Life of Lifeguard Derek Traeger Celebrated in Paddle Out

Community gathers August 21 for paddle out in San Pedro 

By Sam Catanzaro

This past weekend family, friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate the life of Derek Traeger, a local Los Angeles County Lifeguard who died in a car crash while on duty recently. 

Ocean Lifeguard Derek Traeger, a six-year veteran of the LA County Lifeguard force, died in a car crash while on duty on August 14. The crash took place on the 405 freeway, south of Artesia Boulevard.

A week later, on August 21, a paddle-out took place in San Pedro for Traeger.

“This morning we celebrated the life of Derek Traeger with a community paddle out at Royal Palms Beach in San Pedro. Thank you to all the family, friends, colleagues, and agencies who were able to attend and celebrate the life of a great waterman,” LA County Lifeguards said in a social media post. 

A procession was also held previously for Traeger from the county morgue in Boyle Heights to a funeral home in Lomita. 

Traeger was born and raised in San Pedro where he learned to swim and surf. He was a LA County Junior lifeguard for nine years, and Cadet for two years. He swam for San Pedro High School and was captain of the San Pedro High surf team before attending California State University Long Beach.

Traeger has last been assigned to the northern part of Santa Monica Beach. 

“Traeger understood better than most what it means to wear the red trunks. His passion for life, art, the ocean, and his lifeguard family was evident in every moment he lived,” LA County Lifeguards said.

in News
Related Posts

Recovery Center Opens in West LA to Streamline Rebuilding Efforts

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

The hubs bring together representatives from multiple city departments, including Building and Safety, City Planning, and the Department of Water...

Inglewood Man Arrested in January Homicide in Santa Monica

February 18, 2025

February 18, 2025

Month-Long Investigation Leads to Arrest A suspect has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred last month...

American Legion Post 283 Opens Disaster Recovery Center

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

The center is staffed by veterans who have been active in the burn zone The American Legion Post 283 has...

Palisades Athletic Community Seek to Rebuild Programs, Fundraise for New Equipment

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

Local teams and organizations have launched fundraising efforts to help restore normalcy for affected players and ensure they can return...

(Video) Enjoy Beach Proximity and Prime Amenities at Ocean View Hotel

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

For More Info, Go To Oceanviewsantamonica.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/1RJBAOG3rO pic.twitter.com/1KlN8OZQeO — Palisades News (@PalisadesNewsLA) February 17, 2025

10-Unit Mar Vista Apartment Building Hits Market at $3M

February 17, 2025

February 17, 2025

Built in 1954, the multi-family complex has an average size of 713 square feet per unit A 10-unit apartment building...

County Launches Opt-Out Permit for Fire Debris Removal

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

The permit allows homeowners and business owners to oversee their own cleanup efforts Los Angeles County has introduced an Opt-Out...

Hardware Store Reopens Palisades Location After Wildfire Closure

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

Following weeks of repairs and restocking, this store is once again serving the community Anawalt Lumber has reopened its Pacific...

Black History Greens Festival to Celebrate Community Legacy of Virginia Avenue Park

February 14, 2025

February 14, 2025

The free community event is part of Santa Monica’s Black History Month celebrations, with the 2025 theme, “Roots and Reflections:...

Executive Order Suspends Environmental Regulations for Wildfire Rebuilding

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

Regulatory Relief Aims to Accelerate Wildfire Recovery in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive...

Country Club Donates $1M for Palisades Recovery

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

The club has encouraged members and partners to contribute to an established fund The Riviera Country Club has pledged $1...

Flour Pizzeria & Cafe to Bring Brooklyn-Style Pizza to Brentwood This Week

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Family-Owned Favorite from the Palisades to Open on San Vicente  Flour Pizzeria & Cafe, a restaurant from Pacific Palisades run...

Tai Chain to Donate Santa Monica Grand Opening Proceeds to Wildfire-Affected Restaurants

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

The restaurant’s U.S. presence began in Arcadia, Calif., in 2000, and has since expanded to 17 locations  Din Tai Fung,...

Santa Monica Hotel Event Space Offers Affordability, Accessibility

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Elevate Your Events with Versatile Venues and Exceptional Service Coastal stays and eclectic event spaces don’t have to be expensive....

New Map Tracks Palisades Cleanup Progress, Identifies Phase 1 and Phase 2 Areas

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

New interactive map helps residents track debris removal progress as officials emphasize unprecedented cleanup speed A newly released interactive map...