Baywatch Star Gives 16-Year-Old Ryder Williams Red Jacket After Viral Rescue of 10-Year-Old Boy
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 8
Baywatch Star Gives 16-Year-Old Ryder Williams Red Jacket After Viral Rescue of 10-Year-Old Boy
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 8
Summary
Stephen Amell presented a Baywatch red jacket to 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams in a social-media video, praising his "extraordinarily brave" ocean rescue.
Williams went viral after saving 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz on July 25, diving into heavy surf with a rescue tube before another lifeguard helped bring the boy ashore.
The footage, filmed by photographer Scott Vander Dussen, drew praise from Nathaniel's father and from President Donald Trump, who said Williams deserved a "high civilian honor."
California State Parks later highlighted Williams's safety message that beachgoers should check ocean conditions and ask lifeguards on duty, after dangerous waves and rip currents hit the coast.
The tribute also spotlights the Baywatch reboot, led by Amell and due in early 2027, linking the franchise's lifeguard image to a real-life rescue.