Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Younger campers, lecturers and soccer coach amongst Texas flood victims

Rachel Hagan and James FitzGerald

BBC Information

Camp Mystic Renee Smajstrla at Camp Mystic on ThursdayCamp Mystic

This image of Renee Smajstrla was taken at Camp Mystic on Thursday, her uncle wrote on Fb

Younger attendees and workers at summer time camps are among the many victims of flash floods in Texas – together with lecturers, a soccer coach, and a “hero” father who smashed open a window to free his household amid rising water.

Authorities say no less than 104 persons are recognized to have died – most of them in Kerr County. No less than 27 women and workers died at one location, Camp Mystic, alone.

Most of the victims have been recognized within the US media by their kin. Here’s what we all know up to now about those that have been named – lots of whom had been kids.

Renee smilestro

Camp Mystic is an almost century-old Christian summer time camp for ladies on the banks of the Guadalupe River close to the group of Hunt.

Operated by generations of the identical household because the Nineteen Thirties, the camp’s web site payments itself as a spot for ladies to develop “spiritually” in a “healthful” Christian environment “to develop excellent private qualities and vanity”.

Renee Smajstrla, 8, was on the camp when floodwaters swept by means of, her uncle stated in a Fb submit.

“Renee has been discovered and whereas not the result we prayed for, the social media outreach possible assisted the primary responders in serving to to determine her so rapidly,” wrote Shawn Salta.

“We’re grateful she was together with her buddies and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this image from yesterday,” he wrote. “She’s going to perpetually be residing her greatest life at Camp Mystic.”

Watch: Volunteers assist lead seek for their neighbours after Texas flooding

Lila Bonner

9-year-old Lila Bonner, a Dallas native, was discovered lifeless after flooding close to Camp Mystic, based on NBC Information.

“Within the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privateness and are unable to verify any particulars at the moment,” her household instructed the information outlet.

“We ache with all who cherished her and are praying endlessly.”

Eloise Peck

Eloise Peck, 8, was additionally confirmed lifeless after the deluge at Camp Mystic, based on CBS Information Texas. US media reported that she was greatest buddies with Lila Bonner.

An indication posted outdoors Eloise Peck’s dwelling stated “she misplaced her life within the tragic flooding”, and requested for privateness for the household.

Sarah Marsh

Camp Mystic Sarah MarshCamp Mystic

Sarah Marsh, a pupil at Cherokee Bend Elementary Faculty in Alabama, would have entered third grade in August.

She, too, was attending Camp Mystic and her grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, posted on-line to say that her granddaughter was among the many women killed.

“We’ll at all times really feel blessed to have had this lovely spunky ray of sunshine in our lives. She’s going to dwell on in our hearts perpetually!” she wrote.

In a submit on Fb, Alabama Senator Katie Britt stated she was “heartbroken over the lack of Sarah Marsh, and we’re maintaining her household in our ideas and prayers throughout this unimaginable time”.

Janie Hunt

9-year-old Janie Hunt from Dallas, was attending the identical camp and died within the floods.

Her grandmother Margaret Hunt instructed The New York Instances she went to Camp Mystic with six of her cousins, who had been all protected.

Margaret stated Janie’s dad and mom needed to go to a funeral dwelling and determine their daughter.

Janie was a great-granddaughter of the oil baron William Herbert Hunt.

Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence

Twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 8, additionally died after attending Mystic, their grandfather instructed the Miami Herald.

“It has been an unimaginable time for all of us,” grandfather David Lawrence Jr instructed the newspaper in a press release. “Hanna and Rebecca gave their dad and mom John and Lacy and sister Harper, and all in our household, a lot pleasure.”

David had earlier clarified that the twins’ elder sister Harper was protected.

Watch: Senator Ted Cruz talks concerning the kids misplaced at Camp Mystic

Dick Eastland

Richard “Dick” Eastland, the longtime co-owner and co-director of Camp Mystic, died whereas being flown to a Houston hospital.

The information was confirmed by Kerr County Choose Rob Kelly, who attended Bible examine with Dick and described him as a pillar of the local people.

Dick’s spouse, Tweety, was discovered protected at their riverside dwelling, based on Texas Public Radio.

The Eastlands had run Camp Mystic, a women’ summer time camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River, since 1974, changing into the third era of their household to take action.

In accordance with the Washington Put up, the couple had 11 grandchildren and far of the prolonged household was concerned in camp life.

The couple’s eldest son, Richard, manages the camp kitchen and their youngest, Edward, directs operations along with his spouse.

Chloe Childress

Chloe Childress was certainly one of Mystic’s camp counsellors. The 18-year-old’s loss of life was introduced by her former highschool.

“Chloe made area for others to really feel protected, valued, and courageous. She understood what it meant to be a part of a group, and greater than that, she helped construct one,” the headteacher of Kinkaid Faculty wrote in a letter.

She was on account of begin research on the College of Texas in Austin later this yr, ABC Information added.

An annotated satellite image shows the locations of Camp Mystic and the Heart O' the Hill camp near the Guadalupe River in central Texas

Jane Ragsdale

Heart O' the Hills Jane RagsdaleCoronary heart O’ the Hills

Jane Ragsdale was described because the “coronary heart and soul” of Coronary heart O’ the Hills camp

Coronary heart O’ the Hills is one other all-girls’ camp that sits alongside the Guadalupe River, which was within the path of Friday’s flood.

