Texas Father Swept Away While Holding His Children During Catastrophic Flood, Witness Recalls

 

As Texas continues to reel from the deadly flash floods that have taken more than 100 lives, heartbreaking stories of courage and loss are emerging — none more devastating than that of a father who was swept away while refusing to let go of his children.

John Burges, a resident of Liberty, Texas, had brought his family to the Blue Oak RV Park in Kerr County for what was meant to be a joyful Fourth of July weekend. Instead, they found themselves caught in one of the worst natural disasters the state has seen in decades.

A Father’s Final Act of Love

According to eyewitness Lorena Guillen, owner of the RV park, Burges was seen clutching his children and holding onto a tree as raging waters surged around him. Residents nearby shouted for him to pass his kids to safety.

“My husband was in the water yelling, ‘Please throw me your baby!’” Guillen told the New York Post. “But the man wouldn’t let go. He held on tight to his babies — and then they were all gone.”

Burges has been confirmed deceased. His wife Julia and their two young sons are still missing. Their daughter, who had been staying at a nearby summer camp, survived.

Camp Mystic Devastated by Loss

The deadly flooding also devastated Camp Mystic, a Christian summer retreat for girls located along the banks of the Guadalupe River. The camp has reported at least 27 fatalities among children and staff, with 11 more still missing as of this writing.

“Our hearts are shattered,” read a statement on the camp’s website. “We continue to pray and work closely with rescue teams to locate the missing. Please respect the privacy of our grieving families.”

One of those lost was Dick Eastland, the camp’s longtime director. His grandson, George Eastland, paid tribute to him online, writing, “If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way — saving the girls he loved so deeply.”

A Night of Terror

Guillen described the night of the flood as one filled with unimaginable fear and helplessness. “We heard screams all through the night,” she recalled. “People were yelling for help, their cabins crashing into trees as the water rose.”

The floodwaters came quickly. Guillen said the river surged by 10 feet in the dark, leaving RVs floating downstream and families with no time to escape.

“It was pitch black. Everything happened so fast. One family of five was right on the edge of the river — they didn’t stand a chance,” she said.

An Ongoing Search, A Community in Mourning

Rescue teams are still working around the clock across Kerr County and surrounding areas. Many of the hardest-hit communities remain underwater or cut off from aid.

As Texas grieves, stories like that of John Burges — a father whose final moments were spent trying to protect his children — are a painful reminder of the human toll behind the headlines.

“Our hearts are with every family touched by this disaster,” said Guillen. “We’ll never forget the cries for help that echoed through that night.”