Viral Beach Rescue Call a 'Miracle' by Grateful Father: 'God Bless Them'
The father of the 10-year-old boy rescued off the California coast in a now-viral video is crediting divine intervention for the dramatic rescue that involved a heroic teenage lifeguard and a team of fellow rescuers.
The video has racked up millions of views on social media, showing 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams diving into the rough surf last weekend after spotting the boy being swept about 15 yards offshore at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, Calif.
But even when Williams reached him, the danger was far from over. Powerful waves repeatedly crashed over the pair, forcing the teenage lifeguard to duck beneath while keeping the boy in his arms. Eventually, others raced out to help.
The boy, 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, had been vacationing with his mother and 8-year-old sister while his father, Sumit Rai, stayed behind. Later that evening, Nathaniel called his dad to tell him he had nearly drowned.
“Another two or three seconds, I don't think my son would have made it,” the father told CNN. “We're just lucky, fortunate, because of Ryder and the other people that helped that he actually survived this.”
Williams is a lifeguard for California State Parks.
“From what I gathered, he assumed he was going to die,” the father added. “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 expressed gratitude to everyone involved, telling The California Post: “It's a miracle.”
“God bless them and thank you. I cannot express sufficient gratitude. There's nothing more valuable to me than my children. So, to save one of them and their lives, I can't thank them enough,” Rai said.
The terrifying ordeal has continued to affect the young boy.
“He's still been thinking about it a lot. It's on his mind,” the father told the Associated Press. “It bothers him when he's sleeping. So it's obviously traumatizing.”
Williams, in a statement to AP, said the rescue was more difficult than he expected.
“After the first wave, I was unable to pull him out because he was limp and the waves were pushing so hard,” he said in a statement.
But Williams remained humble.
“I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely,” he said. “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.”
Photo Credit: ©X.com/FoxNews
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published July 31, 2026.
