Inside the Dramatic Rescue: How One Coast Guard Hero Saved Nearly 200 Kids from Texas Floods Against All Odds

When nature decides to throw a tantrum, like the recent catastrophic floods that swept through Texas, it really tests the mettle of those tasked with keeping us safe. Now, imagine being the lone coast guard at Camp Mystic—a Christian summer camp suddenly transformed into a terrifying flood zone—with nearly 200 scared kids looking up to you for a lifeline. How do you keep calm and carry on when the waters rise and panic threatens to drown everyone’s hope? Enter Scott Ruskan, a 26-year-old coast guard with nerves of steel and training that quite literally saved hundreds of lives amid the chaos. As the Guadalupe River unleashed its fury, turning peaceful summer days into an unforgettable nightmare, Scott was the beacon that guided terrified campers to safety—without losing his cool or his sense of humor. Curious how one man’s grit, quick thinking, and a couple of helicopters made all the difference? Dive into the harrowing yet inspiring story that’s got everyone talking. LEARN MORE

A heroic coast guard who helped to save almost 200 children from Camp Mystic amid the shocking Texas floods has shared more about the rescue effort.

The lone star state has been devastated by the flooding in recent days, with as many as 91 people now 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 late last week.

“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.”

The devastating damage at Camp Mystic (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

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.

On Monday, he said: “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.

“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.”

Coast Guard rescue swimmers get a significant amount of training and it was this schooling which 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.

Some campers and one counsellor are still understood to be missing (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

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.”