
What to know about Camp Mystic, as death toll from girls' camp reaches 27
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," read a statement on the Camp Mystic website. "We are praying for them constantly."
It's unclear how many of the 27 fatal victims were children. At least 88 people have died in the flooding, according to latest tallies on Monday, July 7.
When the flash flood struck early on Friday, about 700 children were in residence at Camp Mystic, according to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The camp lies on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Heavy rains hit central-west Texas early Friday, leading to flash flooding in the area around the camp as the river surged nearly 30 feet in less than an hour, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Here's what we know about the summer camp for girls, as crews continue to pick through the wreckage more than three days after the disaster struck.
Live updates: 27 girls, counselors at Camp Mystic killed in Texas floods
Where is Camp Mystic in Texas?
Camp Mystic for Girls is in Texas, about 6 miles south of Hunt, Texas, in Kerr County. That's within Texas Hill Country, an 11-million-acre region of central-west Texas spanning several counties and cities, named for its grassy and rolling hills, and known as an especially flood-prone area. The original camp sits alongside the Guadalupe River, and a second camp nearby opened in 2020 is near Cypress Lake. Both are bisected by Cypress Creek.
Texas flood disaster: As death toll hits at least 80, here's ways to help
What is Camp Mystic? A centuries-old camp for girls.
The nondenominational Christian camp for girls was founded in 1926 by Edward "Doc" Stewart, who was a coach at the University of Texas, according to the camp's website. Except for a short period during during World War II when it served as a "rehabilitation and recovery camp" for veterans, it has been in operation ever since.
The camp, described on its website as "nestled among cypress, live oak and pecan trees," operates three sessions each summer, offering classic summer camp activities including archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, swimming and horseback riding. The girls can also participate in cooking, dance, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and yoga, and religious activities such as Bible studies, Saturday evening Catholic Mass and Sunday morning devotionals along the river.
"Campers and counselors join together to sing songs, listen to scripture, discover ways to grow spiritually, and learn to apply these lessons to their daily life at camp and back home," according to the site.
The camp has a storied history in the state, and has hosted girls from some of Texas' most famous political families.
The daughters of three former Texas governors summered at the camp, according to Texas Monthly, and three generations of girls in former President Lyndon B. Johnson's family also attended, the Texas Tribune has reported. A current Republican Congressman announced Saturday two of his daughters were among those evacuated over the weekend, and former First Lady Laura Bush was once a camp counselor there.
Jenna Bush Hager speaks about Mystic: 'Texas camps are institutions'
One of the former first lady's daughters, Jenna Bush Hager, spoke about her connection to Camp Mystic on NBC's "Today" show on July 7.
"My mom was a counselor there, but also so many of my friends were raised at this camp," she said. "Texas camps are institutions, as you just heard, where were many family members − generations − this camp was 100 years old, so grandmothers, mothers, kids have all gone there."
Hager said her mother was a drama counselor at the camp, and that many of her friends had their kids at Camp Mystic as recently as last week.
"The stories that I heard over the last couple days were beautiful and heartbreaking," she said. "Texas has a type of resilience where they're generous people, where people want to reach out and help."
Camp Mystic director died during Texas floods
Camp Mystic director Richard "Dick" Eastland is among those who died during the flooding.
He and his wife, Tweety, had been running the camps for decades and lived on the property. A former camper and family friend to Eastland, Paige Sumner, wrote about the director in a column in the Kerrville Daily Times published July 5. She said he died while trying to rescue campers.
"It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers," Sumner wrote. "He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic."
Contributing: Christopher Cann and Mike Snider, USA TODAY.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.
