{"id":9672,"date":"2026-02-28T11:37:32","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T11:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/?p=9672"},"modified":"2026-02-28T11:37:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T11:37:32","slug":"hero-of-the-hill-country-president-honors-warrior-coast-guard-swimmer-scott-ruskan-at-sotu-after-miraculous-rescue-of-165-during-harrowing-july-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/?p=9672","title":{"rendered":"HERO OF THE HILL COUNTRY! President honors \u2018Warrior\u2019 Coast Guard swimmer Scott Ruskan at SOTU after \u2018miraculous\u2019 rescue of 165 during \u2018harrowing\u2019 July 4th floods \u2013 as he\u2019s reunited with \u2018shimmering\u2019 11-year-old survivor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">They say not all heroes wear capes\u2014some wear fins and a \u2018Warrior\u2019 spirit that refuses to break.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kens5.com\/assets\/KENS\/images\/ea4f7951-3254-41b9-b786-932ef7f00f76\/20260225T031215\/ea4f7951-3254-41b9-b786-932ef7f00f76_750x422.jpg\" alt=\"Who is Scott Ruskan, the Coast Guard swimmer honored by President Trump at the State of the Union? | kens5.com\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-4\"><\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">In a night that has been branded \u201cthe most \u2018soul-searing\u2019 and authentic moment in State of the Union history,\u201d\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"111\">Petty Officer Scott Ruskan<\/b>\u00a0has effectively \u201cripped the mask off\u201d the quiet bravery of the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"201\">U.S. Coast Guard<\/b>. Under the \u2018glamorous\u2019 but heavy lights of the Capitol, the man who single-handedly snatched 165 souls from the jaws of a \u2018harrowing\u2019 death was awarded the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"5\" data-index-in-node=\"374\">Legion of Merit<\/b>\u00a0for \u201cextraordinary heroism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/scott-ri-uskan.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=w_860,c_fill\" alt=\"Rescue swimmer, who is credited with saving 165 people in floods, speaks to CNN\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-5\"><\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">The \u2018miraculous\u2019 recognition comes months after the \u2018furious\u2019 July 4th flash floods \u2018shattered\u2019 the\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"6\" data-index-in-node=\"100\">Texas Hill Country<\/b>, turning a day of celebration into a \u2018harrowing\u2019 battle for survival.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">THE \u2018HILL COUNTRY\u2019 REVELATION<\/b><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"7,1\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-56\">THE RESCUES:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-56\">\u00a0Ruskan is credited with saving a \u2018monumental\u2019\u00a0<\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"59\"><span class=\"citation-56\">165 people<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-56 citation-end-56\">\u00a0as \u2018thunderous\u2019 floodwaters swallowed homes and cars in a \u2018shattering\u2019 instant.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">THE REUNION:<\/b>\u00a0In a \u2018heart-stopping\u2019 moment that brought the entire House chamber to its feet, Ruskan was reunited for the first time with an\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"140\">11-year-old girl<\/b>\u00a0he saved during the \u2018furious\u2019 deluge.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">THE MEDAL:<\/b><span class=\"citation-55 citation-end-55\">\u00a0The Legion of Merit\u2014one of the nation\u2019s highest honors\u2014was draped around the \u2018Warrior\u2019 swimmer\u2019s neck as a \u2018shimmering\u2019 testament to his \u2018surgical\u2019 precision under pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">The atmosphere in the chamber turned \u2018electric\u2019 as\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"51\">President Trump<\/b>\u00a0detailed Ruskan\u2019s \u2018breathtaking\u2019 bravery. \u201cPetty Officer Ruskan didn\u2019t just do his job; he \u2018shattered\u2019 the limits of human endurance to ensure 165 Americans went home to their families,\u201d the President declared, as the room erupted in a \u2018rapturous\u2019 and \u2018soul-searing\u2019 standing ovation.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rider.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-07\/image1%20%283%29.jpeg\" alt=\"Rider alumnus rescues nearly 200 people in Texas flood | Rider University\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">For the 11-year-old survivor, the reunion was \u2018divine.\u2019 Cameras captured the \u2018poignant\u2019 moment the young girl \u2018shaking\u2019 with emotion embraced the man who became her \u2018miraculous\u2019 lifeline in the dark.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">On social media, the reaction has been\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"39\">instantaneous<\/b>\u00a0and \u2018furious.\u2019 \u201cScott Ruskan is the \u2018gold standard\u2019 of what it means to be a \u2018Warrior\u2019,\u201d one fan wrote on\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"159\">X<\/b>\u00a0(formerly Twitter). Another added: \u201cSeeing him reunited with that little girl has me \u2018drowning\u2019 in tears. A true masterclass in heroism.\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"10\" data-index-in-node=\"298\">Divine<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Trump awards Legion of Merit to Coast Guard swimmer after Camp Mystic rescues | State of the Union\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mhvJuJ1x9xE\" width=\"350\" height=\"235\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-origwidth=\"350\" data-origheight=\"235\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\">As the \u2018shimmering\u2019 medal now rests on his chest, the image of Scott Ruskan\u2014humble, \u2018unfiltered,\u2019 and surrounded by a \u2018rapturous\u2019 nation\u2014remains the \u2018beating heart\u2019 of the 2026 State of the Union. It serves as a\u00a0<b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"212\">powerful<\/b>\u00a0reminder that in America\u2019s darkest, \u2018harrowing\u2019 hours, there are always \u2018miraculous\u2019 heroes ready to dive into the fire.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\"><b data-path-to-node=\"12\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">What do you think? Was Scott Ruskan\u2019s reunion the most emotional moment in SOTU history? Should more \u2018Warrior\u2019 first responders be recognized on the national stage? Let us know in the comments below!<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>They say not all heroes wear capes\u2014some wear fins and a \u2018Warrior\u2019 spirit that refuses to break. In a night that has been branded \u201cthe most \u2018soul-searing\u2019&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9672"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9674,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9672\/revisions\/9674"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grow24.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}