The faces of the Texas flooding tragedy
Photo:
Shawn Salta via CNN Newsource
Julian Ryan's final words to his mother as floodwaters quickly engulfed their trailer home were simply, "I love you."
He had made a split-second decision to thrust his arm through a window to help his fiancée, two young kids and mom escape the catastrophic flood tearing through Kerr County, Texas, swallowing everything in its path.
That last-ditch effort, an act of bravery, ultimately cost him his life. The glass had cut an artery in his arm.
Ryan's mother held him as he bled and took his last breath, his sister, Connie Salas, told CNN.
"He went out a hero," Salas said.
In the pitch-black, storm-lashed hours before dawn Friday, surging floodwaters unexpectedly ravaged the region, including a campsite filled with sleeping children. Four months' worth of rain fell in just hours and the nearby Guadalupe River rose over 20 feet, sweeping homes, cars, campers and cabins downstream.
When the sunrise came and the storm softened, the full weight of the disaster came into view. Hundreds were missing, including over two dozen girls at a summer camp, and as minutes stretched into hours, hope gave way to grief.
At least 80 people, including 21 children, were killed in the catastrophic Texas floods and the death toll continues to rise, according to local officials. Ryan's body wasn't recovered until waters receded, according to CNN affiliate KHOU.
Now Ryan's family and their heartbroken Texas community are reckoning with the depth of the tragedy - and searching for answers.
Here's what we know about the victims.
It had been an exhausting shift for Ryan. The 27-year-old dishwasher had finished working at a local restaurant before returning to his Ingram, Texas, home, The New York Times reported.
He was finally asleep when surging floodwaters crashed through their trailer home.
In a matter of seconds, their front door gave way, slammed open by the power of the river. Ryan and his fiancée, with water rising to their chests, placed their 13-month-old and 6-year-old on the mattresses, which were floating, to keep them above the rising flood.
But the water kept rising. The bedroom door, sealed tight by the pressure on the other side, wouldn't budge.
In those terrifying moments, Ryan shattered a window in a final attempt to get his family out. The glass tore into his arm, leaving him critically injured, his fiancée Christinia Wilson said.
She added the glass almost cut his arm clean off.
After multiple calls to 911 went unanswered, Ryan looked at them, she said, and told them, "'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.'"
His sister, who lived just steps away from him and also lost her home, told CNN there was no warning and no time to act. A flash flood emergency warning was issued for Kerr County at 4:03 a.m. about an hour before the raging Guadalupe River burst from its banks. The late-night warnings limited who could see them - and how quickly they could move to higher ground.
"We had no time to physically save ourselves," Salas said. "Our last words were, 'I'm scared,'" she said. "And he says, 'Me too.'"
The family is overwhelmed with grief and struggling to cope, Salas says, especially their mother, who was there for Ryan's final moments and saw him take his last breath.
"While they were literally panicking and about to drown, my mother was still holding up her son and he looked at her and said, 'I love you,'" Salas said. "So my mom has that heartbreak of looking at her son and telling him goodbye, holding him while he takes his last breath."
Salas says the family feels like they're trapped in a nightmare they can't wake up from; a reality where Ryan will never walk through the door again "and be that funny person he is."
At Camp Mystic, the massive flooding seemed to have ripped the wall off at least one building and left a cabin covered in dirt and mud, with girls' mattresses strewn across the floor, photos of the devastation show. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the camp was "horrendously ravaged." He was shocked, he said, that the rushing water reached the top of the cabins.
The families of at least four campers have confirmed their deaths to CNN, while others are still waiting for news on their children. Twenty-seven kids are still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls camp near the Guadalupe River that hosts about 750 kids.
Renee Smajstrla, the 8-year-old Camp Mystic camper who went missing during the torrential flooding in Kerr County, Texas, has died, her family confirmed to CNN.
"It's truly devastating," Shawn Salta, Smajstrla's uncle, told CNN.
Salta said his niece was recovered on Friday.
Family of Camp Mystic camper Renee Smajstrla tells CNN that she has passed away.
