[Video below.] President Trump welcomed 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai and the 16-year-old lifeguard who saved him from powerful waves off the California coast to the Oval Office, where the president praised the teenager as a hero — while joking that Rai was fortunate Trump himself had not been on duty that day.
Speaking directly to Rai about his rescuer, Ryder Williams, Trump said: “He’s a real hero. I don’t know if I’d do it.
“I wouldn’t, probably. You’re lucky I wasn’t on the service that day.”
Rai, dressed in a dark suit and maroon tie, sat on a gold couch alongside his father and Trump during the White House meeting. Williams sat across from them as the president recounted the dramatic rescue that captured widespread attention after video of it circulated online.
Trump arranged the meeting after publicly saying Williams deserved to receive a civilian honor for his actions. The president had previously announced on social media that he intended to invite the teenage lifeguard to the White House in recognition of his bravery.
Video of the late-July rescue showed Williams holding tightly to Rai as powerful waves repeatedly crashed over the two of them. At one point, both disappeared beneath the water before becoming visible again several seconds later as the wave pulled away.
Another lifeguard, Aaron Bohnen, eventually joined the rescue effort and helped Williams and Rai safely reach shore at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz.
Trump first weighed in on the dramatic footage after his son Eric Trump shared a post about Williams and said the teenager deserved “the highest civilian honor”.
Rai’s father, Sumit, has also expressed profound gratitude to the teenager who saved his son.
“What he did, I can never repay. I’m forever grateful.”
The rescue occurred as California lawmakers were considering legislation that would formally classify lifeguards as first responders, according to NBC Bay Area.
Supporters of such a designation argue that officially recognizing lifeguards as first responders could provide them with greater professional recognition and resources, along with stronger workplace protections and improved benefits.
NBC Bay Area reported that some people it interviewed were surprised to discover that lifeguards did not already have official first-responder status. A Santa Cruz state senator, however, cautioned that formally establishing such a classification would involve a number of complicated questions.
“Of course, lifeguards are first responders, but first responders also go through this rigorous training, so you’d have to decide – because in the peace officer standards training you go through eight months of training – so you’d have to decide what’s appropriate here,” NBC Bay Area quoted Laird as saying.
“How does it work? How does it get designated? What training comes with it? Who pays for it?”
