Ryder Williams, 16, released a statement on Wednesday through California State Parks about the July 25 rescue at Seabright State Beach
.
The 16-year-old State Park Lifeguard and fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen rescued 10-year-old Nathaniel from the waves at Seabright State Beach on Saturday
.
Williams was working Tower 2 and “making safety contacts all day due to the large crowd and heavy surf”
.
“I was at the waterline 15 yards downcoast of Tower 2 making a safety contact when I looked up and saw a child about 20 (yards) up from the tower 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. I put my fins on my wrist, popped my buoy and entered the water to get ahold of the child.”
The water was treacherous for rescue work.
“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.”
That’s when another lifeguard arrived.
“Once Bohnen and I got the kid to shore I was instructed to get the med bag from Bohnen’s unit and we assessed the child.”
Williams remained professional as the day continued.
“Shortly after, I got back into my tower where I returned to provide lifeguard services for the rest of my shift.”
Yet
Ryder did that 2 more times
on the same day.
His grandfather George Williams told The Post, adding he rescued five people in total that day
.
The boy’s father was not present during the rescue.
Rai, who was in his home city of Dallas, said he heard about what happened when he spoke to his kids on the phone that evening
.
“From what I gathered, he assumed he was going to die. He was drowning. He knew he was drowning. He blacked out. He went unconscious. When he came out of the water, he was clearly limp. It doesn’t look like he was breathing,” Rai said.
“Another two or three seconds, I don’t think my son would have made it,” said Sumit Rai, the father of the rescued 10-year-old, Nathaniel.
“He had some road rash on his forehead from holding on the kid. He hit the sand and scraped across it but he’s fine.”
Ryder spoke to his father about what drove him.
“He was going to drown, and I wasn’t going to let that happen,” Ryder Williams later told his father, retired firefighter Shane Williams, after rescuing 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai from violent surf at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday.
His father was deeply moved.
“I almost started crying because how determined he was to save that boy’s life makes me so proud,” Shane Williams said during an interview.
Ryder’s own statement reflected humility.
“This is my job and I love what I do,” Williams said in a statement from California State Parks.
“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely.
“I’m thankful to my fellow lifeguards who perform rescues just like this every day.”
His mother declined offers of financial support.
“I am blown away by the love, kindness, gratitude and respect you’re sending his way! A few people have asked about a GoFundMe – but honestly he was just doing the job that he absolutely loves.”
She offered an alternative instead.
“He was just doing the job that he absolutely loves.” She suggested instead that people give to Santa Cruz County’s Junior Guards program, where Ryder trained.
The rescue video went nationwide.
A video of the rescue captured by Scott Vander Dussen of Santa Cruz Now garnered millions of views across social media.
Vander Dussen described the moment he started filming.
“It caught a lot of people off-guard, Vander Dussen, who filmed the video, said. Unfortunately, this young man was overwhelmed and swept out in just a moment’s time.”
Footage showed relentless wave action.
“Wave after wave, Ryder appeared to strategically gulp air before ducking beneath each crashing breaker. He would then emerge each time still gripping tightly to the child.”
The rescue did not escape political attention.
Eric Trump appreciated Ryder Williams, a teenager who rescued a child who was swept away by powerful waves. He believed that the teenager should receive the “highest civilian honor.”
“Give this 16-year-old lifeguard the highest civilian honor. This is truly the best of America! Well done!”
Eric wrote.
Then the president weighed in.
“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. Very brave, he deserves it!”
The Rai family expressed gratitude to the lifeguards.
“God bless them, and, you know, thank you. I cannot express sufficient gratitude.”
“I think he deserves every medal and award and honor that’s possible. So does Aaron, you know, everyone that helped, the good Samaritans,” Rai said.
In the viral moment on July 25, a 10-year-old boy named Nathaniel was standing in ankle-deep water at Seabright Beach when powerful swells suddenly arrived.
The 10-year-old boy was standing in shallow water when he lost his footing and was pulled into the ocean at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz
.
California State Parks, which employs the lifeguards at that beach, said the boy was swept about 15 yards into the ocean before the lifeguard made contact with him
. The child was swept under repeatedly by crashing waves, becoming limp and unresponsive in the violent shorebreak.
Williams raced in and refused to release his grip despite the pounding surf knocking both of them down.
Witnesses commenting on the video said the struggle against the waves lasted much longer than the footage shows, adding that Ryder never let go of the child despite the relentless surf
. Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen and bystanders joined in to help bring Nathaniel back to shore, where paramedics evaluated him.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta of Santa Cruz called the moment significant.
“We are very proud of this young man and his first rescue, and are grateful that his inspiring actions were caught on video so that the world gets to see what our amazing local lifeguards do on a daily basis in Santa Cruz,” Panetta said.
Ryder plans to be at the White House for his high civilian honor.