Photo:
Shawn Salta via CNN Newsource
The mother of missing Camp Mystic camper Janie Hunt, 9, told CNN in a message Saturday morning her daughter had "passed away."
After the catastrophic flooding hit Kerr County in Texas Friday, Anne Hunt told CNN "we are just praying" for her return.
The families of Sarah Marsh and Lila Bonner, two girls who had gone missing from Camp Mystic Friday morning, confirmed to CNN both died.
In a post on Facebook, Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said she was "heartbroken" over the loss of Sarah Marsh.
"We are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time," Britt said.
"In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time," the Bonner family said in a statement. "We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss."
Blair and Brooke Harber, 13- and 11-year-old sisters, went missing during the flooding along with their grandparents.
The Harbers' father confirmed to CNN Saturday his daughters had died.
"(Blair) was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart," RJ Harber said. "(Brooke) was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment."
His parents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are still missing, but he believes the couple is also deceased.
Blair and Brooke Harber's father has confirmed to CNN that the sisters have died. Blair, left, and Brooke, right, went missing during the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas.
Photo:
Courtesy RJ Harber via CNN Newsource
Jane Ragsdale was the "heart and soul" of Heart O' the Hills, according to the camp's website.
The co-owner and camp director, Ragsdale died during the floods. She had "influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful," the camp said.
The girls camp, set alongside the Guadalupe River, was not in session at the time of the flooding, and "most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground," according to an announcement from the camp.
A video last month shows Ragsdale playing the guitar and singing with campers. She sings the song "Let There Always Be A Song".
"When you sing you say, life is good today," "So keep singing till we meet again."
Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach. The head coach of the Tivy High School's boys soccer team was "a mentor, teacher and a role model," the team said on Facebook.
They added they were mourning "the loss of our leader and inspiration."
Zunker died in this holiday weekend's flooding tragedy, his niece told CNN. Mackenzey Zunker said her father identified her uncle's body Saturday evening.
Paula Zunker, Reece's wife, also died, according to the soccer team's statement and a post by Recce Zunker's cousin, Haley Furlough.
The couple's two children remain unaccounted for, Furlough wrote.
Dr. Katheryn Eads, another victim of the Texas floods, "lived a fulfilling life, cut far too short," her daughter Victoria Eads told CNN in a family statement.
"She was an incredible wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, and person who spent her life helping kids," the statement continued.
Eads assisted children in the foster care system in her early career and continued on as a psychologist and a college professor, her daughter told CNN.
"Trying to figure out our lives without her is a possibility we never planned to face and we will always miss her."
- CNN

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RNZ News
17 hours ago
- RNZ News
The faces of the Texas flooding tragedy
Family of Camp Mystic camper Renee Smajstrla tells CNN that she has passed away. Photo: Shawn Salta via CNN Newsource Julian Ryan's final words to his mother as floodwaters quickly engulfed their trailer home were simply, "I love you." He had made a split-second decision to thrust his arm through a window to help his fiancée, two young kids and mom escape the catastrophic flood tearing through Kerr County, Texas, swallowing everything in its path. That last-ditch effort, an act of bravery, ultimately cost him his life. The glass had cut an artery in his arm. Ryan's mother held him as he bled and took his last breath, his sister, Connie Salas, told CNN. "He went out a hero," Salas said. In the pitch-black, storm-lashed hours before dawn Friday, surging floodwaters unexpectedly ravaged the region, including a campsite filled with sleeping children. Four months' worth of rain fell in just hours and the nearby Guadalupe River rose over 20 feet, sweeping homes, cars, campers and cabins downstream. When the sunrise came and the storm softened, the full weight of the disaster came into view. Hundreds were missing, including over two dozen girls at a summer camp, and as minutes stretched into hours, hope gave way to grief. At least 80 people, including 21 children, were killed in the catastrophic Texas floods and the death toll continues to rise, according to local officials. Ryan's body wasn't recovered until waters receded, according to CNN affiliate KHOU. Now Ryan's family and their heartbroken Texas community are reckoning with the depth of the tragedy - and searching for answers. Here's what