President Donald Trump honored a teenage lifeguard and the young boy he rescued at the White House on Monday, describing the July incident off the coast of California as "incredible."
Trump met with 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams and 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai in the Oval Office. Williams was lauded for his actions during a rescue at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, which was captured on a viral video. The footage shows Williams struggling with Nathaniel in heavy waves before they were assisted to shore by another lifeguard, Aaron Bohnen.
"What you did was incredible, and everybody saw it," Trump told the boys, referencing the widely viewed video of the rescue. "When I first saw it, I said, ‘roll that back, I want to see that again.’"
Williams, who credited his training for his ability to act in the dangerous situation, expressed his intention to train as a paramedic and become a firefighter. Trump offered him encouragement, suggesting he might receive "some good recommendations."
Nathaniel, accompanied by his father and sister, appeared calm during the meeting. Trump commended the boy for his composure during the emergency. "Your father is the happiest man in the world," the president told Nathaniel. "The way Nathaniel handled it was — he was cool, considering the problems."
Trump recalled seeing the rescue video on his Truth Social platform and had previously stated his intention to honor the individuals involved. "We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor," Trump wrote on July 28.
During the Oval Office gathering, Trump shared his admiration for Williams' "tremendous grace" during the rescue, stating, "I’ve seen rescues before. I’ve never seen anything quite like this."