Texas Father Swept Away While Clinging to His Children, Witness Recalls
The heartbreaking images coming out of Texas in the aftermath of devastating flash floods have left the entire nation in mourning. As rescue crews continue their search efforts, stories of courage, desperation, and unimaginable loss are emerging—each one more harrowing than the last.
One such story involves a father who refused to let go of his children during the deadly surge—and was ultimately swept away with them.
Speaking with the New York Post, a Texas resident described the terrifying moment she witnessed a man gripping his children while clinging to a tree, unwilling to let them go despite pleas from rescuers. Moments later, they vanished into the raging waters.
The floods, which have already claimed more than 100 lives across the state, have left a path of destruction in their wake. Many remain unaccounted for, and the scope of the disaster continues to grow by the hour.
Among the lives lost were at least 27 children and staff members from Camp Mystic, a popular girls’ summer camp. Eleven others from the camp are still missing at the time of this writing.
“Our hearts break alongside the families enduring this unspeakable tragedy,” the camp wrote in a statement. “We remain in contact with authorities as we continue searching for our missing girls. Please continue to offer your prayers, and respect the privacy of those impacted.”
A Story of Heartbreaking Heroism Emerges from the Flood
Amid the chaos, many risked—and lost—their lives trying to protect others. Camp Mystic’s director, Dick Eastland, was one such hero. He died while attempting to guide children to safety.
“If he wasn’t going to pass from natural causes, this would have been the only way he’d go—saving the girls he loved so much,” said his grandson George Eastland in a tribute shared on Instagram. “A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, he mentored thousands of young women. Though he’s gone, his legacy remains in every life he touched.”
As the community grieves, more firsthand accounts of the disaster are surfacing. Lorena Guillen, owner of the Blue Oak RV Park in Kerr County—the area hit hardest—shared a haunting moment from that night.
She described how a man, identified as John Burges from Liberty, Texas, clung desperately to a tree while holding onto his children. Nearby residents begged him to hand them the children to save them, but he refused to let them go.
“My husband was in the water, pleading, ‘Please throw me your baby!’” Guillen told the New York Post. “But the father was holding them tight… and then they were just gone.”
Burges’ wife, Julia, and their two sons remain missing. Their daughter, who had been staying at a nearby summer camp, was found safe. The family had been staying at the RV park for the July 4th weekend.
“The kids were so excited to be here,” Guillen recalled. She described the destruction as total, with the park reduced to debris. But it’s the haunting cries for help that she says she’ll never forget.
“You could hear screams all through the night. Cabins from the neighboring park floated by and slammed into trees. People were yelling, ‘Help me! Help me!’ It was overwhelming. The sound—it was just too much.”
Guillen said she was unable to sleep that night. As the flooding intensified, she and her husband rushed to the edge of the water to help in any way they could.
“We ran down, and by then, the lower RVs had already started washing away. The river had risen about ten feet. One family, closest to the water, had no chance—their RV was already floating. It was pitch black. You couldn’t see anything.”
We mourn the lives lost in this unspeakable tragedy and extend our deepest sympathies to all the families affected. May those still missing find their way home, and may those lost be remembered always.