© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The deadly flash floods claimed the lives of at least 43 people, including 15 children, in central Texas. According to authorities, several people were asleep when the Guadalupe River surged over 26 feet in the early hours of Friday.
As authorities continue the rescue operations, survivors are now sharing emotional accounts of sacrifice and loss. One such story that is grabbing attention is that of Julian Ryan, 27, who sacrificed his life while saving his family. Ryan and his fiancée, Christina Wilson, were at home in Ingram when floodwaters began rushing through their house. As the water rose rapidly, Ryan broke a window to help Wilson, their children, and his mother escape.
According to KHOU-11, the broken glass severed an artery in Ryan’s arm, leaving him severely injured. Despite their efforts to call for help, 911 calls reportedly went unanswered.
“By 6.00 am, he looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love you all,’” Wilson told KHOU-11. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his grieving family.
In another incident, Erin Burgess shared that she owes her life to her teenage son. As floodwaters rapidly inundated their home, the family fled outside and clung to a tree for an hour before it was safe enough for Burgess to hike to a neighbour’s house for help, FOX 29 San Antonio reported.
Greta Toranzo, a camper at Camp Mystic, is missing. Her mother, Ellen Toranzo, told Fox News she has received no updates about her daughter’s whereabouts. A photo Ellen shared shows Greta just days before the flood at the camp.
Carrie Hanna is also searching for her daughter, Hadley, who disappeared during the same incident at Camp Mystic.
The flooding also claimed the lives of two young girls — Brooke and Blaire Harber, who were visiting their grandparents, Mike Harber, 76, and Charlene Harber, 74. The grandparents remain missing, according to FOX 4 Dallas.
According to reports, about 850 people have been rescued from the floods, some of whom were found clinging to trees near the Guadalupe River. The weather forecast suggested that there could be more rain and floods in the area.
