The devastating Texas floods last week claimed over 100 lives, leaving a trail of unimaginable sorrow. Among the many tragic stories emerging, one stands out with heartbreaking clarity: a father, holding his “babies” tight, swept away by the raging waters after refusing to let go, even as desperate bystanders begged him to release his children to safety. This is the harrowing account from a witness who watched helplessly as a family was lost to the unprecedented deluge.
The Unfolding Tragedy at Blue Oak RV Park
In the early hours of Friday morning, July 4, what began as heavy rain quickly escalated into a catastrophic nightmare at the Blue Oak RV Park in Kerr County, one of the areas hardest hit by the Texas floods. Lorena Guillen, the park owner, recounted the terrifying events that unfolded, forever etched in her memory.
John Burgess, from Liberty, Texas, was enjoying the July 4th holiday with his family at the RV park. As the floodwaters rapidly rose, engulfing everything in their path, Burgess was seen clinging to a tree, desperately holding onto his young children. Guillen’s husband, among other residents, bravely entered the treacherous water, pleading with Burgess to throw his babies to them, hoping to save the innocent lives. But in a moment of unimaginable terror and perhaps a desperate instinct to protect, Burgess held on, and tragically, he and his children were swept away by the powerful currents. John Burgess has been confirmed among the deceased, while his wife, Julia, and their two young sons remain missing. Their daughter, who was at a nearby summer camp, is safe.
“Help Me!”: Screams in the Dark
The horror of that night is difficult to comprehend. All 28 RVs at the packed park were destroyed, and the air was filled with screams of terror as cabins from a neighboring park floated by, smashing into trees. “We heard people screaming throughout the night,” Guillen recounted, her voice still haunted by the memory. “‘Help me! Help me!’ — that was the main thing. You heard a lot of screaming, it was just too much.”
Guillen described receiving a flash flood warning around 12:45 AM after closing her local business, Howdy’s Bar. Despite checking the river levels and calling the sheriff’s department for information, she was told there was no immediate data on river conditions or evacuation orders. Just an hour later, she and her husband were jolted awake by rescue lights, witnessing the first level of RVs being washed away as the river surged an astonishing 10 feet in a short time. They frantically banged on RV doors, waking occupants and guiding them to safety, but for many, it was too late.
A Call for Better Warnings Amidst Unprecedented Devastation
The aftermath at Blue Oak RV Park paints a grim picture: exposed wires, mangled vegetation, and smashed vehicles line the riverbanks where RVs once stood. The Guadalupe River, usually a serene backdrop, rose an astonishing 27 feet in just 45 minutes, a testament to the speed and ferocity of the flood. Eight bodies have been recovered from Guillen’s property, with two girls found trapped under rubble. The RV park next door reported 40 missing people.
Lorena Guillen, while not blaming authorities for the “once-in-a-lifetime event,” passionately advocated for a better warning system. “I don’t understand why we don’t have alarms blaring in every single property or every mile down the road,” she urged. “Something needs to change.” Despite the immense loss, she acknowledged that authorities “did the best they could with what they had,” pointing to a lack of budget and resources for essential sensors and alarms as a critical flaw. Even the oldest residents, some over 90, do not recall a flood of such devastating magnitude.
The Texas floods serve as a stark and heartbreaking reminder of nature’s unpredictable power and the desperate choices individuals are forced to make in its wake. The story of John Burgess, clinging to his children until the very end, embodies the profound love and tragic loss that so many families experienced during this catastrophic event.
Share this story to honor the lives lost and to advocate for stronger flood warning systems in our communities.
