Sumit Rai, of Dallas, said his 10-year-old son Nathaniel lost his footing in shallow water at Seabright beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday and was pulled into the ocean by powerful swells. Rai, who was in Dallas, heard about the incident when he spoke to his children on the phone that evening.
“My son told me that he drowned and my son told me that he went unconscious,” Rai told the Associated Press. “He was very subdued, still in a state of shock.”
Dramatic Rescue Caught on Video
Lifeguard Ryder Williams, 16, said he saw the boy lose his footing in ankle-deep water, radioed in, and raced toward him. “After the first wave, I was unable to pull him out because he was limp and the waves were pushing so hard,” Williams said in a statement.
California State Parks, which employs the lifeguards, said the boy was swept about 15 yards into the ocean before Williams made contact. Video of the rescue shows Williams diving into a coming wave while holding tight to the boy. Another lifeguard and bystanders also jumped in to help.
Williams warned the bystanders to go back to shore. “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.”
Father’s Gratitude and Boy’s Recovery
Nathaniel had no serious injuries and was released to his family after a medical evaluation. Rai said his son told him he got sand in his lungs and was coughing it out after reaching shore. The boy is now dealing with psychological effects. “He’s still been thinking about it a lot. It’s on his mind,” Rai said. “It bothers him when he’s sleeping. So it’s obviously traumatizing.”
Rai said Williams risked his own safety. “He ran into that water despite those conditions that are deadly,” Rai said. “What he did, I can never ever repay. I’m forever grateful.”
President Donald Trump posted on social media about awarding Williams a “high civilian honor” and inviting him and his family to the White House. However, Williams’s father, Shane, said they had not officially heard from the Trump administration.
