A 16-year-old California lifeguard has shared a detailed account of the dramatic ocean rescue that turned him into a national hero and earned an invitation to the White House.
Ryder Williams, a first-year California State Parks lifeguard, rescued 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai from violent surf at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday, July 26. Video of the rescue, showing Williams holding the limp child as massive waves repeatedly crashed over them, went viral and drew praise from across the country, including from President Trump.
In his first public statement, Williams described the heart-stopping 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 powerful waves battered the pair before fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen entered the water to assist. Williams yelled at bystanders who tried to help, 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, helped assess the child, 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.”
President Trump shared the viral video, calling Williams a “heroic young man” and announcing plans to invite him to the White House to receive a high civilian honor. The recognition has only heightened the spotlight on the humble teenager, who continues to insist he was simply doing the job he loves.
The rescue occurred amid dangerous surf conditions that kept Santa Cruz-area lifeguards extremely busy over the weekend, with dozens of rescues reported. For Williams, what began as a routine shift became a moment of extraordinary courage that has inspired people nationwide.
