Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan helped save 165 people after the Guadalupe River surged by more than 20 feet in less than two hours early Friday in Texas.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X: "United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskin is an American hero."

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.