SAN ANTONIO – A member of the U.S. Coast Guard, who was among the many who responded to the deadly July 4 flooding in the Hill Country, is set to be recognized at next month’s ESPYs.
According to an ESPN news release, Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan will receive The Pat Tillman Award for Service. The network said the annual award is given to a “person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy” of Pat Tillman, a former NFL player-turned-U.S. Army Ranger killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire in 2004.
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Ruskan was a former track and field/cross country athlete at Rider University in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.
After leaving his job as an accountant, Ruskan enlisted in the Coast Guard and graduated from rescue swimming school in January 2025. Six months later — on July 4, 2025 — he was dispatched on his first mission to the Hill Country.
Ruskan and his fellow guardsmen departed from Corpus Christi at approximately 7 a.m. through heavy rain before arriving at Camp Mystic several hours later.
In a July 2025 interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Ruskan said that the team decided to leave him on the ground to free up space for victims in the helicopters.
Thanks to his efforts, Ruskan helped save more than 160 people from the flooding.
Alongside Ruskan, two former professional athletes will also be recognized during the awards show.
Jason Collins, who died of brain cancer in May, will be honored posthumously with The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Collins, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, was the league’s first-ever active openly gay player.
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott will receive The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Abbott, who was born without a right hand, most notably threw a no-hitter in 1993 as a member of the New York Yankees. Abbott pitched in the major leagues for 10 seasons.
“Every year, these awards remind us of the incredible power of the human spirit, and this year’s honorees are the absolute definition of that,” ESPN Vice President and The ESPYS Executive Producer Craig Lazarus said in a news release. “Whether breaking barriers on the court, defying expectations on the diamond, or answering the call of duty in a time of crisis, Jason Collins, Jim Abbott, and Scott Ruskan have all shown what it truly means to live a life of courage, perseverance, and selfless service. It is a profound honor for us to share their stories and highlight their impact at The 2026 ESPYS.”
The 2026 ESPYs are set to air live at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, on KSAT 12.
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