He could have stayed in the helicopter and flown to safety. Instead, he asked to be left behind with 200 terrified kids.Scott Ruskan, a 26-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer, was on his first official mission when the call came in about deadly flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas.The flight that normally takes an hour stretched to eight hours through some of the worst weather conditions they'd ever flown in. When they finally reached the flooded camp, Scott made a decision that changed everything.He asked his crew to leave him behind.His reasoning was simple but brilliant. If he stayed on the ground, the helicopter could carry more victims to safety on each trip.What he found when the helicopter left was sobering. He was the only first responder among 200 people, mostly young girls, who were scared, cold, and having the worst day of their lives.For the next several hours, Scott worked alongside Army National Guard members, guiding groups of 10-15 kids at a time to different landing zones. He helped evacuate 165 people that day.This was his first real rescue mission. He'd only completed his training six months earlier.When people call him a hero, he redirects the praise: "The real heroes were the kids on the ground. They were staying strong during some of the worst times of their lives."While we honor Scott's incredible courage and the bravery of all first responders who risked everything to save lives, this story comes from one of Texas's most devastating natural disasters. The floods claimed 82 lives across the state, including 27 precious lives at Camp Mystic alone. Families are still searching for missing loved ones, and entire communities are rebuilding from unimaginable loss. Our thoughts remain with every family affected by this tragedy.#PrayForTexas #Rescue #CampMystic #Texas
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