A 10-year-old boy who came within seconds of drowning in the powerful Pacific surf has spoken publicly for the first time about the terrifying moments before a 16-year-old lifeguard pulled him to safety. Nathaniel Rai was vacationing with his mother and younger sister at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz, California, in late July 2026 when a sudden surge of large waves and a strong rip current nearly claimed his life. The dramatic rescue, captured on video by a bystander and later shared widely online, has drawn praise from across the country, including from the highest levels of government.
In an interview that aired on CBS Mornings on August 4, Nathaniel described how he had been cautious about entering the water that day. The waves looked bigger than anything he had experienced before—something he said he had only previously seen in videos online. A woman near the shore encouraged him to go in, but the boy chose to remain at the water’s edge. While standing in what appeared to be ankle-deep water, he lost his footing, tripped, and was immediately dragged farther into the ocean by the force of the breaking waves and underlying current. “Before the lifeguard came, I thought I was going to die,” Nathaniel recalled. The entire sequence unfolded in seconds, leaving him scared and disoriented as the water closed over him.
The first person to reach him was Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old high school junior working his first season as a California State Parks lifeguard. Stationed near Tower 2, Williams spotted the child struggling roughly 20 yards away. He quickly radioed for assistance and sprinted into the chaotic whitewater. Video of the rescue shows Williams locking his arms around the boy as successive large waves slammed into them both. At one point, Williams deliberately submerged himself and Nathaniel beneath the oncoming swell rather than fighting to stay on the surface, a technique that helped reduce the force of the current pulling them farther offshore.
Williams later explained that after the first wave struck, he was unable to properly secure the boy with a rescue tube because Nathaniel had already gone limp and the water pressure was too intense. The child, who weighs approximately 100 pounds, was unconscious and no longer breathing, effectively becoming dead weight in the turbulent conditions. Despite the danger to himself, Williams refused to release his hold. A second lifeguard, Aaron Bohnen, eventually entered the water and helped bring both the boy and Williams safely back to the beach. Some bystanders had begun wading in to assist, but Williams waved them away because the conditions remained too hazardous for untrained rescuers.
Nathaniel received immediate medical attention on the sand and was soon released to his family without serious lasting injuries. His father, Sumit Rai, was in Dallas at the time of the incident. After seeing the viral video and speaking with his son, Rai described the rescue as nothing short of miraculous. He emphasized how close the situation came to a far worse outcome. Once a person is carried 15 to 20 feet farther out by a rip current in those conditions, locating and recovering them becomes extremely difficult. “He was a second or two away from dying,” Rai said. He repeatedly praised Williams for the physical strength and mental determination required to hold onto an unconscious child while being battered by torrential waves and strong currents.
Rai also expressed deep appreciation for the second lifeguard and the bystanders who helped once the pair reached shallower water. “It took that effort to bring them out and keep them alive,” he said. “I can’t imagine what life would look like had Ryder not been there.” Nathaniel himself has said he is “super thankful” to Williams and noted that the two discovered a shared interest in UFC during their later conversations.
The rescue video, filmed by local photographer Scott Vander Dussen, spread rapidly across social media platforms and drew widespread admiration. President Donald Trump publicly praised Williams as a “heroic young man” and announced plans to invite the teenager and his family to the White House to present a high civilian honor, possibly including Nathaniel as well. Williams has responded with characteristic humility, stating that he was simply doing the job he loves and expressing gratitude to the many other lifeguards who perform similar rescues every day without recognition.
California State Parks officials confirmed that the boy had been swept approximately 15 yards into the ocean before contact was made. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly conditions along the California coast can turn dangerous, even in what appears to be shallow water near the shore. For Nathaniel and his family, the outcome was the best possible one—thanks to the quick actions, training, and courage of a 16-year-old lifeguard who refused to let go.
Primary sources: https://nypost.com