Who are the Texas flood victims? Heartbreaking photos of the dozens declared dead and still missing
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At least 82 people were killed and dozens are missing after devastating flash floods swept through Texas on the Fourth of July.
The death toll is expected to rise and Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that there were 41 people confirmed to be missing and ‘there could be more.’
Survivors have described the floods as a ‘pitch black wall of death’ and said they received no emergency warnings.
Officials have come under scrutiny as to why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner about the severe weather or told to evacuate.
Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp, lost 27 campers and counselors after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level.
Ten girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic as of Monday morning.
Here is what we know about all the victims who lost their lives in the flood:
Julian Ryan, 27 – Died saving his family
Julian Ryan (left) died while saving his young family from the rushing flood waters
Heroic father Julian Ryan, 27, used his final moments to save his family from the fast-moving waters.
The father-of-two selflessly punched through a window of their home in Kerrville, just off the Guadalupe River, to help his mother, his fiancée and the couple’s 6-year-old and 13-month-old children escape to the roof.
Despite the severe injury, Ryan stayed focused on getting his family out safely.
But with emergency responders unable to reach them in time, the father of two succumbed to his wounds hours later.
But, the glass tore through his arm, severing an artery and nearly detaching the limb.
His final words were, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all.’
Reece and Paula Zunker
Reece (top right) and Paula Zunker (top left) were killed in the flood. Their young children, Lyle (left) and Holland (right), were both still missing as of Sunday
High school soccer coach, Reece Zunker, and his wife, Paula were among those who died in the devastating floods that swept through Texas on Friday.
Reece was teacher and soccer coach at Tivy High School in Kerrville, and Paula was formerly a teacher at the school.
The couple’s two young children, Lyle and Holland, were both still missing as of Sunday afternoon.
‘It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of one of our beloved teachers, Reece Zunker, and his wife, Paula, who tragically lost their lives in the flash flood on July 4th,’ the Kerrville Independent School District said in a statement.
‘Reece was a passionate educator and a beloved soccer coach. His unwavering dedication to our students, athletes, and the Tivy community touched countless lives and will never be forgotten.
‘Paula, a former Tivy teacher, also left a lasting mark on our community. The care and impact she shared with her students continue to be felt, even years later.’
Jeff Wilson, 55 – Beloved teacher
High school teacher Jeff Wilson (right), 55, was camping when the river flooded. His wife, Amber (center), and their 12-year-old son Shiloh (left) are still missing
Longtime high school teacher Jeff Wilson, 55, died while camping near the river with his wife and son.
‘Jeff worked in #HumbleISD for 30 years at both Humble High School and Kingwood Park High School. He was a beloved teacher and co-worker to many and will be deeply missed,’ the school district said.
His wife, Amber Wilson, and their 12-year-old son, Shiloh, are still considered missing.
According to their relatives, the family was camping in the area to attend a youth rodeo.
Renee Smajstrla, 8
Camp Mystic attendee eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla (pictured) died in the flood
The family of eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla has confirmed that she was among those who lost her life during the tragic floods.
Her uncle, Shawn Salta, shared on Facebook: ‘We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday.
‘She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic.’
Janie Hunt, 9 – Cousin of the Kansas City Chiefs owner
Janie Hunt (pictured), 9, who is a young relative of the owners of the Kansas City Chiefs, died while at Camp Mystic
The mother of Dallas girl Janie Hunt confirmed to local media her daughter was one of the campers killed in the flood.
‘We are just devastated,’ she told NBC 5 .
The wife of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, Tavia, revealed that Janie is a young relative of their family.
Sarah Marsh, 8
Sarah Marsh, 8, was attending Camp Mystic from Alabama when the flood swept her away
Alabama native Sarah Marsh died after the waters swept through Camp Mystic, according to her family.
‘Thank you for the outpouring of love and sympathy! We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever! We love you so much sweet Sarah,’ her grandmother said, according to The Kerrville Daily Times.
Lila Bonner, 9 – Attending camp with her best friend
Lila Bonner (right), 9, was at camp with her best friend Eloise Peck (left), when they died
The family of Lila Bonner, who was sharing a cabin at the camp with her best friend Eloise Peck, confirmed her passing to NBC News.
‘In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time,’ the family said.
‘We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss.’
Eloise Peck, 8
Eloise Peck (right), 8, was sharing a cabin with her best friend and classmate Lilia (left)
Dallas girl Eloise Peck, who recently finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary with her best friend Lilia, also died in the flood.
‘Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals,’ her mother, Missy Peck, told FOX 4.
‘She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.’
Anna Margaret Bellows, 8
Camp Mystic camper Anna Margaret Bellows (pictured), 8, died in the flood
The mother of the eight-year-old girl from Houston confirmed to NBC 5 that her daughter was among the girls from Camp Mystic who passed away in the flood.
Mary Kathryn Jacobe, 8
Young girl from Houston, Mary Kathryn Jacobe (right), was among those from Camp Mystic who died in the flood
A family member of the eight-year-old from Houston attending Camp Mystic confirmed she was found deceased on Sunday, according to Fox 26.
‘God called Home our angel cousin, Mary Kate. Our hearts are shattered and our words fail us. I pray for this sweet family, and all of those affected by this tragedy,’ her cousin said on social media.
Linnie McCown, 8
Camp Mystic camper Linnie McCown (pictured), 8, was an elementary school student from Austin
Linnie McCown, a student at Casis Elementary in West Austin, is among the Camp Mystic victims, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
‘She filled our hearts with so much joy we cannot begin to explain. We are going to miss her so very much but know she’s up there shining bright,’ her father, Michael, said on social media.
