Publicist Benita Karo Pulls Unconscious Surfer From Oceanside Rocks

A surfer knocked unconscious after a large wave threw him into rocks off Oceanside, California, was pulled from the water on Sept. 26 by a bystander who held his head above the surface until help arrived, according to the New York Post.

The rescuer, Benita Karo, 39, of Carlsbad, told the Post she was walking the beach that morning and had stopped to film the unusually large waves on her phone before her daughter's 14th birthday party later that day. Karo said she works as a publicist for authors of Elvis Presley books.

What happened to the surfer at Oceanside?

Karo told the Post she watched a surfer carrying his board out of the water as a large wave built behind him. "I see the wave. He doesn't see it. It's massive, and it just hits him, and he didn't even see it coming," Karo said, according to the outlet. The wave carried the surfer into the rocks along the shoreline. Karo said she ran toward the water and watched for him to surface. When he didn't, she moved closer and found him face down and unresponsive. "When I got closer, I saw him upside down, face down in the water, not awake at all. Like he was knocked out," she told the Post.

How did the rescue happen?

Still dressed, Karo entered the water and lifted the surfer's head above the surface while waves continued to push against them and the rocks. "I sat there with him, holding him, just trying to keep his head above water," she said. Another surfer in the water saw the pair and came to help, and people staying at a nearby beach house also ran down to assist. The group worked together to lift the man from the water, the Post reported. The Post's account does not specify the surfer's identity, his current medical condition, or which agency, if any, responded to the scene, and those details were not available in the source material.

Who is Benita Karo?

Karo described herself to the Post as a celebrity publicist representing authors of books about Elvis Presley. She lives in Carlsbad, a coastal city just north of Oceanside in San Diego County. The Post's report includes a photo of Karo taken in Carlsbad the same Saturday morning, credited to her Instagram account, @heartbreak__honey. Beyond her own account to the Post, no independent statement from Karo, the surfer, or local authorities appears in the available reporting.

What caused the powerful surf that morning?

The Post's headline attributes the size of the waves to hurricane-generated swell, and Karo's account describes conditions as "unusually large" waves pounding the coastline that morning. The article does not name a specific storm system, provide wave-height figures, or cite the National Weather Service or a lifeguard agency for confirmation of surf conditions, so those specifics are omitted here pending additional documentation.

What happens next for the surfer and his rescuer?

The Post's report ends with the group lifting the surfer from the water; it does not detail his transport, treatment, or recovery status, nor any follow-up contact between Karo and the man she pulled from the rocks. Readers looking for updates on his condition or any recognition Karo may receive will need to watch for further reporting from the Post or local San Diego County outlets, since no such follow-up appears in the material reviewed for this brief.

How can beachgoers stay safer around large surf?

The source material does not include safety guidance from lifeguards or coastal officials tied to this specific incident. The episode itself, as described by Karo to the Post, illustrates a recognized hazard: a swimmer or surfer facing away from incoming swell can be struck without warning, and a wave large enough to carry a person into rocks can render them unconscious on impact. Karo's decision to enter the water fully clothed, and the response from a second surfer and nearby beach-house guests, reflects the kind of bystander action safety officials commonly point to in rock-and-surf rescues, though no official statement to that effect was included in the Post's account.

The full account, including additional photos, is available at the New York Post.