Texas Flood 2025-A Tragedy That Touched Us All

Shalena
6 days ago
4 min read

There are moments when time seems to stand still. When the world watches in shared horror, heartbreak, and helplessness. The devastating floods that struck Central Texas over the July 4th holiday weekend in 2025 was one of those moments. But through the tears, one truth emerged: love—fierce, selfless, and enduring—carried us.

This isn’t just about disaster. It’s about humanity. It’s about the faces behind the headlines. It’s about how we hold each other when the storm comes, and after it’s passed.

What Happened: The Deadliest Flood in Texas History

From July 4 to July 7, a combination of tropical moisture from the Gulf, the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, and the unique topography of the Texas Hill Country created a weather event unlike anything locals had ever seen. More than 16 inches of rain fell in a matter of hours. What followed was a catastrophic flash flood, particularly along the Guadalupe River near Kerr County.

The water rose so rapidly—26 to 30 feet within 45 minutes in some areas—that evacuation was impossible in many cases. Homes were swept away. Vehicles disappeared. Campsites, playgrounds, and churches vanished under a wall of water.

The heart of the tragedy unfolded at Camp Mystic, a beloved Christian summer camp for girls, where over 200 campers and staff were caught in the storm. As of this writing:

119 people are confirmed dead, many of them children and counselors.
160+ remain missing, with rescue and recovery efforts still underway.
Entire families have been torn apart.

The Human Toll: Families Forever Changed

You don’t have to know someone to feel their pain. You just have to be human.

Parents who waved goodbye to their daughters on July 1, excited for a week of bonding and spiritual growth, are now identifying belongings in the mud. One family shared that they’d just FaceTimed their 13-year-old daughter the night before the flood—she was laughing, making bracelets with her bunkmates. She’s now one of the missing.

One counselor, just 22, gave her life trying to save three girls. Her body was later found wrapped around a tree branch nearly a mile from camp.

These are not just numbers. These are people with dreams, families, and futures. They are our sisters, our daughters, our neighbors.

Acts of Bravery and Unshakable Love

In the midst of this horror, the best of humanity stood up.

U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan and his team conducted over 165 rescues from air and boat, plucking campers from tree limbs and rooftops.
Local residents jumped into action—some using kayaks and farm equipment to reach trapped families.
A group of volunteer firemen formed a human chain across a fast-moving current to retrieve two teenagers clinging to a pole.
Churches opened their doors for shelter. Restaurants fed first responders and grieving families for free.

In every corner of Central Texas, love showed up.

The Aftermath: Searching for Accountability and Hope

This disaster has sparked statewide and national scrutiny.

Why weren’t early warnings more aggressive?
Why didn’t local emergency systems trigger immediate evacuations?
Could more lives have been saved?

Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Emergency across 26 counties and has promised a full review of the preparedness and response. But for grieving families, these questions are about more than politics—they’re about justice, about understanding how such a loss could happen in 2025.

Meanwhile, NASA, FEMA, the National Guard, and volunteer groups have joined in the largest coordinated flood search in Texas history. Drones, helicopters, and K9 teams are combing through the wreckage.

🧡 Where We Go From Here: How to Help, How to Heal

This kind of pain doesn’t go away in a news cycle. It lingers. It reshapes communities. And it requires all of us to rally around those in need.

Here’s how we can all help

Donate or Volunteer

All Hands and Hearts – Providing long-term disaster relief.
Texas Diaper Bank – Helping displaced families with children.
World Central Kitchen – Feeding families and first responders.
Samaritan’s Purse & American Red Cross – Emergency housing and aid.
GoFundMe Verified Campaigns – Support families who have lost children.

Speak Up for Change

Urge local and state officials to improve early warning systems.
Demand updated infrastructure and funding for emergency weather response.
Support flood mapping and climate resilience planning.

Hold Space for Grief

Sometimes, the most important thing we can do is show up: emotionally, spiritually, digitally. Let families know they are not forgotten. Light candles. Share names. Pray. Cry. Offer a kind word.

To the people of Kerr County, to the parents from Houston, Austin, and San Antonio who sent your girls to Camp Mystic with love in your hearts and hope in your prayers—I see you.

I cry with you. I honor your strength. And I send you this truth: You are not alone.

Love will not undo what has been done. But it will carry us forward. And from these floods, something sacred will rise—a deeper community, a louder cry for change, and an unbreakable bond forged in stormwaters and sorrow.

Hold on to each other.

Hold on to hope.

And let us all, as one, speak their names.

With love and reverence, Shalena