Texas Camp Mystic families hold out hope for 5 missing girls, counselor after 27 swept away by flooding
Across the country, as summer camps are normally bustling with songs, bug spray and activities, the flooding tragedy along the Guadalupe River in Texas weighs heavy.
Texas flooding swept away 27 at Camp Mystic as search continues for more
Ten Camp Mystic campers and one counselor remain missing five days after flooding from the Guadalupe River pulled girls from their cabins. The all-girls camps said 27 girls and counselors are among the 84 dead in Kerr County. FOX News National Correspondent Brooke Taylor reports from Kerrville where the search continues.
KERRVILLE, Texas – As the search for five missing Camp Mystic campers and one counselor continues, the summer camp community in Texas and across the country is offering support for a place that has become special to thousands of girls over the years.
Beginning on July 4, more than 20 inches of rain created a wall of water when the Guadalupe River surged by 20 feet in some areas. Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp located along the river in the Kerr County town of Hunt, was in the direct path of the historic flooding. Girls were swept from their cabins. Some were rescued down the river. Others walked hand-in-hand, led by counselors to be evacuated by first responders.
CAMP COUNSELORS, NEIGHBORS DISPLAY 'SELFLESS COURAGE' DURING DEADLY TEXAS FLOODING
Camp Mystic officials said 27 girls and counselors were killed in the flooding. Some of the victims were as young as 8 years old. At least 30 of the 87 dead across Kerr County are children, according to officials.
Beds, furniture, and personal belongings were seen scattered outside flooded cabins at Camp Mystic on Monday, July 7, 2025, following the devastating flash floods that hit Central Texas, United States. The historic Christian girls' summer camp confirmed on Monday that 27 campers and counselors died after the Guadalupe River overflowed, inundating the camp and surrounding areas. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
However, five days after the flooding, the families and friends of the five remaining missing girls and one counselor are holding onto hope that they can be reunited again.
The family of 19-year-old Katherine Ferruzzo released a statement identifying her as among the missing.
On Tuesday, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said the Texas Hill Country has been overwhelmed with donations and volunteers. As the search continues, he asked for help in another way.
"Please pray for those who mourn, for those who wait, and for those who help," Herring said.
Tragedy felt not just in Texas
The impact of this tragedy is widespread. Across Central Texas, nearly everyone has attended, or knows someone who attended Camp Mystic over its more than 100 years of operations. Girls also travel from other Gulf states to attend the camp.
WATCH: CAMP MYSTIC FLOODING SURVIVORS SING AS THEY EVACUATE DISASTER ZONE
On social media, green ribbons and a verse from John 1:5 – "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it" – are everywhere. Parents are sharing stories of their experience bringing their girls to camp, and young women are expressing disbelief that the camp they attended as a child is now the scene of such devastation.
The area in west-central Texas along the river is home to several other summer camps, including Camp Stewart, which was between sessions when the flooding happened. Tragically, the camp's long-time director and co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, lost her life during the flooding, according to a statement from Heart O' the Hills.
Camp Mystic Director Richard "Dick" Eastland is among those who did not survive the flooding. He and his wife, Leslie "Tweety" Eastland, have owned the camp since 1974, according to the Camp Mystic website.
A memorial for Greta Toranzo, one of the girls missing from Camp Mystic, sits in front of Sinclair Elementary School in Houston, Monday, July 7, 2025. (Ashleigh Lucas/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
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Across the country, as summer camps are normally bustling with songs, bug spray and activities, the tragedy weighs heavy.
"Under the same summer stars, we stand with you — honoring all that Mystic means and the lives forever woven into your campfire circle. May the songs, the stillness, and the light that lingers long after lights-out offer comfort in the days ahead," Armada PAL Camp in Michigan wrote on Facebook.
Camp Cedars in Nebraska shared its own message of support.
"Camp is more than a place — it’s a lifelong connection. In moments like this, we lean on the spirit of community that binds us all," the post read.