Jenna Bush Hager breaks down over deadly Texas flooding at Camp Mystic: ‘Mom was a counselor there'
The journalist, 43, opened up about the heartbreaking devastation at the Christian summer camp, after 27 campers and counselors died due to massive Texas floods.
'My mom was a counselor there, but also so many of my friends were raised at this camp,' Bush Hager explained while on 'Today' on Monday.
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'Texas camps are institutions, as you just heard, where many family members, generations — this camp was 100 years old — so grandmothers, mothers, kids, have all gone there.'
13 Jenna Bush Hager talks about the devastation at Camp Mystic.
13 Jenna Bush Hager details her connection to Camp Mystic.
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The daughter of former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush said that her mother was a 'drama counselor' at the camp.
13 Jenna Bush Hager and Craig Melvin talk Camp Mystic.
13 The front door of a Camp Mystic building following the flood.
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The Texas native, whose father was previously a Texas governor, added that 'many of my friends had their kids there last week.'
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'The stories I've heard over the last couple of days are beautiful and heartbreaking,' Bush Hager shared. 'Texas has a type of resilience. They're generous people, where people want to reach out and help. Texas camps are really special.'
13 George W., Laura Bush and their daughters Barbara and Jenna.
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13 George, Laura, Jenna and Barbara Bush.
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The author noted that summer camp is a big part of her life with husband Henry Hager and their three children, Mila, 12, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5.
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'You're thinking about 90-degree weather, no air conditioning,' she said. 'My kids are at camp in Texas, and my husband said, 'Why are we sending our kids to Texas to camp? It's hot.''
The anchor responded: 'Because of the love that's there.'
13 Jenna Bush Hager and her mother Laura W. Bush in 2011.
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Bush Hager's co-host, Craig Melvin, asked her about Camp Mystic's owner, Richard 'Dick' Eastland, who heroically died trying to save campers from the flooding.
'That family, the Eastland family, is Texas royalty. They raised so many girls,' the mom-of-three detailed. 'So many of my friends said he was their summer father. He looked out for campers. He raised girls to be brave and loving. His legacy will live on.'
Richard and his wife, Tweety, who survived the flood, had run the camp for five decades.
13 Jenna Bush Hager with her husband and kids.
Instagram/ Jenna Bush Hager
The all-girls Christian summer camp, located in Kerr County, was founded in 1926 by former University of Texas football coach E.J. 'Doc' Stewart.
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The camp sat along the banks of the Guadalupe River, which surged more than 26 feet early Friday morning.
As of Monday, 27 members of Camp Mystic have been confirmed dead, with the camp writing on its website, 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly.'
13 Jenna Bush Hager poses with her family.
Instagram/jennabhager
Camp officials noted they've been in contact with local and state authorities 'who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.'
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Kerr County officials announced Sunday night that they were still searching for several girls and one counselor.
Late Saturday, missing camper Anne Margaret Bellows' mother confirmed to NBC 5 that authorities had recovered her daughter's body. Bellows shared that Anne was in the same cabin as Renee Smajstrla, Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner, whose bodies were recovered on Saturday.
13 A building from Camp Mystic.
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13 People look through belongings at Camp Mystic.
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Another camper, Linnie McCown, was also found dead, with her dad, Michael, confirming the news to the Austin American-Statesman on Sunday.
'She filled our hearts with so much joy we cannot begin to explain. We are going to miss her so very much but know she's up there shining bright,' he wrote on social media.
According to The Associated Press, the death toll has risen to 82, and includes 28 children.
At least 68 have died in Kerr County, while 12 more were killed in other counties, per officials.
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13 Officials ride a boat as they arrive to assist with a recovery effort at Camp Mystic.
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13 A woman walks toward a chest outside of Camp Mystic.
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There have been 525 rescue operations conducted across Texas, with 366 of them being carried out by air.
'We will continue our search efforts until everyone is found,' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, said. He urged anyone who needs to report missing loved ones to do so by calling 830-258-1111.
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