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Miami Herald
06-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Granddaughters of Miami childhood education advocate David Lawrence die in Texas flood
The twin granddaughters of Miami childhood education advocate David Lawrence, Jr. are among the dozens killed in this weekends massive flooding in Central Texas, he confirmed Sunday. The girls, both eight years old, and their 14-year-old sister attended Camp Mystic in Kerr County, an area where dozens people died after the Guadalupe River swelled with rainwater and flooded the Texas Hill Country early Friday morning. 'It has been an unimaginable time for all of us. Hanna and Rebecca gave their parents John and Lacy and sister Harper, and all in our family, so much joy,' Lawrence said in a statement to the Herald. 'They and that joy can never be forgotten.' Eleven campers and a counselor from Camp Mystic remained unaccounted for as of Sunday night, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said in a statement. The death toll from the flooding reached 79 people, Texas officials said Sunday. In Kerr County, 59 people have been confirmed dead, including 38 children and 21 children Leitha said. Many of the victims were among the 750 people staying at the all-girls Christian Camp Mystic, located along the banks of the Guadalupe when the flood waters rushed in. The camp's director, Richard Eastland, also died, according to Texas Public Radio. Camp Mystic was one of several campsites struck by the floodwater. John Lawrence, is one of David and Roberta Lawrence's five children. He and his wife Lacy Lawrence are attorneys in Dallas, Texas, the elder Lawrence told the Herald. David Lawrence is the board chair and founder of The Children's Movement of Florida and the former publisher of the Miami Herald, which he led from 1989 to 1999. Lawrence left the Herald to focus on early childhood intervention in education. This includes being founding chair of The Children's Trust, described on The Children's Movement website as 'a dedicated source of early intervention and prevention funding for children in Miami-Dade County.' He was instrumental in passing the statewide constitutional amendment to provide free pre-kindergarten education to all four-year-old children in Florida. He had a 35-year career in the newspaper industry, including as publisher and executive editor of the Detroit Free Press and editor of the Charlotte Observer, according to his Children's Movement biography. While leading the Herald, the newspaper won five Pulitzer Prizes. While Kerr County was the hardest hit from the flooding, and accounted for most of the deaths, people also died in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County. Florida Gov. Don DeSantis said that he has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to send three swiftwater rescue teams to assist Texas officials with rescue and recovery operations 'We're standing by to lend more help as requested,' DeSantis said Sunday on X. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also released a statement on X that she is prepared to send assistance if requested. 'As Florida sends crews to support the rescue efforts, Miami-Dade County stands at the ready to send support if needed,' Levine Cava said. This is a developing story.
International Business Times
06-07-2025
- General
- International Business Times
Richard Eastland: Hero Camp Mystic Director Confirmed Dead While Trying to Save Young Girls During Devastating Texas Floods
Camp Mystic co-owner Richard "Dick" Eastland has been confirmed among the dead while heroically trying to save campers from being carried away by the deadly floodwaters in Texas. Eastland, 70, lost his life while attempting to save campers from the catastrophic floodwaters that swept through Texas on July 4. At least 11 girls and one counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, after the rushing floodwaters tore through the private Christian summer camp for girls, claiming the lives of five campers. The death toll has climbed to 59, including 21 children, after the Guadalupe River rose as much as 30 feet above its normal level during Friday's flood. Real Hero Eastland had been part of the private Christian girls' camp since purchasing it in 1974 and had served as its director. The camp director's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home, according to Texas Public Radio. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post that Eastland, a father of four, died in a helicopter while being rushed to a hospital in Houston. His nephew confirmed his death in a Facebook post. "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 and former camper 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." Family Devastated Eastland used to teach fishing to the younger campers, and former attendees remembered him as a warm, grandfather-like presence. Both he and his wife were highly respected by the campers and were often spotted teaching or roaming around the campgrounds. The couple has 11 grandchildren, and several of their children and their spouses are actively involved in running the camp. Their eldest son, Richard, oversees the kitchen operations, while their youngest son, Edward, and his wife serve as directors of Camp Mystic Guadalupe River, as mentioned on the camp's website. Both Eastland and his wife attended the University of Texas at Austin and live on the camp property. Eastland represented the third generation of his family to lead the all-girls Christian summer camp, which was founded in 1926. Eastland had previously battled and survived brain cancer, according to the Kerrville Daily Times. He also served on the Hunt Independent School District Board and was formerly a coach for both the West Kerr County Little League and the West Kerr County Little Dribblers, the outlet reported. At least 23 girls from the camp are still unaccounted for. Authorities have confirmed that the flood death toll has risen to 59, including 21 children who were swept away by the raging waters. At the time the flooding began on Friday, around 750 campers were present at the camp.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Texas flood: Camp Mystic director's body found; Richard Eastland died saving camp girls
