'Forever Grateful': Indian-American Father Recalls Teen Lifeguard's Heroic Rescue of Son From Deadly California Waves

A 16-year-old lifeguard, Ryder Williams, rescued a 10-year-old boy at California's Seabright Beach. The boy was swept into the ocean by powerful 10-foot waves and rip currents while standing in shallow water. Williams bravely entered the dangerous surf to save the child, who briefly lost consciousness.

An Indian-American father has shared the terrifying ordeal of nearly losing his 10-year-old son to powerful ocean waves in California, while expressing heartfelt gratitude to the teenage lifeguard whose swift action saved the boy's life.

Speaking to ABC7News, Sumit Rai, who lives in Dallas, Texas, said he is "forever grateful" to 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams, who risked his own safety to rescue his son Nathaniel Rai after the child was swept into dangerous surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California. The dramatic rescue, captured on video, has since gone viral, drawing widespread praise for the young lifeguard's courage.

According to Rai, Nathaniel was standing in shallow water during a family vacation when powerful waves knocked him off his feet and dragged him into the ocean. Rai was in Dallas at the time and only learned about the incident after speaking to his children later that evening.

Recalling the frightening phone call, Rai said: "He ran into that water despite those conditions that are deadly. You have 10-foot waves; you have riptides and currents coming in. It is not safe for him to go into that water. So he's risking his own safety."

Check the viral video here: 

كان المصور سكوت يقوم بتصوير شاطى سيبرايت في كاليفورنيا عندما لاحظ رأس شخص يظهر ويختفي وسط الامواج العنيفة فسارع الى ابلاغ احد المنقذين

اتضح انه صبي بعمر 10 سنوات كان يركب الامواج على اللوح، قام المنقذ بالامساك به على الرغم من قوة وشدة الامواج الا انه تشبث به بقوه حاول البعض… pic.twitter.com/mav8us1CJd

— Saif (@diol2n) July 27, 2026

Rai revealed that Nathaniel later told him he had briefly lost consciousness during the ordeal. "My son told me that he drowned... he went unconscious." He added that just a few more seconds could have changed everything. "Another two or three seconds, I don't think my son would have made it."

Williams, a rookie California State Parks lifeguard, spotted the boy in distress, radioed for assistance and immediately plunged into the rough surf. Battling waves reportedly reaching 10 feet, he held on to Nathaniel until fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen and others helped bring the child safely ashore. Nathaniel survived without serious physical injuries, though his father said the experience left him shaken.

Expressing his gratitude, Rai said: "God bless them... I cannot express sufficient gratitude. There's nothing more valuable to me than my children."

The rescue has been widely hailed as an extraordinary act of bravery, with social media users applauding Williams for risking his own life to save a child. The viral footage has also highlighted the dangers posed by powerful surf and rip currents, even in seemingly shallow water, serving as a reminder for beachgoers to heed safety warnings and remain vigilant near the ocean.