he said.
The teen was injured after striking the cliff face before crashing into the ocean. Video of the incident spread rapidly across social media, showing bystanders rushing into the water to help keep him afloat before lifeguards and firefighters rescued him using a technical rope system.
“My lungs were burning, my ribs were burning, my spine, it was the weirdest feeling it was just burning,” he said.
Now recovering, the teen told FOX 5/KUSI he suffered six compression fractures to his vertebrae and required nine stitches in his foot.
While the pain has been intense, he said he is thankful he did not need surgery.
Despite the widely shared video, FOX 5/KUSI found more teenagers jumping from the same cliffs just days later.
The teens acknowledged seeing the viral rescue before coming to Sunset Cliffs, but said they still decided to jump off a nearby cliff.
Some teens said what they are doing is called aura farming, a social media term used to describe doing something risky or impressive sometimes for attention or social media views.
San Diego lifeguards say cliff jumping from heights greater than five feet is illegal under city ordinance and warn that hidden rocks, changing tides and unpredictable ocean conditions can quickly turn a jump into a life-threatening emergency.
Lifeguards hope the teen’s story serves as a warning that what may appear to be a thrilling social media moment can have lasting consequences.
“If I slipped a little bit more and I landed straight on that slab and not in the water, I would probably be paralyzed if not dead,” he said.
The teen is hoping his story deters others from doing the jump he did.
Officials continue urging people to stay out of restricted cliff-jumping areas and remind the public that one risky decision can endanger not only the person jumping, but also the rescuers who respond when something goes wrong.
I mean, it’s what kids do. At least we did… well into our 20s, at bar time. Hammered. The local quarry had filled with water many years ago and we (all the HS kids) would sneak around the back through the trees and park at the Holiday Inn. It was a good 40-50 ft cliff. But the water was 100 ft deep. Cops never caught me, but caught others. Some even fell down into the ravine on the back side. After a few dives, we hit the diving boards and swam… with the girls we brought from the bar. Giggidy.
I get it; I’ve jumped off that lower level several times — one time not that long ago and I wrote about it — but these kids are jumping off dangerous sites on the cliffs, sites that no one in the past would jump from.
When the United States National Park Service sends in rescue teams, helicopters, rock climbers and hauls out injured or stranded people, the federal government sends the people who caused the crisis a bill for the expenses. The City Parks & Recreation Department, City Lifeguards, and City Police Department should send a bill to the families of all those kids that get injured and require a rescue. Then perhaps City Parks can pay for public restrooms again.