In the early morning of July 4, floods ravaged the Texas Hill Country. In less than an hour, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet, taking and altering the lives of countless Americans with every inch it climbed.
Rescue efforts began at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Officials said that more than 1,000 state and federal personnel were on the ground, working tirelessly to locate and save those swept away by the unprecedented floods. On July 6, the death toll in central Texas had risen to 82, with dozens still missing.
Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ camp near Kerrville, Texas, was one of the areas most devastated by the floods. The camp confirmed the deaths of 27 campers and counselors, with 10 campers and one counselor still unaccounted for.
Volunteers in Texas and across the country are working hard to support those impacted. Here are some of their heroic stories.
‘He already saved so many’: The legacy of Camp Mystic’s director
Richard “Dick” Eastland, director and co-owner of Camp Mystic, died trying to save campers as the floods swept away cabins, cars and children. After purchasing the camp in 1974, Eastland and his wife Tweety devoted their lives to nurturing, protecting and loving campers from around the country.
In the Kerrville Daily Times, Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Eastland, wrote, “It doesn’t surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic.”
Eastland’s commitment to his campers will be his legacy and live on for decades.
Coast Guard rookie Scott Ruskin saved 165 lives on his first mission
Scott Ruskin, 26, saved 165 Texas flood victims on his very first rescue mission. Raised in Oxford, N.J., Scott Ruskin enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2021. After completing basic training, Ruskin went to Aviation Survival Technician school and was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Ruskin and his crew loaded into Blackhawk 60 and Coast Guard MH-65 choppers at 7 a.m. Friday and headed towards Camp Mystic. After the crews arrived, they raced against the clock to save as many flood victims as possible. With roads impassable and currents too strong for boats, air evacuation was the only option.
Due to helicopter weight limits and logistical challenges, the crew decided to leave Ruskin on the ground to triage the rescue mission. This allowed the helicopters to carry more campers and counselors to safety.
On the ground, Ruskin tended to terrified and injured campers, who were wearing pajamas and shoeless. Amidst trying to console and save campers, counselors, and parents, Ruskin directed Army Blackhawk 60s and MH-65s to save groups of survivors.
“My main job was triaging, and then my second job I kind of picked up was just trying to comfort these kids and the family members and counselors,” Ruskin told the New York Post.
Emma Foltz risked her life to save 14 campers
Emma Foltz, a rising senior at Louisiana Tech University, has been a counselor for three years at Camp Mystic. Foltz saved 14 campers as the floods ravaged cabins overnight. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted a photo of Foltz to his Facebook page, saying, “She played an instrumental role in helping evacuate 14 of her campers to safety. Please join me in thanking Emma for all her hard work and bravery under immense pressure.”
Thank-you messages fill the comments. “Even after Emma Foltz lost her mom not even a month ago, this young woman decided it was still in her heart to go be an inspiration to young campers at Camp Mystic,” one commenter wrote. “This recognition means a lot. Her and her whole family are the sweetest people you will ever meet and get to know.”
How a 9-year-old camper raised $5,000 for flood relief
Others are helping Camp Mystic from afar. Corrigan Camp, 9, returned from Camp Mystic two weeks ago. Shocked by the tragedy that took place at her camp in the past four days, Corrigan and her twin, Cannon, set up a lemonade stand in their neighborhood in Fort Worth to raise money.
With signs reading “We love Camp Mystic” in front of their stand, the twins have raised over $5,000 selling lemonades and cookies for a dollar each. All of the proceeds went directly to Camp Mystic.
How you can help the flood victims in Texas
The rescue efforts continue in Texas Hill Country as countless families pray for the safe return of their loved ones. Others grieve the loss of friends, sisters, fathers and children. To learn more about how you can help the victims, keep reading here.