Grace under the waves

Tyler Tysdal shares how a supposedly fun birthday weekend turned into a frightening scenario that made him realize what it truly means to be a father. This is his story.

His son Johnny is known as Mr. Fun. His ocean blue eyes, dimples, and bright smile reflect his kindness and confidence. Despite the difference in age, his dad considers him to be his best friend. They decided to go on a boys' weekend to celebrate both of their birthdays, in a place where they can launch their traditions for the year.

That day, Tyler Tysdal and Johnny saw the Jacksonville Jaguars win against the Tennessee Titans. Then they saw Johnny’s big sister scrimmage at her new college campus. Finally, they went to the beach to go boogie-boarding.

The boys waded into the seemingly knee-length calm waters and caught a couple of waves. However, Johnny wanted to get out of what he called the “baby pool” zone of the shore and go out a little more and jump into more exciting waves. As soon as he jumped over one huge wave, he looked at the next wave with a beaming smile of anticipation. But this wave was different. He was pulled into a rip current.

In that moment, Tyler Tysdal’s life flashed before his eyes. He was asking God to save Johnny's life in exchange for his. Then he remembered the rip current rules— he must swim parallel to the shore.

Tyler needed a break from the wave pounding them over and over until they reached a spot that relieved both father and son from the breaking waves. The lifeguard reached them at that point and shuttled his buoy while asking questions about the water in their lungs. The lifeguard team arrived with rescue lights and an EMT crew. With the rescuer, they walked ashore and tested their waterlogged lungs. They were finally safe. His wife later said that despite the circumstance, God had allowed him to be there to save his son.

Through this experience, Tyler Tysdal understood a father’s unconditional love and grace. He witnessed how God had honored his prayer and saved them from danger.

Tyler Tysdal is a private equity and real estate investor who firmly believes in the importance of conscious capitalism and its social impact on businesses and communities. He is part of the private fund advisor TitleCard Capital Group LLC. For more on Tyler and his work, check out this page.