In the heart of a tragic natural disaster that shook central Texas over the July Fourth weekend, a young man on his first mission as a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer proved that heroism knows no experience limit.
Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, just 26 years old and a recent graduate from rescue swimmer school, was thrust into a high-stakes rescue operation in Kerr County where torrential flooding devastated communities and left dozens dead.
Facing one of the worst flooding disasters in Texas history, Ruskan’s bravery, resolve, and compassion saved the lives of 165 young girls trapped at a summer camp ravaged by rising waters.
From Accountant to American Hero
Scott Ruskan’s journey to heroism began far from the chaos of a flood zone. He originally worked as an accountant—a career rooted in spreadsheets, balance sheets, and daily routines. But something deeper stirred in him, prompting a life-altering change. Leaving the safety of an office job, he enlisted in the Coast Guard, determined to dedicate his life to saving others.
Just six months after completing one of the military’s most demanding training programs—rescue swimmer school—he received the call that would define his new path. On July 5, Scott Ruskan and his team were urgently summoned by Task Force 1, a local search-and-rescue unit. Torrential rain had turned peaceful rivers into deadly torrents.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Camp Mystic, a beloved all-girls Christian summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River. Normally a haven of joy and childhood memories, the camp was now a scene of panic and danger as floodwaters rose to terrifying levels. The once-tranquil river surged from 3 feet to nearly 30 feet, swallowing roads, cabins, and bridges.
During the first rescue mission of his career, Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan directly saved 165 individuals.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 7, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security applauds the 65 Aircrew members for their heroism and bravery, including Lt. Ian Hopper, Lt. Blair Ogujiofor, and Flight Mechanic Seth… pic.twitter.com/CZ7BY3xo9x
With no access by road or boat, airlifting became the only feasible method to evacuate the 200 girls stranded at the camp. For Scott Ruskan, this was no ordinary first mission. It was a baptism by storm—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
A Mission Against the Elements
The team took off around 7 a.m. Friday from Corpus Christi, about 200 miles away. What should have been a one-hour flight became a six-to-seven-hour aerial battle against severe weather. Brutal winds and storms battered their aircraft, forcing multiple reroutes and making communication nearly impossible. As the rescue chopper struggled to reach Camp Mystic, Ruskan peered down at the unfolding tragedy below: flooded cabins, destroyed footpaths, and frightened children gathered in clusters.
When the helicopter finally landed near the camp, Scott Ruskan was the only trained first responder able to stay behind. The aircraft needed to head to another, even more dangerous location where more people could be rescued without him onboard. Ruskan volunteered to stay at the chaotic camp and coordinate triage.
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For the next three hours, he became the sole source of calm in the eye of the storm. With no cell service and faulty radio communications, he had no way of knowing when help would return—or if it even could. But Ruskan didn’t flinch. Surrounded by about 200 terrified girls, many of them barefoot and injured, he focused on what he could do: offer comfort, reassurance, and hope.
Camp counselors, many of whom had risked their own lives to get the girls to higher ground, shared harrowing stories of lifting children through windows and floating them on mattresses. Ruskan joined their effort without hesitation. Despite being isolated, he organized the children into groups, triaged those with injuries, and kept spirits up with quiet encouragement.
“There’s no time to be afraid when they’re looking at you,” he later said. “They’re cold. They’re scared. Some of them were missing friends. Some were missing family.”
A First Responder’s Heartbeat
When Texas Air National Guard helicopters finally began landing in a nearby soccer and archery field, Ruskan sprang into action. He led the girls, 10 to 15 at a time, to the aircraft. For the youngest and most frightened, he offered his hand. For those with injuries or too shaken to walk, he carried them himself, making sure their bare feet didn’t find more sharp rocks or debris.
Over the course of the evacuation, Scott Ruskan personally helped rescue approximately 165 campers—each one a child who might not have made it without his presence, coordination, and calm demeanor.
But not all stories from Camp Mystic had happy endings. Despite heroic efforts, 27 people—campers, counselors, and staff—lost their lives in the flood. Among them was Dick Eastman, the camp’s long-serving director, who died while trying to save his campers. Ten more girls and one counselor remain unaccounted for. The flood claimed over 100 lives across Texas, marking one of the deadliest natural disasters in the state’s recent history.
Through it all, Ruskan’s actions stood out. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security called his performance “extraordinary,” praising the “bravery and selfless service” he demonstrated in such terrifying circumstances. But Ruskan was quick to redirect that praise. The real heroes, he said, were the counselors who risked their lives to float girls to safety, and the kids themselves, who endured a nightmare with unimaginable courage.
“What they went through—losing friends, seeing their cabins wash away—that’s something they’ll carry,” he said. “But the way they held on to each other, how brave they were… it made me a better rescuer.”
A Legacy of Courage
What Scott Ruskan did that day in Kerr County goes far beyond the definition of duty. He wasn’t just a rescue swimmer on his first mission—he became a guardian for hundreds of children during the worst moments of their lives. He provided more than physical safety; he gave them hope, strength, and compassion in a world turned upside down.
There’s something profoundly symbolic in Scott Ruskan’s transformation—from accountant to hero, from office desk to flood zone. In a moment when his courage was most needed, he didn’t falter. He stood alone in a disaster zone and turned terror into teamwork, panic into protection.
The legacy of that day will live on not just in official commendations or news stories, but in the memories of every child he helped. For them, he wasn’t just a man in uniform. He was the reason they saw their families again. Rescue missions like this often fade from the public spotlight once the immediate danger has passed. But stories like Scott Ruskan’s deserve to be remembered—because they remind us what it means to serve, to protect, and to care when it matters most.
And as the waters recede and Texas begins to rebuild, one thing is clear: Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, on his very first mission, did more than fulfill his duty. He saved lives, and in doing so, inspired a nation. Let us never forget the courage of those like Ruskan—and let us honor the memory of those lost, by recognizing the humanity and hope that emerge, even in the darkest of storms.