Camp Mystic director Richard Eastland's body found; died saving camp girls Richard 'Dick' Eastland, co-owner and director of the renowned Camp Mystic, has been confirmed dead in Hunt, western Kerr County, Texas after flash flood swept through the state. Texas Public Radio reported that Eastland died while attempting to rescue campers caught in the floods. Eastland, 74, swept away in the surging waters as he tried to lead a group of young girls to safety on friday. His death was confirmed by his nephew through a Facebook post. Eastland had been associated with Camp Mystic since 1974, when he and his wife Tweety acquired the facility. The couple were only the third owners since the camp was founded in 1926. Eastland was regarded as a fatherly figure who taught students fishing and was very caring. Eastland had previously survived brain cancer and remained deeply involved in the community. He served on the Hunt Independent School District Board and had coached both the West Kerr County Little League and the West Kerr County Little Dribblers, according to the Kerrville Daily Times. Texas flooding has claimed at least 43 lives across the state, including four young campers from Mystic. As rescue efforts continue, 23 campers remain unaccounted for.
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
In Texas Hill Country, a community devastated by deaths from deluge
On July 4, heavy rainfall engorged the Guadalupe River, upending summer camps, retirement plans and those getting away from Texas' urban bustle. Tragedies struck as flooding made its way across Texas's Hill Country. In the early hours of July 4, heavy rainfall engorged the Guadalupe River, upending people's lives as children attended storied summer camps and residents planned to come together for Independence Day. As of July 5, at least 32 people, including 14 children, have died. Dozens more are still missing. Residents are left trying to rebuild while searching for people who went missing. 'Please pray for our community,' Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said in a post. 'Serene' summer camp site gets deadly flooding Family members of those at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls, have learned of the deaths of their children who died amid the flooding outside of Kerrville, a city of about 24,000 people in central Texas. Images showed empty bunk beds covered in mud, with girls' belongings strewn throughout the decades-old campsite that has brought generations of Texas families together. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said 750 girls were at the camp when rain of up to 12 inches per hour fell. City officials estimated 27 girls are still missing. To get to the camp, far removed from cell service, families traveled on Highway 39, which runs along the Guadalupe River, crossing over the waterway at points. Then, they'd see the Mystic sign atop a hill. The landscape is marked by rolling hills dotted with cypress, live oak, and pecan trees. 'What that area is like when it's in it's prime − when it's not devastated like this − is probably one of the most serene and peaceful places that I've ever seen in my life,' Clair Cannon, a 45-year-old realtor in Dallas who is the second of three generations of women to attend Camp Mystic, told USA TODAY. 'That part of Texas is just absolutely gorgeous.' Cannon's mother, Emily Morrill, now 75, was a campgoer and later a counselor. She vowed to take Cannon to the camp from the womb, and tells Cannon to spread her ashes there, Cannon quipped. Cannon's daughter also went to the camp beginning at age 8 − the youngest someone can attend − and went for a decade before now being in college. The family has developed lifelong friendships at the camp, and her daughter knew counselors in the cabins that flooded. Cannon's mother, Morrill, was just a bit older than their family friends, Dick and Tweety Eastland, who have run the campsite for decades and live on the property. The campsite itself dates back nearly a century. On July 4, Dick Eastland, known for teaching the girls how to fish, died in the floods after he went to check on the younger girls amid the rainfall. The camp's cabins for its youngest were closest to the riverbank. His nephew confirmed the death on social media, Texas Public Radio reported. Several girls have been identified among the dead. Renee Smajstrala, an 8-year-old camp attendee, was killed in the flooding, her uncle, Shawn Salta, confirmed to the Washington Post. He had shared a Facebook post announcing his niece's death. 'We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday,' Salta's post said. 'She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.' Another camper, Janie Hunt, 9, is among the dead, her mother told CNN in a message the morning of July 5. Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old from Alabama, also died at the camp, Mountain Brook, Alabama, Mayor Stewart Welch announced. Several others are still missing. Normally, at the end of the monthlong summer camp, girls would have a second reunion before leaving the Hill Country, Cannon said. Their pilgrimage is to the Texas jewelry institution, James Avery. The artisan jewelry store, with locations across the state, is headquartered in Kerrville, a few miles downriver. With their families in tow, the girls would go together to decorate their camp bracelets with charms. Still dirty from the outdoors, the girls would bedazzle their bracelets with charms for their cabin, the year they attended Mystic, and activities they completed, among other icons. After the second reunion ends, parents put their daughters in the car, Cannon recalled. Girls would fall asleep on the drive home across Texas, exhausted from camp. They'd have to wait to see their friends until next summer. Faithful Hill Country comes together In Kerrville, churches of various denominations have worked to shelter and feed people in the county seat of Kerr County, which has become a destination for retirees. First Presbyterian Church, just a few blocks from the eastern bank of the Guadalupe River, repurposed its Family Life Center to serve as a reunification area for hundreds of people, including children bused and even airlifted from camps up the river, where the roadways had been flooded. Video showed masses of children, many in shorts and flip flops or barefoot, standing in an indoor basketball gymnasium. Christian faith is important to many Kerrville residents, according to the Rev. Jasiel Hernandez Garcia, the 32-year-old pastor of First Presbyterian. 'We have all sorts of convictions and beliefs,' he told USA TODAY. 'And yet, when things like this happen, we are eager to make that connection and say, 'What do you need? How can we help?'' In an update, Hernandez Garcia also announced to congregants that Jane Ragsdale, the longtime director of the Heart O' the Hills summer camp for girls, also died in the flooding. For now, Hernandez Garcia said, the community appears lucky to have sufficient resources for food, water and other immediate supplies, but people will need help rebuilding their lives with financial assistance. Church was home for families of missing Camp Mystic campers Soyla Reyna, a staff administrator at Calvary Temple Church in Kerrville, told USA TODAY that the church became a shelter for displaced families when the flooding began. "We did have people here that have been displaced (and) lost everything, or couldn't stay at their home because it was unsafe," Reyna said. As of Saturday, many of the displaced families who were at the church have been moved to another location, and now the facility is being used to house the families who still have loved ones missing or awaiting rescue, according to Reyna. Reyna did note that the families the church housed initially were all looking for their campers who went missing from Camp Mystic. She recalled a lot of those families being "devastated" and "heartbroken" because they did not know their children's whereabouts at that time. Calvary Temple Church has been working hand-in-hand with the American Red Cross and Salvation Army throughout the rescue efforts, according to Reyna. A day after disaster struck, she said there are still a good number of people at the church waiting to be reunited with their lost family members. Reyna applauded the "overwhelming amount of people" who have come from all over to bring supplies, food and necessities to the families in need. "We're at the point where we're turning people away because we can't have any more stuff," she said about the immense support. "It's been that impactful to our community." Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Mike Snider and Joel Shannon of USA TODAY
New York Post
05-07-2025
- General
- New York Post
Body recovered of Texas camp director who died heroically trying to save kids:' Dick was the father figure to all of us'
Camp Mystic co-owner Richard 'Dick' Eastland has been confirmed dead, attempting to heroically rescue some of his campers before they were swept away in the deadly Texas floodwaters. Eastland, who had been involved with the private all-girls Christian camp since purchasing it in 1974 and served as its director, died trying to save his kids from the devastating flash flooding that ripped through the region on Friday, according to Texas Public Radio. Eastland's nephew confirmed his death via Facebook. Dick Eastland died trying to save some of the girls at his camp. Camp Mystic Eastland and his wife, Tweety, owned the camp. They were the third owners since the camp was first erected in 1926. Tweety was found safe at the couple's home, reports indicated. Eastland taught fishing to the younger campers, and former participants described him as a caring, grandfatherly figure. The couple were revered by campers, and often seen teaching or roaming the camp grounds. 'Dick was the father figure to all of us while we were away from home at Camp Mystic for six weeks,' wrote former camper Paige Sumner. '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.' Eastland previously survived a bout with brain cancer, according to the Kerrville Daily Times. He also served on the Hunt Independent School District Board and was a former coach for the West Kerr County Little League and the West Kerr County Little Dribblers, the outlet reported. At least two dozen girls from the camp remain missing. Officials have so far recovered the bodies of 27 people, including at least four young campers who were swept away. Eastland bought the camp in 1974 with his wife, Tweety. LeslieEastland/Facebook There were some 750 campers on site when the flooding started Friday.
