Latest news with #EastlandFamily
15-07-2025
- Climate
Camp Mystic began evacuating 45 minutes after 'life-threatening flash flooding' alert: Spokesperson
The flooding left 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors dead. Camp Mystic's executive director Dick Eastland began evacuating campers approximately 45 minutes after the National Weather Service issued an alert about a "life-threatening flash flooding," according to an Eastland Family spokesperson. The catastrophic flooding that continues to threaten central Texas left 27 dead at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp located in Hunt, Texas, along the Guadalupe River. Eastland received an alert on his phone from the National Weather Service at 1:14 a.m. on the morning of July 4 and began evaluating whether to evacuate the young campers who were sleeping in their cabins without access to electronics, according to Eastland family spokesperson Jeff Carr. A broken heart sign is displayed near Camp Mystic, July 8, 2025, after a flash flood swept through the area in Hunt, Texas. Based on a preliminary timeline of events, Eastland began moving campers to higher elevation by 2:00 a.m., as the situation began to deteriorate, according to Carr. "They had no information that indicated the magnitude of what was coming. They got a standard run-of-the-mill NWS warning that they've seen dozens of times before," Carr said on a call with ABC News. Camper's belongings sit outside one of Camp Mystic's cabins near the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, July 7, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. Eastland died trying to help evacuate campers from their cabins, as the waters of the Guadalupe River rose. ABC News previously reported that some of those cabins lay in the river's floodway, which Kerr County officials deemed "an extremely hazardous area due to the velocity of flood waters which carry debris, potential projectiles and erosion potential." The information provided by Carr provides one of the first windows into the late-night scramble that took place at the isolated camp, where 27 counselors and campers lost their lives in the flooding. Carr previously told the Washington Post that the evacuations began at 2:30 a.m. but walked back the timeline when speaking to ABC News. He cautioned that the timeline determined by the family is preliminary and estimated the evacuations began closer to 2 a.m.. He said the timeline was pieced together based on the accounts of family members who assisted in the evacuation and Camp Mystic's night watchman. View of Camp Mystic's central gathering space, the Recreation Hall, surrounded by damaged structures and fallen trees along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, on July 8, 2025, after severe flash flooding over the July Fourth holiday weekend. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images According to Carr, Eastland began communicating with his family members over walkie-talkie shortly after the first alert to begin assessing the scope of the rising waters. When they began to see the extent of the flood waters, Eastland began the process of moving campers from the lower-lying cabins to Camp Mystic's recreational center, he said. The National Weather Service issued a more dire alert at 4:03 a.m., warning in part, "This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for South-central Kerr County, including Hunt. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!"
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Young Texas camp survivor describes harrowing moment she prepared for worst during deadly flood
A young camper who was rescued from Camp Mystic described the harrowing ordeal as catastrophic floods pummeled Central Texas. "We went to bed thinking it was just a normal thunderstorm. One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water's coming up," 16-year-old Callie McAlary described on 'Fox Report.' "And you have kids running just trying to get to other cabins, trying to get to safety. And luckily, my cabin was one of the few cabins that did not get water, but the cabins in front of us did get some water," McAlary continued. McAlary's mother, Tara Bradburn, also reflected on the tragic flooding, saying that despite living in Virginia now, the camp had been a huge part of their lives as McAlary had been attending the camp since she was in second grade. Camp Mystic Director Dies While Trying To Save Kids During Texas Flooding "We chose this camp. I was a Texan. It was important to me that my child have Texas roots," Bradburn shared. Read On The Fox News App "Living in Virginia, we brought her to Camp Mystic and turned her over to the Dick and Tweedy Eastland family and Camp Mystics and their staff because we knew they would love on our child. They would help her grow in her faith and live the Mystic ideals of being a better person and bringing out the best in her," Bradburn continued. "We are so devastated by what has happened, but truly grateful and thankful to the Eastland family for all they have done and all they've given as a family to save the children that they could." Bradburn weighed in on how devastating that evening was for her daughter and how fast everything turned into a nightmare. "Even up on Senior Hill, I think that conveys to you how fast the water came up and how high it came and how it was a 100-year historic flash flood. We had never seen anything like this. And I cannot say enough about what these young counselors did to calm these girls and to ensure their safety," Bradburn said. McAlary continued to describe the night and the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. Republican Congressman Reunites With Daughters After Texas Camp Flooding, Thanks 'Countless Heroes' "We heard one second, it was really bad thunder. I woke up to a big giant sound of thunder and lightning striking," McAlary recalled. "We heard one of the campers run in and say, 'hey, our cabin is flooding." I knew some girls slept on trunks that night, some girls had to share beds, some girls slept on floors because they couldn't go back to their cabin because it was so flooded in three cabins." In an effort to protect herself and