Memorial statue proposed for Newport lifeguard Ben Carlson

A local group hopes a statue of fallen lifeguard Ben Carlson will stand permanent watch over the shoreline at the base of the Balboa Pier, near the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard headquarters.

His right hand would clutch a rescue tube. His left hand would shade his eyes. As he gazes through sunglasses toward the ocean, his swim trunks would seem to ripple in the wind.

The Ben Carlson Memorial and Scholarship Foundation has been working on the concept and hopes to unveil the statue July 2, Carlson’s birthday.

Carlson died while making a rescue in rough surf on July 6, just four days after the seasoned lifeguard turned 32.

The community responded to Carlson’s death with an outpouring of support for him, posting signs on business marquees and creating a makeshift memorial on the steps of the lifeguard headquarters. Hundreds attended a paddle-out and memorial service.

Family and friends formed the foundation to accept donations soon afterward, said Carlson’s father, Chris, a member of the foundation advisory board.

As time moves on, a statue would provide a “lasting legacy,” the foundation’s website says.

“This is about a local hero,” said Rita Goldberg, chairwoman of the Newport Beach Arts Commission, which listened to a foundation presentation on the idea last week.

Plans described in a PowerPoint presentation detailed an approximately 9-foot-tall bronze representation of Carlson standing on a roughly 3-foot-tall granite base.

The figure would not only honor Carlson but also promote ocean safety and pay tribute to all lifeguards, the presentation said. It perhaps would use smartphone technology for an interactive experience.

A rendering of the sculpture was developed by Carlson’s brother-in-law Jake Janz. He used photos of Carlson and had a lifeguard with a physique similar to Carlson’s pose as a model.

“It’s amazing how such a bad event, the worst event in my life, has triggered so many positive things and used the resources that were right there among Ben’s close circle,” Chris Carlson said.

The foundation has been accepting general donations already, but has not decided how much of those — if any — will be used to pay for the statue. The group intends to make details available in coming weeks about how it will be funded.

“We’re looking to keep Ben fresh in people’s minds,” Chris Carlson said.

The idea for a statue seemed to fit the group’s vision, he explained. The foundation aims to provide scholarships for students who share Ben Carlson’s values, improve safety in the ocean and support organizations that give to needy children.

A formal application for the statue has not been submitted, and there is little precedent for recommending the donation of an as-yet-unmade artwork, but the Arts Commission was receptive to the idea, Goldberg said.

It would be “something that people can go right up to and really see what this individual looked like, kind of connect with him,” Goldberg said.

At the City Council’s meeting Sept. 9, Mayor Rush Hill asked city staff to look into possible opportunities for “naming rights” in honor of Ben Carlson.

Hill suggested that staff meet with Carlson’s family and lifeguard peers to consider ideas for “something that would help us make sure that we continue the legacy that Ben gave to us.”

Ideas have included naming the Newport Beach lifeguard headquarters or Junior Lifeguards program for Carlson.