Scott Ruskan, the hero who saved 165 children's lives at Camp Mystic

Flooding caused by heavy rainfall has resulted in one of the worst tragedies in Texas history, devastating much of its heartland. More than 80 people have died, including children who were camping, and over a dozen remain missing. Thousands have lost their homes and have been forced to evacuate.

However, every catastrophe often brings heartwarming stories and heroes who work to prevent the situation from getting worse. This time, that hero is Scott Ruskan, a young Coast Guardsman who saved 165 lives during the Texas floods."

In an interview on Fox News' Fox & Friends, 26-year-old Ruskan, on his first mission after graduating as a rescue swimmer, described how his team decided to rescue people at Camp Mystic.

"Yeah, as for now, we've been getting our assignments from higher up, mostly from the Army as of now. But a lot of them [tasks] have been state triage, so we were at Mystic for a long period of time yesterday. We probably removed about 200 people out of there," Ruskan said during the interview.

"So, that's where we decided to go, and we said, 'We're just going to get as many people out as we can,'" he added.

Noem: Ruskan is "an American hero"

For his bravery and hard work, Ruskin has earned widespread admiration and respect—including from prominent figures like Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who called the Coast Guardsman "an American hero.”

"United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas," Noem posted on X. "This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskan is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the Coast Guard."