Jane Ragsdale, described because the “coronary heart and soul” of Coronary heart O’Hills, “didn’t make it”, a press release shared on the camp’s official web site stated on Saturday.

Ragsdale, who began off as a camper then a counsellor, grew to become the director and co-owner of the camp in 1976.

“We’re mourning the lack of a lady who influenced numerous lives and was the definition of sturdy and highly effective,” the assertion stated.

No campers had been residing on the website when the floods hit and and most of those that had been there have been accounted for, based on the assertion.

Julian Ryan

GoFundMe Julian Ryan wears a baseball cap and smiles at the cameraGoFundMe

As floodwaters tore by means of their trailer in Ingram, Texas, Julian Ryan turned to his fiancée Christina Wilson and stated: “I am sorry, I am not going to make it. I really like y’all” – Christina instructed Houston tv station KHOU.

His physique wasn’t recovered till hours later, after waters had receded.

Julian had simply completed a late dishwashing shift at a restaurant when the Guadalupe River overflowed early Friday.

He and Christina woke to ankle-deep water that rapidly rose to their waists. She instructed the station their bed room door caught shut and with water speeding in, Ryan punched by means of a window to get his household out. He severely minimize his arm within the course of.

Their 13-month-old and 6-year-old sons and his mom survived by floating on a mattress till assist may arrive.

“He died a hero, and that may by no means go unnoticed,” Connie Salas, Ryan’s sister, instructed KHOU.

Katheryn Eads

Katheryn Eads, 52, was swept away by floodwaters within the Kerrville space of Texas, early on Friday morning after she and her husband, Brian, who instructed The New York Instances, fled their campervan as rising water surged round them.

One other camper had supplied them a trip and so they made it throughout the road earlier than the car stalled within the flood.

Moments later, each had been pulled into the present. Brian stated he overpassed his spouse after being struck by particles. He survived by clinging onto a tree till he reached dry land.

Katheryn’s physique was later recovered.

“God has her now,” her mom, Elizabeth Moss Grover, wrote on Fb.

Amy Hutchinson, director of Olive Department Counselling in Texas, the place Katheryn had labored, instructed The Washington Put up she was “a hope and a light-weight to all who knew her… a stellar counsellor and professor.”

Jeff Wilson

Humble ISD Jeff WilsonHumble ISD

Trainer Jeff Wilson was additionally killed in Kerrville, based on the native college authority, which stated he was a “beloved instructor and co-worker” who had served the district for greater than 30 years.

His spouse and son had been nonetheless lacking, based on the submit by the Humble Unbiased Faculty District.

The group had been on a tenting journey when flooding struck, CBS Information Austin reported.

Reece and Paula Zunker

The loss of life of one other instructor, Reece Zunker, was introduced by a second Texan faculties authority.

The soccer coach died alongside his spouse Paula, based on Kerrville Unbiased Faculty District. Their two kids are nonetheless lacking, the district’s Fb submit added.

“Reece was a passionate educator”, the Fb submit stated. Paula, a former instructor, additionally “left an enduring mark”, the influence of which continued to be felt.

Blair and Brooke Harber

Two sisters from Dallas – 13-year-old Blair Harber and 11-year-old Brooke Harber – had been staying with their grandparents alongside the Guadalupe River when their cabin was washed away, CBS Information reported.

The deaths had been confirmed by St Rita Catholic Neighborhood, the place Brooke was on account of begin sixth grade. Blair was getting ready to enter eighth grade.

“Please hold the Harber household in your prayers throughout this time of profound grief. Could our religion, our love, and our St. Rita group be a supply of energy and luxury within the days forward,” stated Father Joshua J Whitfield in correspondence with church members.

The women’ dad and mom had been in a separate cabin and weren’t harmed. Their grandparents are nonetheless unaccounted for.

Bobby and Amanda Martin

Husband and spouse Bobby Martin, 46, and Amanda Martin, 44, additionally misplaced their lives, Mr Martin’s father instructed the New York Instances.

They, too, had been stated to be staying close to the river when their car was swept away by rising flood waters.

Bobby was described by a good friend who spoke to the Houston Chronicle as a eager outdoorsman and attentive good friend, and Amanda was the “similar shining gentle”.

Requested burwick

Walmart worker Tanya Burwick, 62, was driving to work in San Angelo when flood water hit early on Friday, members of the family stated.

Her empty car and later her physique had been discovered the identical day.

“She lit up the room and had amusing that made different folks snicker,” her daughter Lindsey Burwick was quoted as saying by the AP information company.

Sally Pattern Graves

Grandmother Sally Pattern Graves was one other sufferer of the flooding in Kerrville, based on her granddaughter, who posted a tribute on Fb.

An enormous wave is alleged to have destroyed Sally’s dwelling.

“Her unwavering dedication to household has left an indelible mark on our lives,” Sarah Pattern wrote. Her father survived the incident, she added.

Kaitlyn Swallow

The loss of life of 22-year-old Kaitlyn Swallow in Williamson County was introduced by county officers on Saturday.

She was from the Liberty Hill space, and her physique was recovered alongside the stays of one other particular person. Officers didn’t give additional info.

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