Texas Hill Country floods hero Scott Ruskan to recieve Pat Tillman Award at ESPY Awards

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- One of the heroes of the catastrophic floods in the Texas Hill Country will be honored at the ESPY Awards, ABC13 learned on Monday.

U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2026 awards show.

26-year-old Ruskan executed multiple high-risk rescues on his first-ever mission, saving 165 children from raging waters at Campy Mystic.

The Pat Tillman award is given to a person with a strong connection to sports who serves others in a way that echoes the legacy of Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who gave up his NFL career in the wake of 9/11 to serve in the U.S. Army.

Ruskan served as the grand marshal for the Rodeo Houston parade in February 2026.

You can watch the 2026 ESPY Awards on ABC13 on July 15.