In the chaos of Central Texas’s recent floods, a 26-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Scott Ruskan emerged as an unexpected hero. On his very first mission, Ruskan, a former accountant from New Jersey, helped save 165 people from the devastating waters that engulfed Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp in Hunt, Texas.
Ruskan had completed his rigorous training as an aviation survival technician just six months prior and was stationed at Air Station Corpus Christi. When the call came in on July 4th, he and his crew braved severe weather to reach the flood-stricken camp. Upon arrival, Ruskan found himself as the sole first responder on the ground, coordinating evacuations and comforting terrified campers, many of whom were children.
During the first rescue mission of his career, Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan directly saved 165 individuals.
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
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 7, 2025
The Deluge That Drowned a Region
The floods that slammed into Central Texas in early July 2025 were of biblical proportions. We’re talking about a wall of water that came crashing through the Hill Country with almost no warning, turning rivers into death traps and summer camps into disaster zones. In just 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River in the Hunt area rose more than 26 feet. That’s not a typo. Twenty-six feet. Fast enough to swallow entire communities before most people could grab their car keys, let alone evacuate. Up to 11 inches of rain fell in some areas, overwhelming the already flood-prone terrain in Central Texas.
Camp Mystic, a Christian summer retreat for girls nestled right on the banks of the Guadalupe, took a direct hit. It happened in the early hours of July 4th, when most of the campers were still asleep or just waking up. The floodwaters came so fast that staff didn’t stand a chance of moving everyone to safety. Cabins filled with water in minutes. Kids and counselors were trapped, their belongings washed away like leaves in a storm drain. Some tried to climb to higher ground. Others never made it. It’s the kind of nightmare scenario you hope only happens in training simulations, not real life…but this was no drill.
The scope of the devastation is staggering. At least 118 people are confirmed dead across the state. Kerr County alone accounts for 94 of those. At one point, more than 170 people were listed as missing. Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and staff, though the numbers fluctuated as search teams combed the wreckage. Across the region, homes were torn from their foundations, vehicles were flipped and tossed like Hot Wheels, and entire neighborhoods were cut off by washed-out roads and downed power lines. The Texas power grid didn’t collapse this time—but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Emergency crews were thrown into the fire from the start. Helicopters, game wardens, Coast Guard swimmers, local firefighters—they all deployed in a frantic, coordinated attempt to rescue the stranded and locate the missing. It wasn’t pretty, but it was relentless. Over 1,700 personnel and nearly a thousand vehicles were involved in the statewide response. This was more than some isolated flash flood. It was a full-blown humanitarian crisis.
Meteorologists later pinned the blame on a mesoscale convective complex—basically a thunderstorm on steroids—supercharged by what was left of Tropical Storm Barry. It dumped rain like a busted dam over the course of hours, not days. The flood’s violence caught people off guard, despite the region’s long history with flash flooding. It proved to be the deadliest freshwater flood Texas has seen in over a century. Worse than anything in living memory.
This is how nature reminds us—forcefully—that for all our tech, all our planning, and all our optimism, we’re still flesh and bone when the water comes. And when it comes like this, there’s no running fast enough.
A History Written in Water
This catastrophe is not an isolated incident in the Texas Hill Country, an area notoriously known as “Flash Flood Alley.” The region’s unique geography—steep hills, narrow river valleys, and limestone canyons—makes it particularly susceptible to rapid and deadly flooding. Historical records reveal a grim pattern: the 1987 Kerr County flood claimed over 100 lives, and the 1921 San Antonio floods resulted in 180 deaths.
Despite this history, local and state officials have been criticized for failing to invest in adequate flood-warning infrastructure. Experts argue that many of these tragedies are preventable with proactive measures, such as early-warning systems and restrictions on development in flood-prone areas.
To be fair, the first official flood watch for Kerr County was issued around 1:45 PM on Thursday, July 3rd. At 6:22 PM on July 3rd, the National Water Center warned of considerable flooding risks for areas including Kerrville. The first flash flood warning with a “considerable” tag was issued for Bandera and Kerr counties at 1:14 AM CDT on July 4th. Unfortunately, many of the people who wold later be affected by the flash floods were sleeping at that time.
More Heroes
While Ruskan’s actions have been widely praised, he remains humble, emphasizing the collective effort involved in the rescue operations.
“The real heroes were the kids on the ground,”
he stated, acknowledging the bravery of the teenage counselors who helped keep the younger campers calm and safe during the ordeal.
Among those counselors were 19-year-olds Silvana Garza Valdez and María Paula Zárate from Mexico, who made life-saving decisions, such as marking children with Sharpies for identification and maintaining order amidst the chaos.
A Call to Action
The devastation wrought by the recent floods serves as a dark reminder of the need for improved disaster preparedness and infrastructure. As climate variations continue to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, the importance of proactive measures cannot be overstated.
Scott Ruskan’s heroism offers a glimmer of hope and a powerful example of courage and selflessness. His story underscores the critical role of first responders and the profound impact they can have, even on their very first mission.
In the face of overwhelming disaster, it’s the unassuming heroes like Ruskan who remind us of the resilience and compassion that define the human spirit.