The twin granddaughters of Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter are safe after surviving a devastating flash flood at a Texas summer camp that claimed the life of their cousin.
The girls were attending Camp Mystic in Kerr County when torrential rains turned the Guadalupe River into a deadly torrent late last week. The 11-year-olds managed to climb onto the roof of their cabin as waters surged beneath them. A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer helped them to safety.
But not everyone at the camp was as fortunate.
Their 9-year-old cousin, Janie Hunt, was staying in another cabin closer to the river’s edge. That cabin was swept away. Janie did not survive.
Congressman Carter confirmed the loss in a statement posted to social media, saying, “My granddaughters lost their cousin, Janie, and many other families are grieving loved ones. Please join me in prayers for Texas.”
At least 27 campers and counselors were killed in the flooding, and search teams are still looking for the missing.
Governor Greg Abbott has deployed more than 1,500 state and local responders to the region, while rescue crews navigate downed trees, washed-out roads and dangerous debris.
The century-old Camp Mystic is a Christian summer camp that sits directly on the Guadalupe River. Officials say cabins were just eight feet from the riverbank in some spots—offering little protection when more than 11 inches of rain fell in under an hour.
The Carter family has since returned home, but the pain of Janie’s loss remains fresh.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
