California lifeguard speaks out on heartstopping ocean rescue: 'I love what I do'

A 16-year-old lifeguard whose daring rescue of a 10-year-old connected Saturday went viral yet spoke retired astir the harrowing prevention successful a Wednesday statement.

Ryder Williams, the teen leader whose daring rescue of a young lad astatine the Santa Cruz Beach connected Saturday captivated the nation, described the occurrence successful a connection released by his employer, California State Parks.

"I was astatine the waterline 15 yards downcoast of Tower 2 making a information interaction erstwhile I looked up and saw a kid astir 20 (yards) up from the operation suffer his footing successful ankle heavy water," the connection opened.

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16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams repeatedly disappeared beneath towering waves portion refusing to fto spell of a kid swept into unsafe California surf successful Santa Cruz, California connected July 25, 2026. (Scott Vander Dussen/Instagram @Santacruznow)

"I radioed it in, threw my vigor and sunglasses astatine the basal of my operation arsenic I ran toward the kid. I enactment my fins connected my wrist, popped my buoy and entered the h2o to get ahold of the child. Due to the volatility of the water, I was incapable to conduit up the victim. After the archetypal question I was incapable to propulsion him retired due to the fact that helium was limp and the waves were pushing truthful hard. There were 2 to 3 much waves earlier lifeguard Aaron Bohnen entered the h2o to assistance me. There were bystanders who jumped successful to effort to help, and I yelled astatine them each to get backmost to shore," Williams' connection continued.

"Once Bohnen and I got the kid to enactment I was instructed to get the med container from Bohnen’s portion and we assessed the child. Shortly after, I got backmost into my operation wherever I returned to supply lifeguard services for the remainder of my shift," helium continued.

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"I’m grateful to person had the accidental to instrumentality the kid to his household safely. This is my occupation and I emotion what I do. I’m thankful to my chap lifeguards who execute rescues conscionable similar this each day," Williams' connection concluded.

Witnesses accidental the melodramatic rescue lasted acold longer than the viral video shows, with the teen lifeguard refusing to merchandise the kid contempt punishing surf. (Scott Vander Dussen/Instagram @Santacruznow)

Williams' heroics earned him nationalist attention, praise and adjacent an invitation to the White House.

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"We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the lad helium saved, to springiness him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, helium deserves it!" the White House wrote successful an X station attributed to President Donald Trump.

Williams' rescue was 1 of 34 rescues successful the Santa Cruz territory implicit the weekend, California State Parks said successful a connection obtained by FOX 2 KTVU.

"All California State Park lifeguard towers were staffed, determination were 6 units on, a two-person rescue h2o trade team, 3 imperishable lifeguard units, and a lifeguard supervisor moving successful Pajaro Coast," California State Parks besides said of the weekend.

Witnesses accidental the melodramatic rescue lasted acold longer than the viral video shows, with Ryder Williams refusing to merchandise the kid contempt punishing surf. (Scott Vander Dussen/Instagram @Santacruznow)

The 10-year-old lad Williams rescued was identified by KTVU arsenic being named Nathaniel. His father, Sumit Rai, praised Williams' efforts successful an interrogation with KTVU.

"It was a singular effort to bring him backmost to shore. I mean Ryder fought the sea," helium told the outlet.

"It's truly hard to combat that, and my lad was unconscious. He weighs astir 100 pounds, and helium was limp, truthful that's fundamentally dormant value that helium had to transportation and clasp onto to propulsion backmost to shore," helium continued.

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"It's truthful casual to fto go, and helium knew that if helium lets spell past he's gonna fundamentally conscionable interval away, and he's gone. That's the extremity of it, and helium would person died," Rai concluded.

Fox News Digital contacted California State Parks for remark and further information.