OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KSWB/KUSI) — For Scott Muir, a single wave redefined his existence.

As a dedicated husband, father to two children, and a veteran with 12 years in the U.S. Air Force, Muir had spent much of his life riding the waves. However, on the morning of September 28, what began as a peaceful Sunday surf session in Oceanside, California, rapidly escalated into a desperate struggle for his life.

Nearby was 19-year-old Judah Ely, a fellow surfer who was in the right place at the right time when Muir found himself in distress.

Just moments before the incident, Muir had been sharing a lighthearted moment with a duo of teenage surfers, playfully vying for the best spot to catch a wave.

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“There was this pair of teenagers, we were kind of playing cat and mouse, trying to outdo each other to get the better waves,” he said.

Then came the wave that changed everything.

“It was probably one of the best waves I’d had that day,” Muir said. “But before I knew it, it pulled me up, flipped me over, and drove me down headfirst and I hit the bottom.”

The impact left him paralyzed and face down underwater.

“I felt hands touching me, and I remember thinking, that’s really weird, someone’s touching me,” he said.

Those hands belonged to Ely.

“I was looking for him to pop up so I could congratulate him,” Ely said. “Every second that went by, I got more and more worried. I jumped off my board and swam as fast as I could, those 10 seconds were the scariest of my life.”

Ely and his friend Thomas Alspaugh, a junior lifeguard, pulled Muir to shore and got the attention of nearby surfers and lifeguards.

“I’m glad we were in the right place at the right time,” Alspaugh said. “Usually, people are focused on getting the best wave. But that day, it was just about camaraderie.”

Before that moment, the only interaction between Muir and the teens had been a smile and a few friendly words, something Muir believes may have saved his life.

“That goodwill in the water, that’s what kept them looking out for me,” he said.

Muir has since regained movement in his arms and one leg. He’ll spend several months in spinal rehabilitation, determined to walk and surf again.

Just weeks before the accident, Muir completed a 30-mile paddle from Catalina Island to Newport Beach, raising thousands of dollars for ocean lifesaving scholarships. Now, those same lifesaving skills helped bring him back home.

Muir says he’s grateful for the new friendships and second chance at life, a reminder, he says, of how one small act of kindness can ripple into saving a life.

A fundraiser called “Keep Scott Surfing” has been launched to help with Muir’s recovery and medical expenses.