Christian Girls Summer Camp Devastated By Floods Holds Decades-long History With Presidents, Texas Politicos

More than 2 twelve children person died from nan devastating flash floods gripping Texas' Hill Country, which is location to celebrated younker summertime camps, including Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summertime programme that holds heavy roots pinch Texas politicians and statesmanlike families stretching backmost decades. 

Flash floods inundated Kerr County, Texas, and nan surrounding area successful cardinal Texas' Hill Country early connected nan Fourth of July holiday. Warnings complete nan flooding were issued Thursday, but nan devastation deed nan area successful nan early greeting hours of Friday, taking residents by surprise. 

Kerr County, Texas, is location to a fistful of younker summertime camps, including Camp Mystic, a Christian girls summertime campy established successful 1926 by University of Texas shot and hoops coach "Doc" Stewart. 

At slightest 27 campers and counselors were confirmed dead, and nan campy was devastated by nan waters that flooded nan Guadalupe River and tore done nan surrounding communities, according to Camp Mystic's website.

TEXAS FLOODING KILLS MORE THAN 80 AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR DOZENS OF PEOPLE

Heavy rainfall caused flooding on nan Guadalupe River successful cardinal Texas pinch aggregate fatalities reported.  (Eric Vryn/Getty Images)

"Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and nan stream moving beside it, were horrendously ravaged successful ways dissimilar I’ve seen successful immoderate earthy disaster," Abbott posted to X Saturday. "The tallness nan rushing h2o reached to nan apical of cabins was shocking. We won’t extremity until we find each woman who was successful those cabins." 

The campy describes itself arsenic 1 that focuses connected promoting belief maturation and bringing retired nan champion successful campers during their stays, according to its website. 

"Camp Mystic is simply a backstage Christian summertime camp for girls," nan campy says connected its website. "Established successful 1926, Mystic is nestled among cypress, unrecorded oak, and pecan trees successful nan elevation state of west-central Texas connected nan banks of nan beautiful Guadalupe River. Mystic is located adjacent nan geographical halfway of Texas, 18 miles northwest of Kerrville. The unit astatine Mystic strives to supply young girls pinch a wholesome Christian ambiance successful which they tin create outstanding individual qualities and self-esteem." 

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Camp Mystic has agelong and heavy roots pinch Texas politicians and their families, including erstwhile first woman Laura Bush, who worked arsenic a counsellor location while attending Southern Methodist University successful her youth, and erstwhile President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent his daughters to nan camp. 

Former U.S. President George W. Bush and erstwhile first woman Laura Bush published a connection connected nan devastation successful Texas pursuing flash floods that person claimed dozens of lives. 

Jenna Bush Hager, girl of erstwhile President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, said successful a media quality connected Monday that her mother worked arsenic a play counsellor astatine nan campy successful her youth, while galore of her friends attended nan campy aliases sent their children to nan camp. 

"My mom was a counsellor there, but besides truthful galore of my friends were raised astatine this camp," Bush Hager said connected NBC's "Today" show Monday. "Texas camps are institutions, arsenic you conscionable heard, wherever were galore family members — generations — this campy was 100 years old, truthful grandmothers, mothers, kids person each gone there."

"The stories that I heard complete nan past mates days were beautiful and heartbreaking," she said. "Texas has a type of resilience wherever they're generous people, wherever group want to scope retired and help."

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The erstwhile first girl continued that families flock to nan Hill Country's summertime camps contempt nan basking Texas upwind because "of nan emotion that's there."

Officials inspect an area astatine Camp Mystic on nan banks of nan Guadalupe River aft a flash flood swept done nan area July 6, 2025, successful Hunt, Texas. (Julio Cortez/The Associated Press)

"Texas camps are really typical because you're reasoning astir 90-degree weather, nary aerial conditioning," she added. "My kids are astatine campy successful Texas, and my hubby said, 'Why are we sending our kids to Texas, to camp? It's hot!' And it's because of nan emotion that's there."

Former President George W. Bush released a connection connected nan devastation and decease Sunday, saying he and his woman are heartbroken by nan loss.

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"On this time of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our chap Texans who are hurting," he said connected Sunday of nan tragedy. "We are heartbroken by nan nonaccomplishment of life and nan agony truthful galore are feeling. Those who person mislaid their precious children are facing a condolences nary parents should ever know. We are grateful to nan first responders and volunteers who are moving to find nan missing and comfortableness nan grieving astatine Camp Mystic and on nan Guadalupe. We cognize our words cannot help, but we judge nan prayers of truthful galore Americans will," 

Debris astatine Camp Mystic aft deadly flooding successful Kerr County, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025. The girls' campy has agelong attracted attendance from nan families of Texas politicians.  REUTERS/Sergio Flores.  (REUTERS/Sergio Flores )

The campy besides drew aggregate generations from erstwhile President Lyndon B. Johnson's family. A integer transcript of Texas Monthly's May 1975 version outlined that Johnson's 2 "daughters were besides Mystic campers," while nan Texas Tribune reported precocious that nan 36th president's granddaughters and great-granddaughters besides attended nan camp.

YOUNG TEXAS CAMP SURVIVOR DESCRIBES HARROWING MOMENT SHE PREPARED FOR WORST DURING DEADLY FLOOD

At slightest 3 generations of erstwhile President Lyndon B. Johnson's family attended Camp Mystic crossed nan decades, according to section media.  (Getty Images)

The camp, crossed its astir 100 years successful operation, has seen aggregate Texas governmental families return part, including erstwhile Govs. Dan Moody, Price Daniel and John Connally sending their daughters to nan camp, according to Texas Monthly, while James Baker, who served arsenic main of unit to erstwhile Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, besides sent his girl and a granddaughter to Camp Mystic. 

Officials thrust a vessel arsenic they get to assistance pinch a betterment effort astatine Camp Mystic on nan Guadalupe River aft a flash flood swept done nan area, July 6, 2025, successful Hunt, Texas. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

Republican Texas Rep. August Pfluger’s daughters and Georgia Republican Rep. Buddy Carter's granddaughters were attending nan campy during nan flooding and survived nan tragedy. 

The camp's longtime head and co-owner, Dick Eastland, was among those who tragically died successful nan floods while trying to rescue nan campers. Eastland purchased nan campy successful 1974, Fox Digital antecedently reported. 

"Camp Mystic’s Dick Eastland nary uncertainty gave his life attempting to prevention his campers," Pfluger wrote connected X of nan death. "For decades he and his woman Tweety poured his life into loving and processing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We emotion you and miss you."

TEXAS SCHOOL GATHERS SUPPLIES TO HELP FLOOD-IMPACTED LOCALS AFTER SPOTLIGHT MOVES ON

President Donald Trump signed a disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, Texas, and told nan media he will apt sojourn nan area Friday. 

"These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, pinch galore lives lost, and galore still missing," Trump posted to Truth Social Sunday of nan devastation successful Texas. "The Trump Administration continues to activity intimately pinch State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was connected nan crushed yesterday pinch Governor Greg Abbott, who is moving difficult to thief nan group of his Great State. Our unthinkable U.S. Coast Guard, together pinch State First Responders, person saved much than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!"

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"We wanted to time off a small time. I would person done it today, but we’d conscionable beryllium successful their way. Probably Friday," Trump added successful remark to reporters from New Jersey connected Sunday erstwhile asked astir plans to visit. 

Fox News Digital's Stephan Sorace contributed to this report.