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25 July 2025
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Heroic coast guard who saved nearly 200 children from camp in fatal Texas floods details rescue effort
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A US Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, was hailed as a hero for his role in rescuing nearly 200 people, mostly children, from the flooded Camp Mystic in Central Texas. Ruskan, a recent graduate of Coast Guard rescue swimmer school, was part of a team that battled severe weather conditions to reach the camp and helped evacuate 165 people via helicopter. He was left on the ground to coordinate triage and further evacuations, ensuring the safe removal of the remaining campers.
The lone star state was devastated by the flooding, with 135 people confirmed to have tragically passed away in the disaster, with more remaining missing. Torrential rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly, resulting in serious floods which have resulted in a significant loss of life and property across Texas. One of the hardest hit areas was Camp Mystic in Kerr County, a Christian summer camp for girls located on the river, which released a heartbreaking statement.
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly," the organisation wrote, adding, "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders and officials at every level."
According to CNN, 27 campers and counsellors perished in the floods, with another 10 campers and one counsellor understood to be missing at the time of writing.
However, things could have been far worse if not for the valiant actions of 26-year-old coast guard Scott Ruskan, who helped to coordinate the rescue of 165 people from the camp last Friday, 5 July 2025. In a powerful interview with Good Morning America, the New Jersey native shared more details about the tragedy and how he was able to rescue so many lives.
He said his crew was launched from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi following an urgent request from Task Force One, a Texas-based search and rescue unit. “We were flying through the same storm that was causing all the flooding,” he said. “Some of the worst weather I’ve ever flown through.”
It took four separate flight attempts before they could reach Kerrville, finally breaking through with the help of the Air National Guard.
The crew’s mission was clear: reach Camp Mystic, where around 200 campers were trapped. Ruskan said bridges and roads had been washed out, and boat rescues weren’t possible. Once on the ground, the crew made a bold decision — leave Ruskan behind so the aircraft could carry more children to safety. As helicopters came and went, Ruskan became the only triage coordinator on-site.
"I just happened to be on the duty crew. We decided to leave me on scene at Camp Mystic. That was kind of our main triage site we were trying to help out with. I discovered I was the only person there as far as first responders go. So I had about 200, kids mostly. All scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their life. And I just kind of needed to triage them, get them to a higher level of care and get 'em off the flood zone.”
“There was no communication for about three hours,” he said. “My job was just to comfort the kids and keep them calm until help could get to them.”
Many campers had no shoes, and counsellors were seen carrying children barefoot over rocks to helicopters. Ruskan said one counsellor told him they were “throwing kids out the door” to get them away from the floodwaters. “They were so brave and tough,” Ruskan said. “It made me a better rescuer.”
"We came up with two different landing zones. There was one off an archery field and then one in a soccer field. We were able to kind of land those 60s [rescue helicopters] in there. I was the main guy as far as grabbing people."
Ruskan told Good Morning America on Monday that rescue swimmers removed 10 to 15 children at a time from the dangerous waters. He described the children as frightened and looking toward rescuers for comfort and safety.
Coast Guard rescue swimmers get a significant amount of training and it was this schooling that allowed Scott to keep the kids safe from harm during the horrific floods. "Coast Guard rescue swimmers get some of the highest level training in the world. So really I relied on that, knowing that any of the rescue swimmers in the Coast Guard would have done the exact same if not better than me," he said.
He also paid tribute to the kids who understood that he was there to help, suggesting that they were the 'real heroes'. Scott added. "They don't really know what my experience is or my rank or my age. They just know, 'Hey this guy is a professional, and he's here to help us.' And I had to live up to that standard."
"The real heroes, I think, were the kids on the ground. Those guys are heroic, and they were dealing with some of the worst times of their lives, and they were staying strong. That helped inspire me to get in there and help them out."
The rescue was particularly notable due to the large number of children involved and the extreme conditions caused by the flash floods. Ruskan's quick thinking and ability to coordinate the evacuation effort were crucial in ensuring the safe removal of the campers. His actions have been widely praised, with US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying on Facebook that he is "an American hero" and "his selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the US Coast Guard".
‘I’m just a dude’
Though hailed as a national hero, Ruskan told CNN that what matters most is the example set by everyone — from military responders to civilian survivors. “Anyone can do this,” he said. “You just have to be willing to help.”
