How Coast Guard swimmer Scott Ruskan saved 165 people during deadly Texas floods

In the darkest moments of disaster, heroes often emerge without warning, without expectation, and without hesitation. One such hero is Scott Ruskan, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer who put his life on the line to save 165 people from raging floodwaters in the Guadalupe River region of Central Texas during one of the worst natural disasters the state has seen in years.

What began as a quiet weekend away from duty quickly turned into the largest known individual rescue effort of the 2025 flood season. Armed with only his survival training, raw endurance, and unwavering resolve, Ruskan entered the flood-swollen waters again and again for nearly 11 straight hours, refusing to rest while people were still trapped, stranded, or drowning.

The flash floods that struck New Braunfels and the Guadalupe River basin in late June were caused by a rare combination of weather patterns: three days of torrential rain, upstream dam overflow, and rapid riverbank collapse. Officials described it as a “500-year flood event,” with water levels rising over 14 feet in just six hours.

Entire campgrounds were washed away. Bridges collapsed. Cell service died. Families were separated. At one point, over 700 people were unaccounted for, with dozens of children trapped on inner tubes and inflatable rafts.

Among the chaos, Petty Officer First Class Scott Ruskan, a 34-year-old stationed in Port Aransas, had been in the area on personal leave—visiting friends, unwinding, and fishing.

By the time the second dam breached around 7:15 a.m., Ruskan was already en route to the scene—driving toward the river when most were evacuating.

With local fire and EMS overwhelmed, and National Guard teams not yet deployed, Ruskan was one of the first trained rescuers to arrive on the riverside. He borrowed gear from a stranded kayak rental shop—life jackets, ropes, and carabiners—and suited up in his Coast Guard-issued drysuit, which he’d packed by habit.

No boats could reach the flooded campsites or treetop clusters where people clung for life. So Ruskan swam.

For hours.

With visibility near zero, he navigated sharp debris, overturned vehicles, and live power lines. Each trip back into the water brought more danger—more current, more fatigue, more risk. But the calls for help didn’t stop. Neither did he.

“I’d grab a kid, secure them in a raft, swim them back to the ridge, and then go again,” Ruskan later recalled. “I didn’t stop to count. I just kept going.”

According to verified emergency response reports:

• Ruskan directly retrieved or guided 165 individuals to safety.
• He personally swam across the current over 75 times during the operation.
• Of the rescued, 48 were children, including infants and toddlers.
• No lives were lost in the zone Ruskan operated in—a fact local officials directly attribute to his actions.

But the stats don’t tell the full story.

There was the family of five, swept into different trees, whom Ruskan reunited one by one.

There was the elderly couple trapped in an SUV being crushed by driftwood, pulled out moments before submersion.

There was the group of summer campers sobbing in fear until he arrived, calmly saying, “I’m with the Coast Guard. You’re safe now.”

“He looked like something out of a movie,” said survivor Nadine Rivas, who watched Ruskan carry her 4-year-old daughter across 30 yards of waist-high current. “He was soaked, bleeding, shaking—but smiling at her the whole time.”

The Coast Guard’s elite rescue swimmer program is often described as one of the most physically and mentally demanding trainings in the military. But even Ruskan admits, “Nothing prepared me for that day. Not like that.”

Still, his instincts kicked in.

• Triage first. Prioritize the most at-risk victims—those alone, those injured, those in shock.
• Calm the panic. A firm voice, clear commands, eye contact.
• Never lose grip. He tied knots with muscle memory, secured limbs mid-surge, and used his own body to block debris.

“He became the anchor in a storm no one else could stand up in,” said Comal County Sheriff’s Lt. Darnell Brooks, who was on-site. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Ruskan said the scariest moment wasn’t the raging river—it was when he momentarily lost radio contact.

“I thought someone I’d just dropped off had been swept again. That’s when I cracked.”

But just before full exhaustion hit, a teenager whom Ruskan had saved earlier came running back with bottles of water and a bag of trail mix.

“You saved me, mister. Let me help you now.”

Ruskan took one sip, nodded, and said, “One more trip.” He’d say those words at least 30 more times that day.

Word of Ruskan’s heroism traveled fast. But he resisted interviews, insisting that other responders did just as much.

Still, once survivors began sharing their stories, local media named him the “Lone Swimmer of Guadalupe.”

Texas Governor María Estrada awarded him the State Star of Valor, and President Kamala Harris personally called to thank him.

But perhaps the most emotional recognition came from the University of Texas, where Ruskan was honored at midfield and gifted a $1 million bonus and lifetime suite for his actions.

“I’m not used to this kind of attention,” Ruskan said. “But I’ll accept it in the name of every first responder who’s gone into the water and never come back.”

Originally from Corpus Christi, Ruskan joined the Coast Guard at 19 after Hurricane Katrina inspired him to pursue water rescue. He graduated top of his class from the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer School and has since served in over 20 states and three countries.

Known among colleagues as “The Quiet Shark,” Ruskan prefers action over words. He’s turned down medals, interviews, and even a book deal.

His free time? Spent teaching swimming at community centers and hiking solo in the Hill Country.

“He’s just built different,” said Chief Petty Officer Kendra Malloy, his commanding officer. “When things go bad, he runs toward them.”

Ruskan has since returned to duty but plans to take part in public safety education programs across Texas.

He’s also working with UT to launch the Ruskan Rescue Readiness Initiative, aimed at training high school students in basic water safety, CPR, and flood response.

“This can’t be just about one man,” he said. “Let’s make it about being ready next time. Because there will be a next time.”

In an era often clouded by division and noise, Scott Ruskan gave the world something rare and pure: selflessness in action. He didn’t save lives for a camera, a paycheck, or a medal.

He did it because that’s who he is.

The kids who clung to his shoulders, the parents who wept with relief, the first responders who watched in awe—they’ll never forget the man who appeared from the mist, strapped on a rope, and refused to let go.

One more trip. One more life. One more reason to believe in real heroes.