A surfer has turned his near-death experience into a lifesaving video - with help from Sea Girt lifeguards.

The Sea Girt lifeguards turned Paul Bouchard's GoPro video from July 4, 2021 - the day he almost rode his final wave - into a training video.

“I drowned in the ocean for three minutes facing down,” said surfer Paul Bouchard. "Last thing I remember, going to catch it, inside wave and one particular instant, I remember looking at my board right in front of me."

Bouchard began his holiday at Sea Girt Beach catching some waves with a GoPro strapped to him when it all went wrong.

“He was underwater for three minutes, but he was out for over 11 when there was CPR, lifesaving measures being done on him on the beach, up into the ambulance,” said Tim Harmon, the Sea Girt lifeguard chief. “You realize he’s hitting the bottom multiple times while in the water, fighting for his life.”

It was Bouchard’s first time ever wearing a GoPro or using one. Once the first responders saw what was captured on film, they realized right away how valuable that footage would become.

“All of a sudden, we found the biggest file, we watched it and were like ‘Oh my God,’ you literally watched someone die in front of your eyes and drown,” added Harmon.

“He had an idea that he could use this for lifeguards in the now and in the future because he does a lot of training, runs a lifeguard academy,” said Bouchard.

Bouchard made a full recovery, thanks to neurosurgeon Dr. Aasim Kazmi at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

The video is now a valuable, required watch for new lifeguard hires on how to recover, stabilize and transport a severe neck injury victim.

“Anything can happen at any time. Pure fun can turn into a trauma and that’s what happened to me,” he said.

Paul’s full training video can be watched HERE.