The rescue highlights the courage and dedication of the Coast Guard in responding to natural disasters and the importance of having trained personnel like rescue swimmers in such situations.
Sources: Good Morning America, CNN
The lone star state was devastated by the flooding, with 135 people confirmed to have tragically passed away in the disaster, with more remaining missing. Torrential rain caused the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly, resulting in serious floods which have resulted in a significant loss of life and property across Texas. One of the hardest hit areas was Camp Mystic in Kerr County, a Christian summer camp for girls located on the river, which released a heartbreaking statement.
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly," the organisation wrote, adding, "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders and officials at every level."
According to CNN, 27 campers and counsellors perished in the floods, with another 10 campers and one counsellor understood to be missing at the time of writing.
However, things could have been far worse if not for the valiant actions of 26-year-old coast guard Scott Ruskan, who helped to coordinate the rescue of 165 people from the camp last Friday, 5 July 2025. In a powerful interview with Good Morning America, the New Jersey native shared more details about the tragedy and how he was able to rescue so many lives.
He said his crew was launched from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi following an urgent request from Task Force One, a Texas-based search and rescue unit. “We were flying through the same storm that was causing all the flooding,” he said. “Some of the worst weather I’ve ever flown through.”
It took four separate flight attempts before they could reach Kerrville, finally breaking through with the help of the Air National Guard.
The crew’s mission was clear: reach Camp Mystic, where around 200 campers were trapped. Ruskan said bridges and roads had been washed out, and boat rescues weren’t possible. Once on the ground, the crew made a bold decision — leave Ruskan behind so the aircraft could carry more children to safety. As helicopters came and went, Ruskan became the only triage coordinator on-site.
"I just happened to be on the duty crew. We decided to leave me on scene at Camp Mystic. That was kind of our main triage site we were trying to help out with. I discovered I was the only person there as far as first responders go. So I had about 200, kids mostly. All scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their life. And I just kind of needed to triage them, get them to a higher level of care and get 'em off the flood zone.”
“There was no communication for about three hours,” he said. “My job was just to comfort the kids and keep them calm until help could get to them.”
Many campers had no shoes, and counsellors were seen carrying children barefoot over rocks to helicopters. Ruskan said one counsellor told him they were “throwing kids out the door” to get them away from the floodwaters. “They were so brave and tough,” Ruskan said. “It made me a better rescuer.”
"We came up with two different landing zones. There was one off an archery field and then one in a soccer field. We were able to kind of land those 60s [rescue helicopters] in there. I was the main guy as far as grabbing people."
Ruskan told Good Morning America on Monday that rescue swimmers removed 10 to 15 children at a time from the dangerous waters. He described the children as frightened and looking toward rescuers for comfort and safety.
Coast Guard rescue swimmers get a significant amount of training and it was this schooling that allowed Scott to keep the kids safe from harm during the horrific floods. "Coast Guard rescue swimmers get some of the highest level training in the world. So really I relied on that, knowing that any of the rescue swimmers in the Coast Guard would have done the exact same if not better than me," he said.
He also paid tribute to the kids who understood that he was there to help, suggesting that they were the 'real heroes'. Scott added. "They don't really know what my experience is or my rank or my age. They just know, 'Hey this guy is a professional, and he's here to help us.' And I had to live up to that standard."
"The real heroes, I think, were the kids on the ground. Those guys are heroic, and they were dealing with some of the worst times of their lives, and they were staying strong. That helped inspire me to get in there and help them out."
The rescue was particularly notable due to the large number of children involved and the extreme conditions caused by the flash floods. Ruskan's quick thinking and ability to coordinate the evacuation effort were crucial in ensuring the safe removal of the campers. His actions have been widely praised, with US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying on Facebook that he is "an American hero" and "his selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the US Coast Guard".
‘I’m just a dude’
Though hailed as a national hero, Ruskan told CNN that what matters most is the example set by everyone — from military responders to civilian survivors. “Anyone can do this,” he said. “You just have to be willing to help.”
The rescue highlights the courage and dedication of the Coast Guard in responding to natural disasters and the importance of having trained personnel like rescue swimmers in such situations.
Sources: Good Morning America, CNN
