- For the biggest political scoops and hottest gossip delivered to your inbox every Thursday, sign up HERE to our free DC Insider newsletter
- View more Daily Mail on Google – save us as a preferred source
President Trump welcomed teenage lifeguard Ryder Williams and a 10-year-old boy he saved White House on monday in honor of the dramatic rescue on a California beach.
“He’s a real hero,” Trump told 16-year-old Williams, who sat next to the president in the Oval Office.
“What you did was incredible and everyone saw it,” he added. ‘It’s unbelievable.’
Williams was filmed last month by a bystander as he rescued Nathaniel Rai from the rough surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.
Rai, who was vacationing from Dallas with his family, was in ankle-deep water when he lost his balance and was swept into the ocean by the waves.
Footage from the scene showed Williams struggling violently with the waves, his arms wrapped around the boy as the waves crashed on them both and he pulled them to safety.
Trump said he was amazed by the video of the rescue and wanted to honor the young man for his heroism.
President Donald Trump welcomed lifeguard Ryder Williams to the Oval Office to honor him for his daring rescue of a 10-year-old boy
Nathaniel Rai listens as President Donald Trump talks to lifeguard Ryder Williams about the man who saved his life
President Trump speaks with Ryder Williams as members of his lifeguard training team and his mother look on
“It’s not my world, but I respect that world, I always have, but maybe never as much as I do now,” Trump said.
The president also gave a special shoutout to Williams’ mother, Shannon, who was standing off to the side.
“You’ve done well, it’s good genetics, when you look at him you can see it,” he said.
Trump also praised Rai for remaining calm during the rescue, which allowed William to save him.
“You were really cool,” he said to the boy sitting with his father and sister.
“Your father is the luckiest man in the world,” Trump added to Rai’s father, Sumit.
The father agreed.
“It’s incredible what Ryder has done, I’m beyond grateful to him and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the Good Samaritans who were there,” he said.
Nathaniel Rai, a child rescued last month by 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, sits with his father and sister in the Oval Office
Williams is seen holding 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai amid the strong waves
Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen helped with the rescue after the boys got closer to shore
“He’s a real hero,” Trump agreed, then joked. ‘I don’t know if I would do it. Probably not. You’re lucky I wasn’t on duty that day.’
Williams said he wanted to pursue a career as a firefighter and thanked everyone on his team for training him to act quickly in times of danger.
“He’s off to a good start, we’ll make recommendations to him,” Trump grinned.
