Boca Raton, Florida, teen Thomas Ruzzano is being recognized for helping rescue an older man and several drivers trapped in floodwaters during heavy rain last weekend. Ruzzano had just left a movie theater when he saw the parking garage and surrounding streets flooded, with cars stranded in deep water. He and other bystanders helped free a man who was stuck in his seatbelt as water rose above his shoulders.
The teen also assisted several other drivers who were unable to exit their vehicles in the rising floodwaters that resulted from heavy rains across the region. He says he’s just glad that everyone he helped made it out safely.
When asked about being called a hero, Ruzzano says he only did what he felt was necessary in the moment. He describes his actions as “the least I could do.”