Texas Sisters Found Holding Hands After Devastating Flash Floods

 

A Family Trip Turned Tragic in the Heart of the Hill Country

A Texas family’s summer escape ended in unimaginable loss when two young sisters were swept away by flash floods—and later found, heartbreakingly, holding hands.

Thirteen-year-old Blair and eleven-year-old Brooke Harber had been vacationing with their family in Casa Bonita, a gated community in Hunt, Texas, when extreme rainfall struck in the early hours of Friday morning. The region, already overwhelmed by historic flooding, was pummeled by torrential downpours that quickly turned deadly.

The girls’ aunt, Jennifer Harber, shared the devastating sequence of events through a fundraising post: at around 3:30 a.m., floodwaters surged into the family’s cabin, jolting the girls’ father, RJ Harber, from sleep. The rain was so loud, Jennifer said, that it drowned out the sound of water pouring into the home until it was too late.

In what would be her final message, Brooke reportedly sent a simple but powerful text to her father and grandparents: “I love you.”

A Desperate Escape

RJ and his wife, Annie, immediately broke a window in an attempt to escape. Their daughters had been staying in a nearby cabin with their grandparents, Mike and Charlene Harber, who had opted for a larger neighboring home to accommodate the girls more comfortably.

With the flooding worsening, RJ and Annie raced through the storm to try to reach their children. They pounded on a neighbor’s door, borrowed a kayak, and attempted to paddle through the current—but the water was too strong. They and several neighbors were later rescued by emergency teams.

Twelve hours later, about 15 miles downstream, searchers discovered the bodies of Blair and Brooke. According to Jennifer, the sisters were found side by side, their hands clasped tightly together.

Their grandparents remain unaccounted for, and search crews continue to comb the area for any sign of them.

A Legacy of Love and Faith

Blair and Brooke were beloved students at St. Rita’s Catholic School in Dallas, where their mother Annie works as an instructional specialist. The girls, described by family as bright and deeply compassionate, had brought their rosary beads with them on the trip—a reflection of their strong faith.

“Blair was incredibly intelligent and kind,” said Jennifer. “She had a heart full of generosity.” RJ shared that Brooke had an infectious energy: “She could light up a room. People loved being around her.”

What was meant to be a short, peaceful family retreat has become part of one of the deadliest flooding disasters in recent Texas history. With more than 80 lives lost and dozens still missing across the state, the Harbers’ personal tragedy is part of a much larger heartbreak.

But even in loss, the family finds comfort in one unforgettable image: two sisters, inseparable in life—and united in their final moments, hand in hand.