In the heart of central Texas, communities are reeling from flash floods that have taken the lives of 51 people, including 15 children. Rescue efforts continue with urgency as more than two dozen children remain missing, many of them from a Christian youth camp located along the swollen banks of the Guadalupe River.
Kerr County has been hit the hardest. Out of the 51 confirmed deaths, 43 occurred there alone. Among those unaccounted for are 27 young girls who had been attending summer camp. Authorities say the mission remains focused on saving lives, not recovering bodies—a distinction that carries both weight and hope for families waiting in anguish.
“This work won’t stop until every single person is found,” said the county sheriff, reflecting the resolve felt across the region.
Rescue teams, both local and state, have already saved about 850 people. The floods hit with little warning, sending waters rising over 26 feet in under an hour during the early morning hours. Children were sleeping when the river surged into their cabins, turning a joyful camp experience into a nightmare.
The camp, normally a place of laughter and bonding, now lies in ruins. Photos show bunk beds and teddy bears coated in mud. Many of the missing girls are believed to be under the age of 12.
In a message to parents, the camp confirmed that if they had not received a direct call, their child was safe. For the parents still waiting for that call, every second feels like a lifetime.
More personal stories are emerging. Sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, just 13 and 11 years old, are among those confirmed dead. A special Mass will be held for the victims and their families, bringing a grieving community together in prayer and remembrance.
Holidaymakers who had been spending the Independence Day weekend by the river are also among the missing. Lorena Guillen, whose land had been hosting several guests’ vehicles, described hearing the screams of a family of five as they clung to trees, waiting for help that couldn’t arrive in time.
At a local theater turned shelter, parents were finally reunited with daughters from another nearby camp. Rachel Reed drove five hours from Dallas, only to find that members of her church and her children’s school district were among the casualties. “It could have been me,” she said, holding her daughter close.
Others returned to scenes of heartbreaking destruction. Jonathan and Brittany Rojas found their relatives’ home completely destroyed—only the foundation was left. A teenage family member, Leo, survived by becoming entangled in barbed wire, a stroke of fate that saved his life. His mother and baby sibling remain missing.
One man, Anthony, returned to his apartment to find it filled with mud and debris. All he had left was a single box of childhood photos and a baby blanket. “I lost everything I own,” he said quietly. “Now I’m trying to figure things out.”
As rain continues to fall and flash flood warnings remain in place, the people of central Texas are holding on—clinging not only to trees or foundations but to each other. Through heartbreak and uncertainty, they press forward, driven by love, community, and the hope that more lives can still be saved.