In 2021, KPMG offered accountant Scott Ruskan a full-time job. He said no and joined the Coast Guard instead. On his very first mission as a rescue swimmer - the July 2025 Texas rising waters - he saved 165 people at a summer camp. He was the only rescuer on scene for four hours.
The Accountant Who Became a Rescue Swimmer
When one of the world's biggest accounting firms offered Scott Ruskan a full-time position in 2021, most 22-year-olds would have taken the stability and the paycheck without a second thought. Ruskan had just finished an internship at KPMG - one of the "Big Four" - while studying accounting at Rider University in New Jersey. His answer surprised everyone: "No, I'm good. I'm going to join the Coast Guard."
From Spreadsheets to Rescue Swimmer School
Ruskan enlisted and set his sights on becoming an Aviation Survival Technician - one of the most physically demanding specialties in the military. He trained at the Two Rock facility near Petaluma, California, where he actually failed the one-man rescue technique on his first attempt. He retook the course, passed, and graduated in June 2024. He was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.
"It sounds weird, but I'm glad they failed me out the first time," Ruskan later said. "If they hadn't, I wouldn't be as good a swimmer now."
The River Rose 20 Feet in 90 Minutes
On the Fourth of July weekend 2025, torrential rain hit central Texas. The Guadalupe River surged over 20 feet in roughly 90 minutes, swallowing the banks around Camp Mystic - an all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County with around 700 campers and counselors present.
Ruskan's crew deployed from Corpus Christi by MH-65 helicopter around 7 AM Friday morning. When he arrived at Camp Mystic, he discovered something alarming: he was the only rescue swimmer on scene. No radio reception. No cell service. Just him, roughly 200 terrified survivors, and rising water.
165 Lives in Four Hours
For the next four hours, Ruskan served as the sole first responder and triage coordinator. He carried campers over slippery rocks to the helicopter to prevent them from cutting their feet or falling. By the time additional agencies arrived - Texas DPS, the Air National Guard, Texas Task Force 1 - Ruskan had already helped evacuate 165 people.
When DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called him "an American hero," Ruskan shrugged it off. "I'm mostly just a dude," he said. "I'm just doing a job."
The Legion of Merit
On February 24, 2026, President Trump invited Ruskan to the State of the Union address and awarded him the Legion of Merit for extraordinary heroism. Ruskan was also reunited with 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond, one of the campers he pulled from the water. He and his aircraft commander received the Distinguished Flying Cross as well.
It had been his first mission. He'd been a qualified rescue swimmer for about six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Scott Ruskan?
What happened at Camp Mystic during the Texas rising waters?
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Verified Fact
Verified across CNN, Newsweek, CPA Practice Advisor, Stars and Stripes, PBS News, and Western Journal. Core claims confirmed: KPMG intern at Rider University, declined full-time offer 2021, enlisted Coast Guard, graduated AST school June 2024, stationed Corpus Christi. July 4 2025 rescue at Camp Mystic: 165 people rescued, sole first responder ~4 hours, Guadalupe River surge. Legion of Merit awarded at 2026 State of the Union. Reunited with Milly Cate McClymond. DHS Sec. Noem quote confirmed. Some sources report 169 evacuated (USCG Heartland Facebook post) vs 165 (most outlets) - used 165 as the most widely reported figure.
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