As search and rescue efforts persist in Central Texas following last weekend's catastrophic floods, survivors are sharing poignant stories to honor the lives tragically lost in the deluge. State officials say at least 100 people are dead — including over two dozen children.
Remembering Lives Lost
The floodwaters claimed victims of all ages — young and old — on vacation, at camp, at work, and at home.
Eight-year-old Linnie Anne McCown from Austin was swept away while attending Camp Mystic as the Guadalupe River overflowed its banks.
Chloe Childress, a counselor at Camp Mystic, is remembered by her high school principal as "wise beyond her years" and filled with compassion.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING | Camp Mystic confirms 27 campers and counselors were lost in devastating Texas floods
Twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, also just eight years old, were at Camp Mystic when the flood struck. Their parents describe the twins as sources of immense joy, now frozen in time.
Reece and Paula Zunker were a beloved couple in Kerrville. He was a high school soccer coach, admired as a role model for local kids, and she was a former teacher. They had just celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary, and tragically, their two children are now missing.
Dr. Kathryn Eads, 52, a psychology lecturer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is remembered as an incredible wife, daughter, mother, and grandmother. While vacationing at a riverside RV park, her husband lost sight of her after she was struck by debris.
Dick Eastland, 74, who spent decades running Camp Mystic with his wife, reportedly died while trying to save the young girls in his care. A friend described him as a grandfather figure to the campers, noting that his last act was one of kindness and sacrifice.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Texas Flood Tragedy: A Scripps News special report on the Guadalupe River floods
A once-in-a-century storm struck with indiscriminate force, leaving a community in mourning and initiating an ongoing search for closure.
The devastating floods in central Texas have left families and communities in urgent need of support. Scripps News and the Scripps Howard Fund are partnering to provide critical relief to those impacted. Every dollar donated here will go directly to helping victims recover.
