Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan rescued nearly 200 people including children from Camp Mystic during catastrophic Texas floods that have claimed 68 lives in Kerr County.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26, a helicopter crew member, braved the dangerous waters to rescue dozens, according to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “Scott Ruskin [sic] is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the U.S. Coast Guard,” Noem wrote on Facebook.

It was Scott Ruskan’s first mission as a rescue swimmer for the U.S. Coast Guard on the Fourth of July along the Guadalupe River.

A 26-year-old New Jersey native is being hailed as a hero for his part in saving at least 165 people from Friday’s devastating floods in Texas, most of them girls from Camp Mystic.

Scott Ruskan, a rescue swimmer for the U.S. Coast Guard, is being hailed as a hero for his response to the devastating flooding at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. He is credited with saving 165 lives and opened up about the experience on the July 7 episode of 'Good Morning America.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer is already being hailed as an “American hero” after his very first mission — helping to save the lives of 165 Texas flash flood victims.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer made an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America on Monday morning, July 7, to discuss the ongoing tragedy in Texas. Devastating flash flooding broke out in Texas over the Fourth of July weekend.

A member of the U.S. Coast Guard is being hailed as a hero for rescuing over 160 people during the catastrophic flash floods in Central Texas on the Fourth of July.

The Odessa American is the leading source of local news, information, entertainment and sports for the Permian Basin.