A 16-year-old California lifeguard who became a national hero after a dramatic ocean rescue has spoken out for the first time, downplaying the praise and insisting he was simply doing his job.

Ryder Williams, a first-year California State Parks lifeguard, rescued 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai from powerful, pounding waves at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday, July 26. Video of the rescue, captured by local photographer Scott Vander Dussen, quickly went viral, showing Williams clinging to the limp child as massive swells repeatedly crashed over them both.

In a statement released this week, Williams detailed the harrowing moments. He was making a safety contact near Tower 2 when he spotted the boy lose his footing in ankle-deep water.

“I radioed it in, threw my radio and sunglasses at the base of my tower as I ran toward the kid,” Williams said. “I put my fins on my wrist, popped my buoy and entered the water to get ahold of the child. Due to the volatility of the water, I was unable to tube up the victim. After the first wave, I was unable to pull him out because he was limp and the waves were pushing so hard.”

Two or three more waves battered the pair before fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen entered the water to help. Williams yelled at well-meaning bystanders who tried to assist, telling them to return to shore. Together, the two lifeguards brought the boy safely to the beach. Nathaniel received immediate medical attention but suffered no serious injuries and was soon reunited with his family.

Williams then retrieved medical equipment, assessed the child with his colleague, and returned to his tower to finish the rest of his shift.

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely,” he said. “This is my job and I love what I do. I’m thankful to my fellow lifeguards who perform rescues just like this every day.”

His father, retired firefighter Shane Williams, later shared that Ryder told him after the rescue: “He was going to drown, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.” The teen added that he “wasn’t going to let go of that kid.”

The rescue occurred amid dangerous surf conditions fueled by distant tropical systems, with lifeguards across the Santa Cruz district performing dozens of rescues over the weekend. President Trump shared the video, calling Williams a “heroic young man” and announcing plans to invite him to the White House to receive a high civilian honor.

Despite the national attention, Williams has remained characteristically humble. Photographer Vander Dussen, who filmed the rescue and has witnessed many interventions, described it as unlike anything he had seen before, praising the teen’s skill and composure under extreme pressure.

For a 16-year-old in his first summer on the job, the quiet determination and refusal to let go turned a routine shift into a moment that captivated the country.