Thirteen-year-old Stella Thompson packed her bags for Camp Mystic, expecting a summer filled with laughter, late-night stories, and river swims. Nestled in Texas Hill Country, the all-girls camp draws hundreds of families each year. Parents send their daughters to build friendships, boost confidence, and create lifelong memories. This summer, however, a devastating Central Texas storm turned tradition into tragedy.
What started as a joyful July 4 weekend quickly spiraled into disaster. Torrential rains triggered deadly Texas floods that swept across the region. Entire communities were caught off guard. Camp Mystic became one of the hardest-hit locations as young campers and counselors scrambled to escape the rising water.
A Morning of Shock and Confusion
Stella woke early to darkness and heavy rain pounding her cabin’s roof. Helicopters hovered overhead. Although her cabin sat on slightly higher ground near Cypress Lake, she couldn’t ignore the tension in the air. When she stepped outside, she barely recognized the camp. Uprooted trees littered the walkways. Kayaks clung to branches. Mud covered every surface. “Everything was unrecognizable,” Stella said.
Camp staff acted quickly. They told the girls to pack only essentials and stay close. Confused and frightened, Stella struggled to understand what was happening. “I didn’t know if we were safe or if we needed to run,” she recalled.
Chaos Unfolds Across Camp Mystic
While Stella’s cabin stayed dry, others weren’t as fortunate. Sixteen-year-old Callie McAlary woke to screams and water pouring into her bunk. Counselors shouted for campers to move fast. In a moment of fear, Callie grabbed a pen and wrote her name on her arm in case she didn’t survive.
All across Camp Mystic, chaos erupted. Girls clung to ropes as they crossed flooded bridges. Others cried, prayed, or sang worship songs to keep calm. Camp nurse Devon Paige captured footage of girls quietly singing inside buses, their faces pressed to the glass as they watched trees fall and cars flip in the storm. The flood transformed Camp Mystic from a peaceful retreat into a disaster zone.
Counselors Step Up and Save Lives
Despite their own fear, Camp Mystic counselors took immediate action. They guided campers to higher ground, organized evacuations, and comforted the girls. Many wrote names on the girls’ arms and legs to help identify them if separated.
Counselors formed human chains and helped the youngest girls navigate through waterlogged paths. They tied ropes across narrow bridges so campers could cross safely. When buses and military trucks arrived, counselors loaded the girls first, making sure everyone got out before boarding themselves.
Stella eventually climbed into a military truck. As she looked out the window, she saw the camp she once loved turned upside down by nature’s force.
Texas Floods Leave Camp and Community in Mourning
By July 7, officials confirmed the devastating toll of the Texas floods. Kerr County reported more than 80 deaths. Twenty-seven of them were campers and counselors from Camp Mystic.
Families soon received heartbreaking news. Eight-year-old Lila Bonner and nine-year-old Janie Hunt, granddaughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, were confirmed dead. Others, Hadley Hanna, Eloise Peck, Greta Toranzo, Virginia Hollis, Molly DeWitt, Lainey Landry, and Kellyanne Lytal, remained missing.
Search teams flooded the area. Over 1,000 volunteers arrived to help. Crews used boats, drones, and heavy equipment to search riverbanks and clear debris. Despite their efforts, many families still waited for answers.
Camp Mystic Owner Dies Saving Campers
Dick Eastland, longtime owner of Camp Mystic, died while trying to rescue young campers during the devastating Texas floods. His grandson, George Eastland, shared the news in an emotional Instagram post, calling the act a reflection of who his grandfather was.
“If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,” George wrote. “He was a husband, father, grandfather, and a mentor to thousands of young women.”
Camp employee Glenn Juenke told CNN that Eastland remained “a true hero until the very end.” He confirmed that Eastland lost his life while attempting to save several children from the floodwaters.
Eastland’s final moments underscored a lifetime of dedication to Camp Mystic and its campers. His legacy lives on in the lives he helped shape and the community he built.
Flash Flooding in Texas Came Without Warning
Flash flooding in Texas is nothing new, but this storm caught even seasoned residents off guard. Up to 12 inches of rain fell overnight. Some Camp Mystic cabins flooded within 45 minutes.
Although meteorologists issued alerts, the river rose far faster than expected. Rushing water cut off roads, collapsed bridges and disrupted communication. Emergency crews struggled to reach parts of the camp in time.
Camp Mystic staff followed emergency procedures, but the storm’s intensity overwhelmed those plans. Now, state and local officials face urgent questions about how to improve flood warnings and emergency readiness in the face of climate-driven storms.
A Community Holds Onto Hope
Stella still tries to process the trauma. “I feel numb,” she said. “We were lucky. So many others weren’t.”
Yet despite the horror, moments of courage and unity stood out. Counselors risked everything to protect their campers. Girls leaned on each other for support. Volunteers poured into the area to help however they could.
Camp Mystic may never look the same again, but its community remains strong. Grief still lingers, but so does gratitude. Survivors carry with them the memory of lost friends, and the hope that healing will come with time.
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“We came for memories,” Stella said. “We left with scars, but we also left with each other.”
