Moment 16-year-old lifeguard rescued child from drowning

“I almost started crying because how determined he was to save that boy’s life makes me so proud,” Shane Williams recounted after his teenage son saved a young boy from drowning. Ryder Williams, 16, said he refused to let go of the child amid massive waves, because he knew the boy would almost certainly die if he did, his father said in an interview with the Guardian. “He told me: ‘I just was not going to let that happen.” Local authorities say the rescue unfolded off Seabright beach in Santa Cruz when a child lost his balance, got knocked down by a wave and was swept into the Pacific Ocean. The video has spread widely online with many internet users calling Ryder a hero. However, Ryder has been oblivious to all of that as he is not on social media. “He told me he doesn’t know why everyone was blowing this out of proportion,” Shane said. “His comments to me are like … ‘Any other lifeguard on duty would do the same thing I did.” Tap the link in bio to read more about the teen lifeguard’s first rescue. Subscribe to Guardian News on YouTube ► youtube.com
The Guardian publishes independent journalism, made possible by supporters. Contribute to The Guardian today ► support.theguardian.com
Sign up to the Guardian's free new daily newsletter, First Edition ► theguardian.com
Website ► theguardian.com
Facebook ►facebook.com
Instagram ► instagram.com
Bluesky ► bsky.app
The Guardian on YouTube: The Guardian ► youtube.com
Guardian Australia ► youtube.com
Football Weekly ► youtube.com
Today in Focus ► www.youtube.com/@todayinfocuspodcast Stateside ► www.youtube.com/@statesidepodcast Politics Weekly ► youtube.com
Science Weekly ► youtube.com
Guardian Football ► youtube.com
Guardian Sport ► youtube.com
It's Complicated ► youtube.com
Guardian Live ► youtube.com