In times of crisis, true heroes rise to the occasion: a rookie Coast Guard swimmer managed to save 165 innocent lives.
On his first-ever rescue mission, Petty Officer Scott Ruskan from New Jersey became the sole lifeline for endangered children.
The incident occurred at Camp Mystic during Independence Day flooding that ravaged the Texas Hill Country.
The rescue operation took place amid severe weather conditions on July 4th, when the Guadalupe River surged a staggering 26 feet in just 45 minutes.
The flood waters destroyed bridges and roadways, leaving hundreds stranded with no escape route except by air.
Ruskan, who had only recently completed his training, was dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised Ruskan’s extraordinary bravery.
“Scott Ruskan directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas,” Noem said.
“This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskan is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the USCG,” she added.
The rescue team faced extreme conditions, requiring four attempts to reach Kerrville as weather repeatedly forced them to turn back.
Upon arrival, they discovered children at Camp Mystic in desperate need of evacuation.
“They were in need of airlift. There was no other way to get them out. Bridges were gone, roadways were gone, and the water was coming up too high for boat rescue. The only option was airlift,” Ruskan explained.
United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas.
This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene.
Scott Ruskin is…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) July 6, 2025
In a selfless act, Ruskan gave up his spot on the helicopter to allow more children to be evacuated.
“We decided the best course of action was to leave me there,” he said. For about three hours, the 26-year-old New Jersey native was the only first responder on site, with no communication due to poor radio reception.
Despite the heroic rescue efforts that saved 165 lives, the catastrophic flood claimed 27 victims from Camp Mystic, with 11 still unaccounted for.
The disaster resulted in over 100 deaths across central Texas, making it one of the deadliest flooding events in the state’s history.
“It was pretty traumatic. You have a lot of kids who are having probably the worst day of their life, they are missing friends, they are missing loved ones, they don’t know where they are,” Ruskan told reporters.
Governor Greg Abbott mobilized a massive response, deploying over 1,500 personnel and 925 vehicles.
The Texas National Guard demonstrated exceptional service, rescuing 366 people by air and 159 by ground operations.
Ruskan, who was sworn into the Coast Guard during the COVID pandemic while at Rider University, credited his training and team for the successful mission.
“I really relied on the training we got. Coast Guard swimmers get some of the highest rescue training in the world,” he expressed. “Any of the rescue swimmers in the Coast Guard would have done the same thing.”
The Coast Guard itself reinforced this spirit of service: “As America’s maritime first responder, the Coast Guard is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our interagency partners.”
“Our service members remain always ready, vigilant, and steadfast in our commitment to the people of Central Texas,” the statement read.
