Teen lifeguard honored by President Trump after rescuing Dallas boy

Ryder Williams met 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai at the White House after pulling him from pounding waves off a Santa Cruz beach.

A teen lifeguard who rescued a 10-year-old Dallas boy from pounding waves at a Santa Cruz, California, beach was honored by President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Ryder Williams met Nathaniel Rai and his father, Summit Rai, in the Oval Office, giving the Dallas family a chance to personally thank the lifeguard whose dramatic rescue last month captured widespread attention.

"It's so exciting to see something like this happen. He's a real hero," Trump said.

Trump recognized Williams for his relentless effort to pull Nathaniel from the rough surf.

"They're going to look up to Rider. They're going to look up to Nathaniel," Trump said.

"I've seen surfs. I've seen rescues before. I've never seen anything quite like this," Trump said.

In a previous interview, Nathaniel described what he remembered after the terrifying ordeal.

"When I woke up, the lifeguard's rider was taking me to shore," Nathaniel said.

Nathaniel's father also had an opportunity to thank his son's rescuer in person.

"I mean, it's just such a privilege to be sitting next to them today," Rai said.

Williams received what Trump called a "high civilian honor." Despite the recognition, the lifeguard said he was focused on doing what he had been trained to do during the rescue.

"I really was thinking about how to get the boy out of the water as best I can," Williams said.

" He's a real lucky guy, too. God was watching you, right? Great," Trump said.

The White House visit came one day before Nathaniel's 11th birthday — a milestone his father and little sister do not take for granted after his rescue.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.