The father of a 10-year-old boy rescued from pounding surf off the California coast says he is beyond grateful to the teenage lifeguard who saved his son’s life. Sumit Rai described the dangerous conditions at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, noting that 10-foot waves and strong riptides made the rescue a high-risk operation.
Rai, who was in his home city of Dallas at the time of the incident, spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday. He emphasized that the lifeguard risked his own safety to enter the water. “You have riptides and currents coming in,” Rai said. “It is not safe for him to go into that water.”
A Dangerous Rescue at Seabright Beach
The incident occurred on Saturday when powerful swells suddenly came ashore. Nathaniel Rai was standing in shallow water when he lost his footing and was immediately pulled into the ocean. Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old lifeguard employed by California State Parks, saw the boy go down.
Williams radioed for help and raced toward the child. According to a statement, the lifeguard was unable to pull Nathaniel out after the first wave because the boy was limp and the force of the water was too strong. The boy was swept about 15 yards into the ocean before Williams could make contact.
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The events moved quick. In the video of the event, Williams is seen diving through a breaking wave while holding tightly to the boy. Another lifeguard eventually entered the water to assist, along with some bystanders. Williams said he had to warn the onlookers to return to the shore for their own safety.
For a parent listening to this unfold from hundreds of miles away, the distance creates a terrifying sense of separation. By the time Rai spoke to his children on the phone Saturday evening, the physical struggle was over, but the psychological shock was settling in. He learned that his son had told family members he “drowned” and had gone unconscious.
“He was very subdued, still in a state of shock,” the father said.
Physical and Emotional Recovery
By the next morning, Rai had watched the footage of the rescue, which has since garnered national attention. He described his son’s physical condition, noting that the boy had sand in his lungs and was coughing it out after reaching the shore.
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California State Parks confirmed that the boy suffered no serious injuries and was released to his family after a medical evaluation. However, the father said the psychological toll persists. Nathaniel is expected back from California in a few days but continues to process the trauma.
“He’s still been thinking about it a lot,” Rai said. “It’s on his mind. It bothers him when he’s sleeping. So it’s obviously traumatizing.”
Williams, reflecting on the incident, said he is thankful he could return the child to his family. “This is my job and I love what I do,” he stated.
Rai has reached out to the teenager and hopes to thank him directly. “What he did, I can never ever repay,” he said. “I’m forever grateful.”