A Texas father was swept away in deadly flash floods while clutching his two sons, a witness revealed. John Burgess and his wife Julia were among the many celebrating July 4th at Blue Oak RV Park in Hill County when the Guadalupe River rose rapidly to 26 feet after a month’s worth of rain fell in just hours.
Witness Lorena Guillen, the park’s owner, said, “The man was holding tight to his babies, and he just got swept away.” Her husband tried to rescue the family, but the force of the floodwaters was overwhelming. All 28 RVs at the park were destroyed.
Rescue teams later found the bodies of John, a China Spring High School graduate, and Julia, a beloved teacher. Their two sons are still missing.
“It’s a sad, sad situation,” said neighbor Winnie Taylor. “We’ve all been praying.”
The death toll across the region has risen to at least 105, including 28 children.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help rebuild the devastated RV park and support the victims’ families.
