Dad of 10-year-old boy saved by heroic teen lifeguard speaks out on death-defying rescue

The teenage lifeguard who heroically saved a 10-year-old boy from pounding waves at a Santa Cruz beach revealed what spurred him into action — as the rescue victim’s father spoke out about being the lifeguard’s “biggest fan.”

Dramatic video showed Ryder Williams, 16, plunging into powerful surf off Seabright Beach on Saturday to save the struggling boy, leading to national acclaim and praise from President Trump.

When Ryder returned home after his lifeguard shift, he told his family the rescue was “all in a day’s work.”

“He told me when he got home, he said, ‘Dad, I wasn’t going to let go of that kid because I knew if I let go of him he was going to drown, and I wasn’t going to let that happen,’ and it brought a tear to my eye when he said that,” Ryder’s dad, retired firefighter Shane Williams, told The California Post.

“It was pretty amazing.”

The rescued boy’s father, Sumit Rai, called his son’s survival “a miracle.”

He told told the New York Times his son and 8-year-old daughter were vacationing with their mother in California when the terrifying ordeal unfolded. Rai only found out about the rescue during a phone call with his kids later that night and didn’t sleep for days after.

“To watch her brother go through a near-death experience is not a small thing,” he told the Times, calling himself Ryder’s “biggest fan.”

Ryder’s grandfather said the teen has sought to downplay the attention surrounding his bravery.

“It was all in a day’s work,” George said Ryder told the family after the rescue. “He said, ‘This is what I do.’”

His grandfather added that Ryder participated in five rescues during his Saturday lifeguard shift, including two “that were more gnarly” than saving the 10-year-old.

“He’s a great kid,” George added. “We love him to pieces.”

Ryder’s dad said his son’s actions reflected the kind and caring person he has always been.

“He just wants to give back to his community because he grew up here,” he said.

Despite gaining the national spotlight, Ryder was back at his lifeguard station on Tuesday and is father eager to return to normal life, his dad said.

The soon-to-be high school junior has talked about following in his father’s footsteps.

“He’s still young but he’s thinking he wants to get into the fire service eventually,” he said. “We’re taking it step by step. We’re just trying to regroup and make sure he’s okay.”

On Tuesday, Trump announced that Ryder would receive a “high civilian honor” for his bravery.

“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump wrote on social media.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters