Teen lifeguard reveals what went through his mind during dramatic rescue that saved 10 year old boy from powerful waves

Sixteen-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams is sharing the terrifying moments behind the ocean rescue that turned him into a national hero after he saved a 10-year-old boy from drowning off the California coast.

The rookie California State Parks lifeguard rescued Nathaniel Rai at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz on July 25 after the child was swept away by powerful waves. The dramatic rescue later drew national attention, with President Donald Trump announcing that Williams will receive a high civilian honor for his bravery.

Now, Williams has revealed what he was thinking as he battled dangerous surf to keep the boy alive.

“As I grab the child, he goes limp, so I’m thinking about if he’s unconscious or not, that I really need to go in,” Williams said.

The rescue began when Williams spotted Nathaniel being knocked off his feet by a powerful wave while the boy was standing in ankle-deep water. Watching from Tower 2, the teenager immediately dropped his equipment and sprinted into the ocean, where waves measured between 8 and 10 feet.

Williams said the conditions made the rescue especially difficult.

“The challenges for this rescue was that it was so close in, fins were ineffective,” he explained.

When he reached the child, Williams realized the situation was even more serious than he had expected.

“I was unable to pull him out because he was limp and the waves were pushing so hard,” he said.

Instead of trying to force his way back to shore alone, Williams focused on keeping both himself and Nathaniel from being dragged farther into the Pacific Ocean while waiting for help.

“The whole time I was thinking, I just need to hold my position until my partner can get here because I’m not going to be able to get him out on my own,” he said.

He added that his priority was “doing the best I can to get a good grip on the child and not get sucked out any further.”

As beachgoers rushed into the water to help, Williams ordered them to return to shore, recognizing that they could also become victims in the dangerous conditions.

“There were bystanders who jumped in to try to help, and I yelled at them all to get back to shore,” he recalled.

A fellow lifeguard soon reached the pair and helped bring Nathaniel safely back to the beach.

“My partner mostly takes over holding the child because at this point, my arms were very exhausted from holding on,” Williams said. “I still support him as much as I can as we drag him out of the water.”

Nathaniel’s father, Sumit Rai, believes Williams’ quick response saved his son’s life.

“Gratefully, he’s alive. It’s a miracle,” Rai said. “I’m so grateful to that lifeguard, Ryder.”

He added that just a few more seconds could have changed everything.

“Two more seconds he gets thrown another 15 to 20 feet. You can’t see him, let alone rescue him.”

After reaching shore, Nathaniel coughed up sand and remained in shock. According to his father, the 10-year-old later said he had drowned and lost consciousness during the ordeal.

Despite the life-threatening rescue, Williams did not end his shift. After making sure Nathaniel was safe, he returned to his lifeguard tower and continued patrolling the beach.

“I returned to my tower after the rescue and continued to make safety contacts and ended up making more rescues later that day,” he said.

Williams also stressed that successful rescues depend on teamwork.

“Together that day, we had many units on and all the tower staff,” he said. “Without working together, we would not be able to make many of the rescues we do.”

The teenager hopes his experience will encourage beach visitors to better understand the dangers of rip currents and changing ocean conditions before entering the water.

“I wish more people knew about ocean conditions and rip currents,” Williams said. “A way that people can find out about those is talking to the lifeguards or doing some research before they head to the beach.”

Although the rescue has made headlines across the country, Williams said it has only strengthened his commitment to the job.

“The experience has been amazing,” he said. “It is awesome to get to come out and help people every day. I have learned so much about the beach and being able to help people and what it takes to be a lifeguard.”