Latest news with #ScottRuskan
Irish Times
an hour ago
- General
- Irish Times
A rescuer's tale at Camp Mystic, Texas: terrified girls, helicopters and a harrowing scene
It was his first rescue operation. Scott Ruskan, a 26-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer based in Corpus Christi, Texas, woke up to banging on his door in the early hours of last Friday, July 4th. There was flooding around San Antonio and he was being deployed, he was told. Did he have a chainsaw? Ruskan was part of a crew that was tasked with evacuating hundreds of people at Camp Mystic, an all-girls' Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River that has become a hub of loss in the catastrophic floods that killed more than 80 people across central Texas. About 750 girls were at the camp, officials said. Ruskan and his team took off on a helicopter at about 7am to the camp, near Hunt, Texas. It took them nearly six hours to reach San Antonio because of poor visibility and challenging weather conditions. 'A white-knuckle experience,' he said. READ MORE By the end of their operations, Ruskan was credited with saving 165 people from Camp Mystic. He was part of the more than 1,700 emergency responders, bystanders, family members and others who used helicopters and drones, arrived on horseback and in trucks to help. Some searched from boats and golf carts for those who remained unaccounted for as search-and-rescue operations entered into a fourth day. Many rescue stories have been harrowing. A 22-year-old woman was taken to safety after clinging to a tree overnight. A young girl was found after floating on a mattress for hours. A mother and her 19-year-old son survived by clinging onto each other and a tree. A counsellor at Camp Mystic helped evacuate her 14 young campers to safety. Ruskan and his crew had a particularly onerous task. After their treacherous journey from Corpus Christi, Ruskan and his crew eventually landed at Camp Mystic, where they began working with 12 rescue helicopters, including those from the Army National Guard. Close to 200 people – mostly campers and some camp staff members – needed to be evacuated. Two main landing zones were set up: one on an archery field and one on a soccer field. Ruskan realised that staying on scene would free up two extra spots on his helicopter for the evacuees, he said, so he told his unit: 'I'd love to stay; I could do a lot more good on the ground.' He became the main person on scene to both triage and provide emotional support to the survivors. 'Kids were in pyjamas,' he recalled in an interview with The New York Times, noting some were wearing just one shoe on their feet. They were cold and tired, many soaking wet. And they were desperate for answers about their friends. 'I had a job to do,' Ruskan added. 'All these people are looking at you terrified with a 1,000-yard stare. They want some sort of comfort, someone to save them.' Across the state, at least 82 people were reported on Monday have died from the floods. Despite the heroic work of Ruskan and others like him, Camp Mystic reported that 27 people had died between campers and counsellors. Texas officials have assured residents that they will continue searching for the missing until every person is found — while at the same time acknowledging that the hope of finding more people alive was diminishing by the hour. At Camp Mystic on Friday, Ruskan shuttled campers to the helicopters that would lift them to safety — sometimes carrying two girls in one arm. As he took some evacuees away, he assured the others that he would come back for them. Some asked if they could bring their stuffed animal with them. 'Of course,' he told them. - This article originally appeared in The New York Times . 2025 The New York Times Company
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Crypto legend Roger Ver resurfaces? Dormant whale may have just moved $8.6 billion in Bitcoin after 14 years
Something big just happened in the crypto world, after lying quiet for 14 years, a crypto whale, someone who is an early adopter holding a huge amount of Bitcoin, suddenly moved $8.6 billion worth of coins in just one day, as per a report. Many in the crypto community believe this mysterious whale could be Roger Ver , one of the earliest investors of Bitcoin, according to a Tom's Hardware report. Crypto Whale Awakens: $8.6 Billion in Bitcoin Moves After 14 Years Eight Bitcoin wallets, each holding 10,000 BTC, transferred their holdings as of July 5, totalling 80,000 Bitcoins, as per the Tom's Hardware report. These wallets date all the way back to Bitcoin's early days between 2009 and 2011, when the cryptocurrency was still new and worth only pennies, according to the report. Back then, whoever owned these coins invested less than $210,000, and now those coins are worth over $8.6 billion, as reported by Tom's Hardware. According to the report, the previous biggest Bitcoin transaction was just 3,700 BTC, and this new movement of 10,000 BTC at once broke that record by a huge margin. ALSO READ: Meet Scott Ruskan: The Coast Guard hero who saved 165 lives during the Texas floods Speculation Points to Roger Ver Crypto analyst Arkham pointed out that all these wallets belong to the same person, but no one knows exactly who, but speculation is growing that it could be Roger Ver, as that's what @SaniExp on social media X claims with "99%" assurance, as per Tom's Hardware report. A few even speculated that he executed the "sale" as part of a potential