Texas Hill Country Flood: A Community’s Heartbreak and Resilience

A Night of Tragedy at Blue Oak RV Park

It was a serene night at Blue Oak RV Park in Kerrville, Texas, where campers nestled along the banks of the Guadalupe River were lulled to sleep by the gentle sounds of flowing water. Despite the steady rain that fell throughout the night, many were excited to kick off the Fourth of July weekend in the picturesque Texas Hill Country. Bob Canales and his wife, Lorena Guillen, who own the campground and the nearby Howdy’s Bar and Chill, believed the rain would merely be a fleeting inconvenience.

However, within a mere 45 minutes, their hopes were shattered. At 4 a.m., emergency responders arrived with urgent warnings: a wall of water was racing down the Guadalupe, and everyone needed to evacuate immediately. Canales and Guillen sprang into action, running through the rising waters, pounding on RV doors, and shouting to wake fellow campers before the raging river engulfed the area.

Desperate Attempts to Save Lives

As campers scrambled to higher ground, Canales waded through the rising waters toward a small island in the river where the Burgess family was trapped. John Burgess, the younger brother of Fort Worth country singer Pat Green, had come to Kerrville with his wife, Julia, to pick up their daughter from a nearby camp. Just hours earlier, they had checked in with their two young boys and their family dog.

Tragically, Canales watched helplessly as the family remained stranded near a steep drop-off separating the island from the mainland. "It was dark, and I was already knee-deep in water," Canales recalled. "John was clinging to his boys as the river raged around them." In a moment of desperation, Canales shouted, "Throw me the baby!" but understood the hesitation. The fear of what could happen if he missed the catch was palpable.

Pushing forward, Canales was caught by the current and swept nearly 100 feet downstream before managing to grab hold of a retaining wall. When he staggered back through the dark floodwaters, the Burgess family was gone. "I remember seeing them standing by that tree," he said, pointing to a large cypress in the river. "That was the last time I saw that fine young man with his family."

The Aftermath: A Community in Mourning

John and Julia Burgess were later found dead, while their two boys remain missing. Their daughter was the sole survivor, along with their dog. As dawn broke, the floodwaters had risen from the RV park to Howdy’s deck, leaving behind a scene of devastation: splintered wood, scattered belongings, and overwhelming heartbreak. By Friday morning, the death toll had reached at least 120, with many more still unaccounted for across the Texas Hill Country.

A Community’s Resilience and Recovery Efforts

As the waters receded, the arduous work of recovery began. First responders combed through debris along the Guadalupe, slowly recovering the deceased. Canales joined the search efforts, determined to help in any way he could. He and his wife opened Howdy’s to feed and shelter search crews, aiming to reopen to the public as soon as possible. However, they soon learned of another tragic loss: one of their employees, 27-year-old Julian Ryan, died while trying to save his family from the flood.

Ryan had punched out a window to help his mother, fiancée, and children escape, but the shattered glass severed an artery in his arm. His family ultimately survived, but the community mourned the loss of a "great guy" and talented singer, as Canales described him.

Finding Normalcy Amidst the Chaos

In the days following the flood, Canales worked tirelessly to restore Howdy’s. A local company donated propane, and with the help of an electrician, they managed to restore power. By Tuesday, the open sign was glowing once more. That night, they hosted a karaoke event as a quasi-memorial for Ryan, emphasizing the importance of returning to a sense of normalcy.

"It’s been crucial for people to find a way back to normal," Canales said. "I think they see that we’re going to survive this." By Thursday night, Howdy’s was bustling with laughter and camaraderie, a testament to the community’s resilience. Donations piled up along one wall, including a shirt that read "Kerrville Strong," as journalists from across the nation descended on the area to cover the aftermath.

As Canales sat on the patio overlooking what was once the RV park, he reflected on the whirlwind of emotions. "To be honest, I haven’t had time to slow down and really feel a whole lot," he admitted. "I’m grateful to be alive, and I’m thankful my wife is safe, but I feel immense sorrow for those we couldn’t save. But we’ll deal with that."

"We’re going to bounce back," Canales declared with determination. "As Texans, we come back stronger than ever, and we owe that to the memory of those we lost."