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International Business Times
07-07-2025
- Climate
- International Business Times
Who Is Scott Ruskan? Brave Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Praised as 'American Hero' After Saving 165 Lives in Texas Floods
As many as 80 people are dead, and 12 remain missing in Central Texas, where the community is devastated by catastrophic floods. Torrential rain pushed the Guadalupe River over its banks, ripping through towns and campsites, including the hardest-hit, Camp Mystic, a Christian girls summer camp. The tragedy occurred on Fourth of July weekend and led to one of the largest emergency water rescues in recent memory. Amid the devastating floods, an unlikely hero emerged—26-year-old Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer on his first mission with no prior rescue experience. Based in Corpus Christi, Ruskan was among those who responded to the urgent call for help. With roads submerged and currents too strong for boats, helicopters became the only lifeline for hundreds stranded. Ruskan was dispatched to the ground as the only triage coordinator while 12 helicopters from the Coast Guard, National Guard, and US Army hovered above the scene. He pointed out rescuers, provided first aid, and consoled flood victims—some of whom were children who, wearing pajamas, were drenched and terrified. Ruskan is a KPMG employee (in Paramus, N.J.) and served as an accountant before he was recruited to the Coast Guard in 2021 and completed training as an Aviation Survival Technician (AST) in California. It was his first-ever rescue mission, and by the time it was done, 165 people had been saved—an incredible success that has been praised by people across the USA. Scott Ruskan was saluted as an "American hero" and celebrated in a social media post by the state's secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, who extolled his bravery and leadership on a mission that would challenge even the most seasoned professionals. "His selfless courage is the very embodiment of the Coast Guard's motto of 'Semper Paratus' (always ready) and our mission of 'not just saving lives, but preserving the maritime domain.'" At Camp Mystic, Ruskan had the immediate sense that the situation was bad. The site was not accessible by land, and survivors were gathering at a higher elevation among fallen trees and other wreckage. As helicopters flew in to take victims away, Ruskan directed their extrication under constant pressure and deteriorating conditions. He consoled crying children, advised panicky adults, and took desperate calls from frantic loved ones seeking information. "It was the worst day of their lives," Ruskan said. They were freezing, wet, terrified, and looking to me for some comfort. I was trying to stay calm and focus on getting them out to safety." Despite receiving national recognition for his courageous act, Ruskan was modest about the praise. "I'm just a guy doing my job. Any of my teammates would have done the same thing." His modesty resounds throughout the response from a still-searching community for 11 girls and one counselor who are still missing. Five campers, all under the age of 10, were confirmed to have lost their lives, officials said. Search and rescue efforts continue throughout the Guadalupe River Valley.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
'It's not over for us': US coast guard saves 165 lives in Texas flash floods; hailed as 'American hero'
Scott Ruskan (Image credits: X @nicksortor) A US coast guard rescue swimmer is being hailed as an 'American hero' after saving 165 lives during his first-ever mission, a response to deadly flash flooding in Texas that has claimed the lives of at least 82 people, with many still unaccounted for. Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem praised the mission online, calling Scott Ruskan an 'American hero' whose courage 'embodies the spirit and mission of the Coast Guard.' But Ruskan quickly shared the credit. 'Honestly, I'm mostly just a dude. I'm just doing a job,' he said. 'Whoever it may be, would have done the exact same thing in our situation." Scott Ruskan, 26, a New Jersey native and former accountant, had only recently completed his coast guard training when he was called into action on the fourth of July. 'This is what it's all about, right? Like, this is why we do the job,' said Ruskan as quoted by The New York Post. 'This is why like Coast Guard men and women, are risking their lives every day.' Ruskan, who grew up in Oxford, New Jersey, enlisted in 2021. After finishing basic training and Aviation Survival Technician school in California, he was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas. He had been training and preparing since November, waiting for a mission that finally came during the holiday weekend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Texas Task Force 1, a partnership between the Texas army national guard and Texas A&M, contacted the coast guard asking for urgent help. 'That's a little bit outside our area of operation normally, but people were in danger, and we're a good asset to try and help people out, and these guys were asking for help, so that's kind of what we do,' said Ruskan. By early Friday, coast guard MH-65 and Army Blackhawk helicopters were in the air headed to Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summer camp hit hard by the floods. Five young campers, ages 8 and 9, were confirmed dead. A counselor and 11 more girls were still missing. With limited space in the helicopters, the rescue crew decided to leave Ruskan on the ground to direct the triage operation. He helped guide choppers to pockets of survivors, tended to the injured, and tried to comfort cold, frightened children and adults still in pajamas after fleeing their bunks overnight. Over several hours, Ruskan worked through the chaos to help evacuate 165 people to safety. 'So we basically got the majority of the people out of Camp Mystic, which is awesome. And I feel like we did a lot of good that day, but obviously it's still super sad,' he said. 'There's still a lot of people missing and unaccounted for, so the mission's not over yet. It's not over for us.'
