Father of boy rescued by teen lifeguard Ryder says 'another 2 or 3 seconds' would've been fatal

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA: The father of the 10-year-old boy rescued by teenage lifeguard Ryder Williams during a dramatic surf rescue has shared the family's ordeal for the first time, revealing just how close his son came to losing his life.

Speaking after the rescue on Wednesday, July 29, Sumit Rai said his son Nathaniel lost consciousness in the water and believed he was going to die before Williams and fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen brought him safely back to shore.

The emotional account comes days after video of the rescue went viral, drawing nationwide attention and prompting President Donald Trump to announce that he wants to invite the 16-year-old lifeguard to the White House for a civilian honor.

Nathaniel lost consciousness as waves pulled him under

Rai said he was not in California when the incident happened. His wife and their two children were vacationing when he received a phone call from Nathaniel on Saturday night informing him that he had been involved in a drowning accident.

"Another two or three seconds, I don't think my son would have made it," Rai said.

He described the terrifying details he later learned about the rescue, saying Nathaniel knew he was drowning before losing consciousness in the rough surf.

"From what I gathered, he assumed he was going to die. He was drowning. He knew he was drowning. He blacked out. He went unconscious. When he came out of the water, he was clearly limp. It doesn't look like he was breathing," Rai recalled.

Despite the frightening conditions, Rai said his son survived because of the quick actions of Ryder Williams, fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen and others who stepped in to help.

"We're just lucky — fortunate, because of Ryder and those people that helped, that he actually survived this," he noted.

Family says Ryder Williams and other rescuers deserve every honor

Rai did not hold back while thanking everyone involved in saving his son's life.

"God bless them and, you know, thank you. I cannot express sufficient gratitude. There's nothing more valuable to me than my children," he said.

He added that Williams, Bohnen and the bystanders who rushed into action all deserved recognition.

"I think he deserves every medal and award and honor that's possible. So does Aaron, you know, everyone that helped, the good Samaritans," Rai expressed.

The rescue, which lasted about two minutes, was captured on video by Scott Vander Dussen. Reflecting on the footage, Rai admitted it remains difficult for him to watch.

"If I was watching that video, I wasn't sure if he'll make it if I hadn't seen the end of it. And I wasn't sure, honestly, if the lifeguard would make it out with those conditions. I'm just so grateful that Ryder and others were there to help pull him out and save his life. Otherwise, I can't imagine what life would look like today," he said.

Ryder Williams says he was simply doing the job he loves

Williams also released a statement describing how the rescue unfolded.

He said he spotted Nathaniel lose his footing in shallow water before immediately calling the emergency over his radio and running toward him.

Williams explained that the force of the waves initially prevented him from securing the child with his rescue buoy, and that several more waves crashed over them before Aaron Bohnen entered the water to help.

The 16-year-old also said bystanders tried to assist, but he instructed them to return to shore while he and Bohnen completed the rescue.

After bringing Nathaniel to land, Williams retrieved medical equipment before returning to his lifeguard tower to finish the rest of his shift.

"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.

According to California State Parks, Santa Cruz District lifeguards carried out 34 rescues over the weekend and made more than 5,000 preventative safety contacts along the coastline.

Nathaniel remains in California as he continues recovering from the traumatic experience, while his family says they will never forget the people who stepped in when every second mattered.