plea deal with the US government, as he is wanted in the United States on tax fraud charges and, earlier this year, appealed to US President Donald Trump for a pardon to avoid extradition, as reported by Tom's Hardware. Live Events A 14-Million Percent Return The movement had started around early Friday, when two wallets that had been inactive for 14 years suddenly transferred 10,000 BTC each to new addresses, as reported by Tom's Hardware. The original wallets date back to April 3, 2011, when they initially received a large amount of Bitcoin, when one Bitcoin was valued at only 78 cents, so that means 10,000 BTC would be worth $7,800, which is almost a 14 million percent jump, according to the report. ALSO READ: AI stocks could crash like Dot-Coms, says Wall Street veteran — suggests these safer bets instead Then after eight hours, six more wallets from the same era, with each containing 10,000 BTC, were moved without any prior test transactions, reported Tom's Hardware. These holdings were from May 4, 2011, when Bitcoin had increased to $3.25, so totally, these eight wallets add up to 80,000 Bitcoin, and the entire stash is believed to have been held by the mysterious whale, according to the report. FAQs Could Roger Ver really be the whale? It's unconfirmed, but some crypto analysts and social media users believe he's the most likely candidate. Why would Ver move the Bitcoin now? Some speculate it could be related to his legal troubles, possibly tied to a deal or to protect his assets.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Meet Scott Ruskan: The Coast Guard hero who saved 165 lives during the Texas floods
Scott Ruskan , a rescue swimmer with the US Coast Guard, is now being called an " American hero " as he saved 165 people affected by the flash floods in Texas during his first mission over the Fourth of July weekend, as reported by Newsweek. Scott Ruskan Hailed as Hero After Saving 165 in Texas Floods Ruskan is based out of New Jersey and previously worked at KPMG as an accountant, but later he enlisted in the US Coast Guard in 2021, according to the report. Once he completed rescue swimmer training, he was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, as per Newsweek. The 26-year-old told The New York Post in an interview that, "I'm mostly just a dude. I'm just doing a job. This is what I signed up for, and I think that any single Coast Guard rescue swimmer or any single Coast Guard pilot, flight mechanic, whoever it may be, would have done the exact same thing in our situation," as quoted by Newsweek. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Apotheker packt aus: 7-Minuten Trick bei Nagelpilz Heilratgeber Weiterlesen Undo The rescue swimmer was in charge of triage at Camp Mystic, which is a summer camp where there were 700 girls at the time the flash flood had hit the Guadalupe River, as reported by Newsweek. ALSO READ: AI stocks could crash like Dot-Coms, says Wall Street veteran — suggests these safer bets instead Live Events Multi-Agency Teamwork Behind the Rescue Ruskan's mission needed extensive cooperation between the Coast Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Air National Guard, and Texas Task Force 1, a FEMA urban search and rescue task force, as reported by Newsweek. The search and rescue technician with Texas Task Force 1 had called the Coast Guard for help for an emergency rapid response, as per the report. He explained that, "That's a little bit outside our area of operation normally, but people were in danger, and we're a good asset to try and help people out, and these guys were asking for help, so that's kind of what we do," as quoted by Newsweek. Ruskan helped to lead the rescue mission that brought 165 people to safety and said that, "So we basically got the majority of the people out of Camp Mystic, which is awesome. And I feel like we did a lot of good that day, but obviously it's still super sad," and also added that, "There's still a lot of people missing and unaccounted for, so the mission's not over yet. It's not over for us," as quoted in the report. ALSO READ: Trump's tariff drama is fake and just for TV, says White House source in bombshell leak Praise From Homeland Security Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem praised Ruskan's efforts on a social media X post, saying, "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," as quoted by Newsweek. Flash Floods Hit Hard Over Holiday Weekend Flash floods had been going on across central Texas during the Fourth of July weekend and are expected to last up until at least Monday morning, as the Guadalupe River rose over 20 to 26 feet within 90 minutes, which led to widespread devastation and forced evacuations, according to the Newsweek report. ALSO READ: Xi Jinping losing his grip? Signs emerge of chaos in China's military and political circles FAQs Who is Scott Ruskan? He is a 26-year-old US Coast Guard rescue swimmer who helped save 165 people in his very first mission, as reported by Newsweek. What was Ruskan's role in the rescue? He was in charge of triage and helped coordinate the evacuation of people from a flooded summer camp.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
‘Hero' Coast Guard swimmer credited with saving 165 people from Camp Mystic floods
