A teenage lifeguard who saved a boy from thrashing waves at a Santa Cruz beach is set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, after video of the dramatic rescue went viral.
After he saw a 10-year-old boy stumble into the ocean, Ryder Williams, 16, radioed for help, sprinted toward the ocean, locked his arms around the child and ducked under the waves, which reached about 10 feet. Williams then brought the boy safely to shore, before a second lifeguard stepped in to help. A Santa Cruz resident recorded Williams' daring July 25 rescue at Seabright State Beach, with the recording widely circulating online and even reaching the president.
In a message posted on social media July 28, Trump said, "We're going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!"
Williams, whose trip to the White House was on Trump's public schedule for Monday afternoon, gave his first statement about the rescue on July 29 through the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
"I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to return the child to his family safely," the rookie lifeguard said in the statement. "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."
Williams' family said they declined requests to make a GoFundMe, with his mother adding on social media that anyone who wants to donate can direct funds to the Santa Cruz County Parks Department's junior guard program, which he and his friends participated in.
There's more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.
This article originally published at Teenage lifeguard to visit White House after heroic Santa Cruz beach rescue.