Unsung heroes of 2025: First responders and everyday Americans who saved lives across US
In a year marked by disaster and devastation, it was quiet bravery, from Coast Guard rescue swimmers to local firefighters, emergency crews and everyday citizens, that turned moments of crisis into stories of survival.
On July 4, 2025, catastrophic flash flooding along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, devastated Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp that had been operating for nearly a century.
Dick Eastland, the longtime director and co-owner of Camp Mystic, died while trying to save campers as fast-rising floodwaters tore through the campgrounds before dawn.
Eastland, who had led the camp since the 1970s, was widely remembered by former campers and staff as a father figure and selfless leader whose final moments reflected a lifetime spent protecting children in his care.
CAMP MYSTIC DIRECTOR DIES WHILE TRYING TO SAVE KIDS DURING TEXAS FLOODING
"It doesn’t surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers," said Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Eastland.
At the time of the flooding, more than 700 campers and counselors were at Camp Mystic. Twenty-seven girls and counselors were killed when the Guadalupe River surged through a low-lying area of the camp, rising from 14 feet to 29.5 feet in just 60 minutes. The camp did not fully evacuate before the floodwaters hit.
The destructive flooding ultimately killed at least 136 people across Central Texas, triggering widespread scrutiny of emergency preparedness and warning systems. Community leaders and lawmakers paid tribute to Eastland’s bravery, calling his final actions emblematic of the quiet heroism displayed during one of the deadliest natural disasters of the year.
A United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer from New Jersey was hailed as a hero for his role in lifesaving efforts during the deadly flash floods in Central Texas.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26, was credited with saving 165 people as the only triage coordinator on the ground amid the chaotic flood response near Camp Mystic and surrounding areas.
NEW JERSEY COAST GUARD SWIMMER RESCUES NEARLY 200 PEOPLE IN DEADLY TEXAS FLASH FLOODS
"United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin [sic], 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. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X.
Ruskan described spotting a large crowd of "about 200 kids at a campsite" and focusing rescue efforts there to get as many people to safety as possible.
A decorated former police officer and former Baltimore Orioles minor league player died while rescuing swimmers caught in a rip current off the coast of South Carolina in July, according to authorities and family members.
Chase Childers, 38, entered the water near Pawleys Island on July 13, 2025, after people were reported in distress. While others who attempted to help were able to return to shore, Childers was caught in the rip current and did not make it back, police said.
FORMER GEORGIA POLICE OFFICER DEAD AFTER SAVING 5 IN BEACH RIP CURRENT
"We would like to provide additional information on Sunday’s incident," the Pawleys Island Police Department said in a statement. "The victim, Chase Childers, and another person entered the water to help individuals who were in distress. Sadly, Mr. Childers was caught in the rip current, as well. He died trying to save others."
Emergency responders recovered Childers’ body about 90 minutes after the initial distress call, with assistance from Midway Fire Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials praised first responders for their efforts and offered condolences to the family.
According to a GoFundMe created in Childers’ memory, he was a devoted husband and father who displayed "extraordinary courage and selflessness" while saving a family of five, putting their lives above his own. During his law enforcement career in Cobb County, Georgia, Childers received a lifetime achievement award for saving several lives, the page said.
On Feb. 1, 2025, an active shooter incident erupted during a band competition at Pasadena Memorial High School in Texas, when an 83-year-old man, identified as Dennis Brandl, opened fire inside the school auditorium.
One person, a 26-year-old percussion technical consultant, was shot in the shoulder and transported to a Houston-area hospital, where he remained conscious and was expected to recover.
Before police could fully respond, a group of four fathers known as the "band dads" — all of whom had military or law enforcement backgrounds — sprang into action. The men rushed toward the gunfire, tackled the suspect and disarmed him, preventing further injuries at the crowded event.
HERO 'BAND DADS' TAKE DOWN ELDERLY ACTIVE SHOOTER AT TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL
"As soon as everyone was screaming and yelling, gunshots fired, Joe and myself looked at each other and ran straight to the door," Army veteran Adam Curow told FOX 26. "By the time we got inside, Polo and Abram were right behind us as a band-dad team."
Pasadena ISD police officers, along with civilians and community members, helped restrain Brandl until law enforcement secured the scene. Authorities later said Brandl told police he believed he was being chased and feared that he and his wife would be killed.
The Houston Police Department praised the men involved, including HPD Sgt. Joe Sanchez, who was attending the event, for their decisive actions.
"When danger struck, HPD Sergeant Joe Sanchez didn’t hesitate," the department wrote in a statement on X. "While attending a band competition at a Pasadena school, Sgt. Sanchez was among those who quickly stepped up to protect lives. This month, he marks 33 years with HPD. We’re grateful for his service."
A dramatic ocean rescue unfolded aboard a Disney Dream cruise ship after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard while the vessel was sailing in international waters between the Bahamas and Port Everglades, Florida, authorities said.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on June 29, 2025, when the child lost her balance while sitting on a railing near a porthole on Deck 4 and fell backward into the ocean, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. After the girl’s mother alerted her husband, the child’s 37-year-old father jumped into the water to save her.
Investigators said the father located his daughter and treaded water with her until rescue crews arrived, as the ship’s "man overboard" alert sounded and crew members launched an emergency response. The total time from the child’s fall to the rescue was about 20 minutes, authorities said.
Security video corroborated the family’s account, and officials credited the ship’s crew with executing a swift rescue due to their man-overboard training.
"The crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water," a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson told Fox News Digital, praising the crew’s prompt actions.
The father and daughter were evaluated by the ship’s medical staff and later transported to a hospital after the ship docked. Authorities said the family, who live out of state, requested privacy, calling the outcome a blessing in what could have been a tragic incident.
Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace, Rachel Wolf, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Christina Shaw and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.