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Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Two Camp Mystic counselors from Mexico describe managing campers through the Texas floods
As the deadly floods in Texas took place over the Fourth of July weekend along the Guadalupe River, two counselors from Camp Mystic — an all-girls Texas Christian youth camp — had to put on a brave face as they watched their campers. Silvana Garza Valdez and María Paula Zárate, 19-year-old camp counselors from Mexico, recalled the events during the deadly disaster that killed more than 100 people, including 27 campers and counselors, in an interview with NMás Saturday. In the very early morning hours of July 4, Zárate first heard the torrential downpour that prevented her from sleeping and at 3 a.m. the electricity went out throughout the Hunt, Texas, camp. At midday, the counselors were informed that girls from another section of the camp had been caught in the flooding and that the surviving girls were safely relocated in a camp dining hall. Realizing the severity of the situation and seeing that the survivors from the other part of the camp were evacuated via helicopter, Zárate and Garza Valdez began preparing the campers under their supervision. 'We began writing the girls' names on their skin, wherever it could be visible,' Zárate said. 'We told them to make a bag with all their things, whatever was most necessary ... to get ready to evacuate. But we didn't know if they were going to evacuate us or not and so we waited.' It wasn't until the water spilled out of its banks and furniture from the campgrounds rushed by that the younger campers began to really understand what was happening. That's when questions were slung at Zárate and Garza Valdez, who reassured their troop that they'd be OK. The campers were quelled with games and songs until they were informed that they too would be evacuated. 'All the girls lost their cool, they all began crying because they didn't want to leave campgrounds, because they wanted to be with their parents. It was a terrible situation,' Garza Valdez said. 'It was never reported to us that anyone died because no one was really sure in the moment. What they told us at the time was that 25 girls were missing and that two were [safely] found at a nearby campground.' Reflecting on having survived the flooding, Garza Valdez said the entire incident was surreal. 'I felt like I was in a dream. I didn't think it was real,' she said. 'I don't think I understood the gravity of the situation until we left on the Army trucks. It was terrible. A week before, we were sleeping in the affected cabins and so it was incredible to learn that they had moved us and that we are alive.' As of Monday morning, 10 campers and one counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, according to the Associated Press. Camp Mystic released a statement regarding the deadly flooding on its website Sunday. 'Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe river. Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,' the statement reads. 'We are praying for them constantly. We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.' A complete estimate for all the unaccounted for people has not yet been released. 'It was a storm from like a horror movie. The thunder was incredibly strong and you felt like the lightning was striking right by your side because it lit up all the cabins,' Garza Valdez said. 'It was a storm that of which I've never seen before in my life. It never stopped raining.'


New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
Teen counselor killed after Texas flood tore through Christian camp ‘she loved so dearly' had heartbreaking wish for summer
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USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Help us tell the story: Share your photos and videos from flooding in Texas
At least 104 people are dead, and many others remain unaccounted for after a devastating storm and catastrophic flooding battered a swath of central Texas on the Fourth of July. Deadly floodwaters rose as much as 26 feet high over the Guadalupe River, killing at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, the Kerr County all-girls Christian summer camp located about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. The death toll continues to rise as rescue efforts continue for missing people by air, land and water. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, confirmed that authorities have rescued over 850 people since the flooding broke out. "Texas is grieving right now. The pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days, has broken the heart of our state," Cruz said at a news conference Monday, July 7. "There are moms and dads that are grieving right now. This is every parent's nightmare, and I will say the pain and tears have been indescribable." Images of the aftermath at Camp Mystic show abandoned bunk beds covered with mud and damaged camp buildings. Others show the girls' belongings flung from pink blankets and stuffed animals to a single sandal on the ground. As images continue to emerge, USA TODAY is asking anyone willing to share photos or video of the tragic aftermath to submit them here. The content may be used in future stories depicting the wreckage in central Texas as communities continue to grapple with the tragedy. Do you have photos or videos of the devastation? Here's how to share To share images or footage showing the aftermath of the devastating central Texas flooding on July 4, submit this form. The form requires readers to answer a few questions, including whether they give permission for the content to be published on USA TODAY and other news affiliates in the USA TODAY Network. See photos of the aftermath of Texas flooding