Scott Ruskan, a 26-year old coast guard rescue swimmer from New Jersey, saved 165 lives alongside his aircrew during his first ever rescue mission.
Ruskan was sent with an emergency team to Camp Mystic as part of the flash flooding relief effort in Kerrville, Texas. Now, the young petty officer is being praised as an “american hero,” by the Department of Homeland Security and the White House.
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Ruskan says that the crew was launched from the Coast Guard Air Station in Corpus, Christi the morning of the Fourth of July. Flying into the scene, Ruskan said that the weather was some of the “worst (he’s) seen in (his) career so far,” and that it took four attempts to successfully enter Kerrville. When they entered the scene, the crew was immediately presented with almost 200 kids standing barefoot at the camp, waiting to be rescued.
“[The campers] were in need of air lift, there was no other way to get them out,” Ruskan said in a phone interview with CNN. “Bridges were gone, roadways were gone, and the water was coming up too high for boat rescue. The only option was airlift.”
After assessing the scene, the rescue team realized they could save more kids if they left Ruskan behind on site at Camp Mystic. The petty officer stayed back as the helicopter flew to a more dangerous area to conduct more rescues, comforting the children he was left behind with.
“The camp counselors and the kids too were being so brave and tough,” Ruskan said. “A lot of them I was able to get hands on with and tell them, ‘Seriously, you guys were the best. I’m sorry this happened to you but you guys were so brave and tough, and it made me a better rescuer because you guys were acting so bravely.”
