Family “forever grateful” after 10-year-old rescued from rip current by teen lifeguard

A 10-year-old boy who was saved from a rip current off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, last month said he thought he was going to die before a 16-year-old lifeguard rescued him.

“I’m super thankful for him saving my life,” Nathaniel Rai said about the teen lifeguard, Ryder Williams.

Nathaniel told “CBS Mornings” that “the waves were really big” that day at the beach so he stayed on the shore. But at one point he tripped and got pulled into the water.

Nathaniel’s father, Sumit Rai, said his son was “a second or two away from dying” and he’s “forever grateful” for Williams, who was the first person to respond.

“Ryder knew that if he lets go Nathaniel is going to drown,” Sumit Rai said. At that point, he said, Nathaniel was unconscious and not breathing.

“He just did everything he was supposed to do to save his (Nathaniel’s) life and put himself at risk to do so,” he said. 

Sumit Rai also expressed gratitude for the other lifeguard who assisted and the good Samaritans who jumped in to help save his son.

“I appreciate each and every one of them, incredibly so, because, you know, it took that effort to bring him out and keep him alive. I’m just so grateful to have my son with me. I can’t imagine what life would look like had Ryder not been there,” he said.

In a statement last week, Ryder Williams said he too was grateful. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely. This is my job and I love what I do. I’m thankful to my fellow lifeguards who perform rescues just like this every day,” he said.