A 16-year-old rookie state parks lifeguard rescued a 10-year-old boy from heavy surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California, on Saturday afternoon.
The child was knocked down by a wave and swept 15 yards offshore.
State officials identified the lifeguard as Ryder Williams, who performed the rescue amid dangerous ocean conditions caused by distant tropical cyclones.
The National Weather Service had issued advisories for perilous waves and rip currents across the region.
Viral video recorded by a local photographer showed Williams holding onto the child while severe waves battered them.
Several bystanders attempted to enter the surf to help but were pushed back by the waves.
A second lifeguard joined to assist, but Williams maintained his grip until both reached the shore safely.
This was the first ocean rescue of his professional career. Later that day, after his shift ended, he assisted in a second water rescue.
Father's Pride
Williams's father, Shane Williams, a retired firefighter, detailed his son's commitment to the lifesaving effort.
"He told me: 'I just was not going to let that happen,'" Shane Williams said.
Shane Williams said his son remained unfazed by the sudden online attention and viral footage.
"I almost started crying because how determined he was to save that boy's life makes me so proud," he said.
The father noted that his son had extensive aquatic training from childhood, including years of competitive water polo and junior lifeguard programs, before entering the state parks lifeguard academy.
"He told me he doesn't know why everyone was blowing this out of proportion," Shane Williams said.
The teenage lifeguard viewed his actions as routine execution of his professional duties during a busy weekend for local emergency responders.
"Any other lifeguard on duty would do the same thing I did," Ryder Williams said, according to his father.
The father added that the family often joked about his son's physical endurance in the water.
"It's just been in his DNA since he was born," Shane Williams said.
Shane Williams further noted the duty-bound mindset his son maintained throughout the high-stakes situation.
"He sees [what happened Saturday] as his job – his duty. He did his job that day," he said.
The father concluded by commending his son's resilience and physical strength during the chaotic ocean event.
"He was such a stud out there," Shane Williams said. "I'm super, super proud of him."
California State Parks officials reported a total of 34 water rescues across the local lifeguard district over the same weekend.
