Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old lifeguard, has detailed his courageous rescue of a 10-year-old boy from powerful waves at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz. Williams spotted Nathaniel Rai struggling in the surf on Saturday afternoon and immediately entered the water.
"After the first wave, I was unable to pull him out because he was limp and the waves were pushing so hard," Williams stated. "There were two to three more waves before lifeguard Aaron Bohnen entered the water to help me. There were bystanders who jumped in to try to help and I yelled at them all to get back to shore."
Footage from the scene showed Williams holding onto Rai as waves crashed around them. At one point, Williams submerged himself with the boy to avoid being separated by a large wave.
Bohnen assisted Williams in bringing Rai to shore, where a third lifeguard took over. Rai appeared limp as he was brought to safety, receiving applause from onlookers.
Williams, who was positioned down the coast, saw Rai lose his footing in the water. He recounted that the boy had briefly lost consciousness, with his father, Sumit Rai, telling ABC 7 that his son "assumed he was going to die."
"I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely," Williams said. "This is my job and I love what I do." He also expressed thanks for his fellow lifeguards.
Williams performed four additional rescues during his shift, according to his grandfather, George Williams. Lifeguards in Santa Cruz County responded to 34 rescues over the weekend, attributed to large surf, warm weather, and heavy crowds, according to California State Parks.
Scott Vander Dussen, a witness, described the incident to the Los Angeles Times, noting that a sneaker wave swept Rai out to sea. He commented that the boy was "moments from not coming back."
President Donald Trump reportedly hailed Williams as a "heroic young man" and invited him to the White House for a High Civilian Honor. Williams' father, Shane, shared that his son told him, "Dad, I wasn't going to let go of that kid because I knew if I let go of him, he was going to drown and I wasn't going to let that happen."
California State Parks acknowledged the daily risks lifeguards take, stating, "Their dedication never goes unnoticed and they are truly heroes to their local communities, Californians and the nation."