Scott Ruskan named grand Marshal of 2026 Rodeo Houston Parade

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan has been selected as the grand marshal of the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Downtown Parade.  Ruskan, 26, earned recognition after helping save 165 children and staff from rapidly rising floodwaters at Camp Mystic, a summer camp along the Guadalupe River.  The mission unfolded amid more than 850 high-water rescues across the Texas Hill Country.

The Department of Homeland Security called him an “American hero,” but Ruskan said, “I’m just a guy…anyone can do this if they raise their right hand.”  On the morning of July 4, Ruskan and his crew launched from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi after an urgent request from Task Force One, a Texas-based search-and-rescue team.  It took four separate attempts, with help from the Air National Guard, before the crew broke through and reached Kerrville.

The crew was sent to Camp Mystic, where around 200 campers were stranded.  Roads and bridges were washed out, and boat rescues weren’t possible.  Once on scene, the team made a critical decision: leave Ruskan behind so the helicopter could carry more children per trip.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo said Ruskan’s courage, commitment and service made him an ideal choice to lead the 2026 Downtown Rodeo Parade, a tradition that draws tens of thousands to downtown Houston.  Ruskan said the invitation is a “huge honor.”

The Downtown Rodeo Parade will officially kick off the 2026 Rodeo season on Saturday, Feb. 28, following the Rodeo Run that morning.  The parade begins at 10 a.m. in downtown Houston.