prepare for the worst-case scenario, McAlary put a name tag on her body in the middle of the night. "I put on my name tag because I was scared that if water was coming out next to other cabins that our cabin might be next. And I just put it on just for safekeeping… in my head I was saying, 'if something does happen, and I do get swept away, at least I'll have my name on my body,'" McAlary explained. Bradburn shared that both her and her husband had worked for the Department of Defense and each spent "many times in war zones on behalf of this nation," and spoken to McAlary "more times than she could count" about staying safe in any environment. Texas Flood Survivors Share Harrowing Stories, Search Continues For Those Still Missing "This was not an environment we had ever thought we would have to prepare her for. That comment to me as a parent when she got off that helicopter and finally came into my arms and I saw this name tag on her, and it was the camp name tag she was issued on the day she arrived. It resonated with me that somewhere those little lessons that we gave her as parents years ago and throughout her life resonated with her in that moment," Bradburn said. Despite her daughter being alive and safe, Bradburn said they are devastated for so many families that are missing loved ones. "There are no answers. This is a lot emotionally for anyone. And it's something as parents, we owe our child to try to be strong for her and to ensure that she also has the help she needs moving forward," Bradburn said. McAlary said she is now holding on to hope that the rest of her friends and all those who are missing are found soon. "I really hope those kids that are missing are found. I knew a lot of those kids and a lot of those kids the night before hugged me before we all went to bed. And it's hard to think about that one minute they were hugging me and the next minute they could be gone."Original article source: Young Texas camp survivor describes harrowing moment she prepared for worst during deadly flood
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Young Texas camp survivor describes harrowing moment she prepared for worst during deadly flood
A young camper who was rescued from Camp Mystic described the harrowing ordeal as catastrophic floods pummeled Central Texas. "We went to bed thinking it was just a normal thunderstorm. One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water's coming up," 16-year-old Callie McAlary described on 'Fox Report.' "And you have kids running just trying to get to other cabins, trying to get to safety. And luckily, my cabin was one of the few cabins that did not get water, but the cabins in front of us did get some water," McAlary continued. McAlary's mother, Tara Bradburn, also reflected on the tragic flooding, saying that despite living in Virginia now, the camp had been a huge part of their lives as McAlary had been attending the camp since she was in second grade. "We chose this camp. I was a Texan. It was important to me that my child have Texas roots," Bradburn shared. "Living in Virginia, we brought her to Camp Mystic and turned her over to the Dick and Tweedy Eastland family and Camp Mystics and their staff because we knew they would love on our child. They would help her grow in her faith and live the Mystic ideals of being a better person and bringing out the best in her," Bradburn continued. "We are so devastated by what has happened, but truly grateful and thankful to the Eastland family for all they have done and all they've given as a family to save the children that they could." Bradburn weighed in on how devastating that evening was for her daughter and how fast everything turned into a nightmare. "Even up on Senior Hill, I think that conveys to you how fast the water came up and how high it came and how it was a 100-year historic flash flood. We had never seen anything like this. And I cannot say enough about what these young counselors did to calm these girls and to ensure their safety," Bradburn said. "And what the men and the staff and the Eastland family did to try to help everyone that they could – they are heroes. And those young girls and those young counselors that our young girls were under for the summer were remarkable and were brave and were strong and saved so many children and kept so many children calm so that decisions could be made to keep other girls safe and move them to safety." McAlary continued to describe the night and the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. "We heard one second, it was really bad thunder. I woke up to a big giant sound of thunder and lightning striking," McAlary recalled. "We heard one of the campers run in and say, 'hey, our cabin is flooding." I knew some girls slept on trunks that night, some girls had to share beds, some girls slept on floors because they couldn't go back to their cabin because it was so flooded in three cabins." In an effort to protect herself and prepare for the worst-case scenario, McAlary put a name tag on her body in the middle of the night. "I put on my name tag because I was scared that if water was coming out next to other cabins that our cabin might be next. And I just put it on just for safekeeping… in my head I was saying, 'if something does happen, and I do get swept away, at least I'll have my name on my body,'" McAlary explained. Bradburn shared that both her and her husband had worked for the Department of Defense and each spent "many times in war zones on behalf of this nation," and spoken to McAlary "more times than she could count" about staying safe in any environment. "This was not an environment we had ever thought we would have to prepare her for. That comment to me as a parent when she got off that helicopter and finally came into my arms and I saw this name tag on her, and it was the camp name tag she was issued on the day she arrived. It resonated with me that somewhere those little lessons that we gave her as parents years ago and throughout her life resonated with her in that moment," Bradburn said. Despite her daughter being alive and safe, Bradburn said they are devastated for so many families that are missing loved ones. "There are no answers. This is a lot emotionally for anyone. And it's something as parents, we owe our child to try to be strong for her and to ensure that she also has the help she needs moving forward," Bradburn said. McAlary said she is now holding on to hope that the rest of her friends and all those who are missing are found soon. "I really hope those kids that are missing are found. I knew a lot of those kids and a lot of those kids the night before hugged me before we all went to bed. And it's hard to think about that one minute they were hugging me and the next minute they could be gone." Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Camp Mystic director is killed during biblical Texas flooding while trying to save girls