A U.S. Coast Guard rescuer has been hailed as an 'American hero' by the Trump administration after he saved 165 people from extreme floods in Texas. Scott Ruskan, 26, a helicopter rescue swimmer from New Jersey, was praised for his life-saving efforts after he was deployed on his first mission to evacuate children from Camp Mystic in Texas. At least 82 people died after thunderstorms caused the Guadalupe River to surge Friday. Ruskan, who was given the role of triage at the scene, leapt into action and was seen on video being airlifted from the roof of a building submerged in deep flood water, reports the New York Post. He told the Post: 'This is what it's all about, right? Like, this is why we do the job. 'This is why we take those risks all time. This is why like Coast Guard men and women are risking their lives every day.' On Monday, Camp Mystic confirmed that 27 campers and counselors had died in the floods. "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," the camp said in a statement . Close to 200 people, including campers and staff members, needed to be evacuated from the site Friday, said officials. Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, who visited Texas Saturday, identified the rescuer by name in a social media post Saturday. In a post on X, she wrote: 'United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, 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 Ruskan is an American hero." The Guardsman has been serving in the USCG for over three years, after working as an audit intern for KPMG, according to the Post. Since November, he had been working on call after completing his training as a helicopter swimmer, where he familiarized himself with the Coast Guard's MH-65 helicopter and took up additional rescue swimming classes ahead of being called into action. His moment finally came Friday morning, when he and other rescuers scrambled into Blackhawk 60 and Coast Guard MH-65 choppers near Hunt, Texas, to save the camp. National Weather Service officials say more storms are expected to strike Texas Monday, possibly bringing even further devastation. President Trump declared the floods a major disaster for Kerr County Sunday – 100 miles north of San Antonio – calling the scenes 'absolutely horrible.' His administration has come under intense scrutiny for the tragedy following a wave of cuts to the National Weather Service and Trump's anti-climate-change stance.
International Business Times
4 hours ago
- Climate
- International Business Times
Who Is Scott Ruskan? Brave Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Praised as 'American Hero' After Saving 165 Lives in Texas Floods
As many as 80 people are dead, and 12 remain missing in Central Texas, where the community is devastated by catastrophic floods. Torrential rain pushed the Guadalupe River over its banks, ripping through towns and campsites, including the hardest-hit, Camp Mystic, a Christian girls summer camp. The tragedy occurred on Fourth of July weekend and led to one of the largest emergency water rescues in recent memory. Amid the devastating floods, an unlikely hero emerged—26-year-old Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer on his first mission with no prior rescue experience. Based in Corpus Christi, Ruskan was among those who responded to the urgent call for help. With roads submerged and currents too strong for boats, helicopters became the only lifeline for hundreds stranded. Ruskan was dispatched to the ground as the only triage coordinator while 12 helicopters from the Coast Guard, National Guard, and US Army hovered above the scene. He pointed out rescuers, provided first aid, and consoled flood victims—some of whom were children who, wearing pajamas, were drenched and terrified. Ruskan is a KPMG employee (in Paramus, N.J.) and served as an accountant before he was recruited to the Coast Guard in 2021 and completed training as an Aviation Survival Technician (AST) in California. It was his first-ever rescue mission, and by the time it was done, 165 people had been saved—an incredible success that has been praised by people across the USA. Scott Ruskan was saluted as an "American hero" and celebrated in a social media post by the state's secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, who extolled his bravery and leadership on a mission that would challenge even the most seasoned professionals. "His selfless courage is the very embodiment of the Coast Guard's motto of 'Semper Paratus' (always ready) and our mission of 'not just saving lives, but preserving the maritime domain.'" At Camp Mystic, Ruskan had the immediate sense that the situation was bad. The site was not accessible by land, and survivors were gathering at a higher elevation among fallen trees and other wreckage. As helicopters flew in to take victims away, Ruskan directed their extrication under constant pressure and deteriorating conditions. He consoled crying children, advised panicky adults, and took desperate calls from frantic loved ones seeking information. "It was the worst day of their lives," Ruskan said. They were freezing, wet, terrified, and looking to me for some comfort. I was trying to stay calm and focus on getting them out to safety." Despite receiving national recognition for his courageous act, Ruskan was modest about the praise. "I'm just a guy doing my job. Any of my teammates would have done the same thing." His modesty resounds throughout the response from a still-searching community for 11 girls and one counselor who are still missing. Five campers, all under the age of 10, were confirmed to have lost their lives, officials said. Search and rescue efforts continue throughout the Guadalupe River Valley.
