Latest news with #campcounselors
Fox News
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Texas mother praises brave camp counselors who saved her sons from 'absolutely devastating' floods
Keli Rabon, a mother of two sons who safely escaped flooding at a Texas camp, described the harrowing moment she realized the region's high waters were "far more serious" than she initially believed on "The Story." "Once I saw the statement from Camp Mystic that your daughter is okay if you've not been notified yet, I thought, oh my gosh, this is far more serious than that initial text message [on July 4th] would have led me to believe," Rabon recalled Monday. "And then within a couple of hours, I decided I needed to get in the car and go, you know, a mom on a mission to get to my kids." The mother shared she rushed from Houston to Camp La Junta, where her two sons, ages 7 and 9-years-old, were staying. Their flooded camp is located six miles from Camp Mystic, which currently mourns the loss of 27 campers and counselors. At least 100 total have died from the floods, according to authorities. Rabon attributed her sons' safe evacuation from the flood to their camp counselors' bravery. "As the water started to come in, his brave camp counselors, who are really just kids themselves – college kids – they encouraged the boys to get on the first bunk, then to get on the second bunk," she relayed. "Then, before you know it, they were lifting the little boys up into the rafters to keep them out of harm's way." Rabon described her 7-year-old as still being in a "state of shock," adding that he remembers the water being high enough to break the window. "I just can't imagine how terrifying this was," Rabon shared. "And it was happening, you know, as it was dark. No power, you're so unfamiliar in this situation. How do you ever prepare for that?" A childhood attendee of Hill Country camps herself, the mother addressed whether she would ever send her sons to camp again. "I need to think it through, but I can tell you that Brayden, my older one, with two summers of camp under his belt, says in a heartbeat he would go back," Rabon admitted. Her sons said they are comfortable with her discussing such a distressing situation because they want to "represent the pride" they have in Camp La Junta, Rabon added. In Kerr County, the Guadalupe River rose more than 25 feet within an hour, state officials report. President Donald Trump has declared the region's flash flooding a "100-year catastrophe" and plans to visit Hill Country on Friday.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Camp Counselors Say They Wrote Girls' Names on Their Bodies in Case They Were Swept Away by Texas Floodwaters
Two camp counselors recall writing names on the bodies of campers in case they were swept away by floodwaters during the Texas flood disaster on July 4 Silvana Garza and Maria Paula said that they "put on a happy face" for the campers, who began to panic after realizing the tragedy that was unfolding Camp Mystic confirmed on July 7 that 27 campers and counselors died due to the 'catastrophic flooding"Two camp counselors say they wrote girls' names on their bodies in case they were swept away by floodwaters during the Texas flood disaster. Silvana Garza and Maria Paula told Mexican news outlet NMas on Sunday, July 6, that they began to 'write our names on our skin, anywhere that was visible' as floodwaters began to rise near Camp Mystic on Friday, July 4, according to The New York Post. In the Spanish-language interview, the teenagers said they were working at a nearby branch when survivors who were evacuated from Camp Mystic arrived at their site. After writing their own names on themselves, Silvana and Maria said they 'did the same for girls' attending the camp, ensuring they were written 'anywhere that was easy to see.' 'At the time, we started to prepare our girls because we thought we were also going to be evacuated,' Maria said, according to the Post. 'We told them to pack a bag, to pack their favorite stuffed animal. We didn't know if we were going to be evacuated or not. We were just waiting.' The counselors were instructed to 'put on a happy face' in order to not frighten the campers. But the campers eventually caught on to the tragedy, and some began to panic. 'All of the girls started to go crazy, some were crying because they didn't want to leave," Silvana recalled. 'Others wanted their parents. I really don't know how to explain it. It was something awful.' The campers and counselors were eventually evacuated from their spot, after which they learned about the extent of the tragedy. Authorities in Texas have said more than 80 people died from the flash flooding, according to the Associated Press. Camp Mystic confirmed on Monday, July 7, that 27 campers and counselors died due to the 'catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River.' 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,' the camp said in a statement. 'We are praying for them constantly.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. They added, "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls." Camp Mystic said they "are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level." "We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected," they added. "May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us." To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods, click here. Read the original article on People
Fox News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Republican congressman reunites with daughters after Texas camp flooding, thanks ‘countless heroes'
A Republican lawmaker said he was reunited with his two daughters who were attending a Christian summer camp that was destroyed when deadly flooding swept through Central Texas over the weekend. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said his two daughters were evacuated from Camp Mystic, a camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas. "Camille, Vivian and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana who were evacuated from Camp Mystic," Pfluger said of his family. "The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors." As of Sunday morning, five young girls who were staying at Camp Mystic have been confirmed dead. Kerr County officials confirmed 27 campers were still missing about 36 hours after the flood. There were 750 attendees when the wall of water slammed into the camp. "The camp was completely destroyed," 13-year-old Elinor Lester, one of hundreds of campers, told the Associated Press. "A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed that rescuers "won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins" at Camp Mystic. In a separate post, Pfluger praised the heroism of camp counselors and others who acted to save lives during the height of the flooding. "There are countless heroes who acted so bravely during this tragic situation – who sacrificed for others – thank you… and for most of you we will never even know the stories or understand what you did! But, THANK YOU!" the congressman wrote. Pfluger said Camp Mystic's co-owner, Dick Eastland, sacrificed his life to save the girls attending the camp. "Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers," Pfluger wrote in a third post.. "For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you." The flooding in Kerr County killed at least 59 people, including 21 children. Officials confirmed at least another eight people died in nearby counties. Other stories of heroism have begun to surface as the floodwaters recede in Texas. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry praised Emma Foltz, a resident of Alexandria, Louisiana, and a senior at Louisiana Tech University, who has worked as a camp counselor at Camp Mystic in Texas for three years. "She played an instrumental role in helping evacuate 14 of her campers to safety," Landry wrote in a Facebook post. "Please join me in thanking Emma for all her hard work and bravery under immense pressure." Elsewhere in Kerr County, a family helped save a woman's life after she was swept 20 miles downriver and clung to a tree for hours in the deadly flash flooding. Pfluger asked the public to "pray for miracles" as crews continue searching for survivors of the floods, including 11 young girls and one counselor missing from Camp Mystic.