The director of Camp Mystic was killed while trying to save girls from the horrific flooding that swept through the Texas summer camp. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, died while trying to rescue campers from the biblical rushing waters that struck the state on July 4. At least 11 girls and one counselor are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, and five of their fellow campers have died after the rushing waters destroyed the all-girls private Christian summer camp. The death toll has risen to at least 67 people, including 21 children after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday. Eastland's nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The camp director's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home, according to Texas Public Radio. Father-of-four Eastland died in a helicopter on the way to a Houston hospital, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post. The Eastlands have owned and operated Camp Mystic since 1974, and many viewed him as a father figure at the camp. 'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers,' The Kerrville Daily Times guest columnist Paige Sumner said in a tribute to Eastland. 'Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks. 'He was the father of four amazing boys, but he had hundreds of girls each term who looked up to him like a dad. I would never have taken a fishing class if it wasn't taught by my new friend Dick.' The couple has 11 grandchildren, and several of their children and their partners help manage the camp. According to the camp website, the Eastland's oldest son, Richard, manages the camp's kitchen; their youngest son, Edward, and his wife are directors of Camp Mystic Guadalupe River. The couple attended the University of Texas in Austin and reside at the camp grounds. Eastland is the third generation from his family to run the all-girls Christian summer camp since its founding in 1926. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River, where some 750 girls had been staying when the floodwaters hit, had been 'horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster.' 'The height the rushing water reached to the top of the cabins was shocking,' he said on X after visiting the camp on Saturday. Photos show the summer camp was destroyed after the deadly floodwaters wrecked the grounds. Windows in the cabins were shattered and the interiors were completely covered in mud, with campers belongings in disarray. At least five campers were killed when the unprecedented current slammed the camp. Renee Smajstrla, eight, Janie Hunt, nine, and Alabama native Sarah Marsh, 8, all perished when the camp was washed away by the flood waters. Best friends Lila Bonner, 9, and Eloise Peck, 8, were also killed in the devastating flooding. The families of 11 other campers are desperately searching for their daughters as the death toll continues to rise. Authorities were coming under scrutiny over whether the camps and residents received proper warning about the flash floods and whether enough preparations were made. The flooding in the middle of the night caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. The National Weather Service escalated the alert to a flash flood warning at 1am Friday, then a more serious Flash Flood Emergency by 4.30am - but by this stage water was already pouring into families' homes.
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Camp Mystic director is killed during biblical Texas flooding while trying to save girls
The director of Camp Mystic was killed while trying to save girls from the horrific flooding that swept through the Texas summer camp. Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70, was killed while trying to rescue campers from the rushing waters, reported KSAT. Twenty-seven girls are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, and five of their fellow campers have died after the rushing waters destroyed the all-girls private Christian summer camp. The death toll has risen to at least 51 people, including 15 children after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level Friday. His nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Saturday. Eastland's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home, according to The Kerrville Daily Times. The Eastlands have owned and operated Camp Mystic since 1974, and many viewed him as a father figure at the camp. 'It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers,' The Kerrville Daily Times guest columnist Paige Sumner said in a tribute to Eastland. Eastland died in a helicopter on the way to a Houston hospital, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post. The couple has 11 grandchildren, and several of their children and their partners help manage the camp. According to the camp website, the Eastland's oldest son, Richard, manages the camp's kitchen; their youngest son, Edward, and his wife are directors of Camp Mystic Guadalupe River. The couple attended the University of Texas in Austin and reside at the camp grounds. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Camp Mystic on the banks of the Guadalupe River, where some 750 girls had been staying when the floodwaters hit, had been 'horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I've seen in any natural disaster.' 'The height the rushing water reached to the top of the cabins was shocking,' he said on X after visiting the camp on Saturday. This is a developing story.