Mary Stevens, 8
Mary Stevens (pictured), attended Highland Park Elementary School and was at Camp Mystic
Eight-year-old Mary Stevens, who Highland Park Elementary School in north-central Austin, was also one of the Camp Mystic victims.
‘You have left the most positive impact on everyone who knew you. I’m the luckiest that I got to be your mom and I will never stop loving you and trying to live life as you did. Fearless. Enthusiastic. Compassionate. And full of joy,’ her mother said in a statement shared by the family spokesman.
‘Our world is shattered but I have peace getting your letters and knowing you were having the time of your life at camp and had a dance party with all of your friends before the Lord decided to take you from us. He has bigger plans for you.’
Blair Harber, 13 – Died holding on to younger sister
Blair Harber (left), 13, was staying at a cabin with her younger sister Brooke (right) and their grandparents
Two sisters, Blair and Brooke Harber, were among those who were killed in the deadly Texas floods.
They were not attending Camp Mystic when the natural disaster struck.
The sisters were with their grandparents at a cabin along the Guadalupe River when they were swept away, reported FOX 4.
The girls’ parents were staying at another cabin and are safe. Their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are missing.
As the parents were desperately searching for the girls, they checked their phones and saw they each received a text from their daughters that read ‘I love you’, timestamped at 3.30am. The girls also sent a similar message to their grandfather in Michigan.
Brooke Harber, 11
Brooke Harber (center), 11, and her older sister Blair (left of center) sent heartbreaking texts to loved ones as they drowned in flood
Brooke Harber, Blair’s younger sister, was confirmed dead over the holiday weekend. The sisters were found holding hands.
Blair and Brooker were eighth grade and sixth grade students respectively at St. Rita Catholic School, according to their priest, Father Joshua J. Whitfield.
‘Even if we may never fully understand why such tragedies happen, we are called to respond with love, compassion, and prayer,’ Whitfield said.
‘We will honor Blair and Brooke’s lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.’
Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland, 70 – Hero camp director
Camp Mystic Director and Co-owner Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland (pictured), 70, died while trying to save his campers
Beloved Camp Mystic Director Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland, 70, died while trying to rescue campers from the biblical rushing waters.
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.
Chloe Childress, 18
Camp Mystic counselor Chloe Childress (pictured), 18, had plans to attend college in the fall
Camp Mystic counselor Chloe Childress also lost her life in the disaster.
The Kinkaid School graduate was about to start studying at the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.
‘Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone’s burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave,’ Jonathan Eades, the head of The Kinkaid School, wrote in a letter to the school community.
‘She understood what it meant to be part of a community, and more than that, she helped build one.’
John Burgess, 39
John Burgess (top left), 39, died while camping with his family. His wife, Julia (top right), and their two sons are still missing. Daughter Jenna (bottom right) was at a camp nearby
Father-of-three John Burgess, 39, was killed while the camping with his family at the HTR TX Hill Country Campground in Ingram for the Fourth of July.
His wife, Julia Anderson Burgess, 38, and two of their sons, five-year-old Jack and one-year-old James, are still missing, according to their family.
Their daughter, Jenna, was attending a nearby camp and returned home safely.
Jane Ragsdale, 68
Devoted Heart O’the Hills Camp Director Jane Ragsdale (pictured), 68, died in the flood. No children were at the came when the water came rushing in
Director of Heart O’the Hills Camp, a summer camp for girls in Texas Hill Country, Jane Ragsdale, died in the flood.
She was a camper and counselor there herself in the 1970s before becoming a co-owner. By the 1980s, she was director of the camp in Hunt.
‘She was the heart of The Heart,’ the camp said in a statement. ‘She was our guiding light, our example, and our safe place. She had the rare gift of making every person feel seen, loved, and important.’
Since the camp was between sessions, no children were staying there when the floodwaters rose.
Tanya Burwick, 62 – Grandmother heading to work
Grandmother Tanya Burwick (pictured), 62, was killed while on her way to work at Walmart
The last time Tanya Burwick’s family heard from her was a frantic phone call about the floodwaters as she headed to work at a Walmart early Friday in the San Angelo area.
When Burwick didn’t show up for work, her employer filed a missing persons report and sent a colleague to look for her.
Police investigating the 62-year-old’s disappearance found Burwick’s unoccupied SUV fully submerged later that day. Her body was found the next morning blocks from the vehicle.
‘She lit up the room and had a laugh that made other people laugh,’ said Lindsey Burwick, who added that her mom was a beloved parent, grandparent and colleague to many.
Katheryn Eads, 52
Katheryn Eads, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was camping with her husband when the flood swept her away
Beloved matriarch Katheryn Eads was camping with her husband Brian in Hill Country, Texas, when the waters came rushing in.
Brian told the New York Times, him and his wife were swept out of a truck by the water when he was hit in the head by the debris and lost track of her.
Eads was a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a proud mother of three daughters and four grandchildren.
Bobby and Amanda Martin – Family camping trip
Husband and wife Bobby and Amanda Martin (pictured) were camping with their family for the weekend
Bobby Martin, 46, and his wife Amanda Martin, 44, were camping with a group of six people at HTR TX Hill Country Campground in Kerrville over the holiday weekend.
Bobby’s son Bailey, an Odessa police officer, and his girlfriend were with the group and are still missing, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The couple’s two teenage children had been rescued after they took refuge in a tree.
