On a summer afternoon in 1970, lifeguard Rex Connor diverted his gaze for seventeen seconds and tragedy occurred. Forty years later the waves of that day still ripple through the lives of countless people, including his son, Cole. In the aftermath of his father's exploits Cole Conner has become a patient teacher, and now he has invited three struggling teenagers to visit him on his front porch to learn about Rex Connor and the Seventeen Second Miracle.