A 10-year-old boy is speaking out about getting swept out to sea. Speaking on CBS Mornings, 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai says that he was swept out to sea.
Fortunately, 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams managed to save him. Before that, Rai thought he was going to die.
"Before the lifeguard came, I thought I was going to die," he said. The 10-year-old was swimming at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz. Rough surf swept the 10-year-old out to sea. Rai said that he had previously asked an adult if it was okay to swim. "She told me I could swim in the water, and I told her I didn't want to because the waves were too big. So I just stayed on the shore. I tripped and then I got pulled."
The 10-year-old's father, Sumit Rai, also spoke out.
10-Year-Old Rescued
"First, I want to express my gratitude to him for saving Nathaniel's life," Sumit Rai said. "Had it not been for Ryder, Nathaniel wouldn't be sitting here next to me today. He was a second or two away from dying. With those rip currents, you'll get thrown 15 or 20 feet away deeper into the sea, at which point you can't see him, let alone retrieve or rescue him."
He went on to praise the life guard that saved his son.
"Ryder was holding onto him and Ryder knew if he let go, Nathanial was going to drown," Sumit said. "The resilience that he showed to hold him through those rip currents, that water pressure, those torrential waves — to be able to withstand that."
Unfortunately, the 10-year-old was unconscious upon being rescued.
"He had gone limp. He wasn't breathing. He was basically dead weight, and he's 100 pounds," Sumit explained. "So it was an incredible physical feat, not just a mental feat and a feat of bravery. [Ryder] just did everything he was supposed to do to save his life and put his life at risk to do so. I'm forever grateful to him."