we know about the victims. It had been an exhausting shift for Ryan. The 27-year-old dishwasher had finished working at a local restaurant before returning to his Ingram, Texas, home, The New York Times reported. He was finally asleep when surging floodwaters crashed through their trailer home. In a matter of seconds, their front door gave way, slammed open by the power of the river. Ryan and his fiancée, with water rising to their chests, placed their 13-month-old and 6-year-old on the mattresses, which were floating, to keep them above the rising flood. But the water kept rising. The bedroom door, sealed tight by the pressure on the other side, wouldn't budge. In those terrifying moments, Ryan shattered a window in a final attempt to get his family out. The glass tore into his arm, leaving him critically injured, his fiancée Christinia Wilson said. She added the glass almost cut his arm clean off. After multiple calls to 911 went unanswered, Ryan looked at them, she said, and told them, "'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.'" His sister, who lived just steps away from him and also lost her home, told CNN there was no warning and no time to act. A flash flood emergency warning was issued for Kerr County at 4:03 a.m. about an hour before the raging Guadalupe River burst from its banks. The late-night warnings limited who could see them - and how quickly they could move to higher ground. "We had no time to physically save ourselves," Salas said. "Our last words were, 'I'm scared,'" she said. "And he says, 'Me too.'" The family is overwhelmed with grief and struggling to cope, Salas says, especially their mother, who was there for Ryan's final moments and saw him take his last breath. "While they were literally panicking and about to drown, my mother was still holding up her son and he looked at her and said, 'I love you,'" Salas said. "So my mom has that heartbreak of looking at her son and telling him goodbye, holding him while he takes his last breath." Salas says the family feels like they're trapped in a nightmare they can't wake up from; a reality where Ryan will never walk through the door again "and be that funny person he is." At Camp Mystic, the massive flooding seemed to have ripped the wall off at least one building and left a cabin covered in dirt and mud, with girls' mattresses strewn across the floor, photos of the devastation show. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the camp was "horrendously ravaged." He was shocked, he said, that the rushing water reached the top of the cabins. The families of at least four campers have confirmed their deaths to CNN, while others are still waiting for news on their children. Twenty-seven kids are still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls camp near the Guadalupe River that hosts about 750 kids. Renee Smajstrla, the 8-year-old Camp Mystic camper who went missing during the torrential flooding in Kerr County, Texas, has died, her family confirmed to CNN. "It's truly devastating," Shawn Salta, Smajstrla's uncle, told CNN. Salta said his niece was recovered on Friday. Family of Camp Mystic camper Renee Smajstrla tells CNN that she has passed away. Photo: Shawn Salta via CNN Newsource The mother of missing Camp Mystic camper Janie Hunt, 9, told CNN in a message Saturday morning her daughter had "passed away." After the catastrophic flooding hit Kerr County in Texas Friday, Anne Hunt told CNN "we are just praying" for her return. The families of Sarah Marsh and Lila Bonner, two girls who had gone missing from Camp Mystic Friday morning, confirmed to CNN both died. In a post on Facebook, Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said she was "heartbroken" over the loss of Sarah Marsh. "We are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time," Britt said. "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time," the Bonner family said in a statement. "We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss." Blair and Brooke Harber, 13- and 11-year-old sisters, went missing during the flooding along with their grandparents. The Harbers' father confirmed to CNN Saturday his daughters had died. "(Blair) was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart," RJ Harber said. "(Brooke) was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment." His parents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are still missing, but he believes the couple is also deceased. Blair and Brooke Harber's father has confirmed to CNN that the sisters have died. Blair, left, and Brooke, right, went missing during the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas. Photo: Courtesy RJ Harber via CNN Newsource Jane Ragsdale was the "heart and soul" of Heart O' the Hills, according to the camp's website. The co-owner and camp director, Ragsdale died during the floods. She had "influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful," the camp said. The girls camp, set alongside the Guadalupe River, was not in session at the time of the flooding, and "most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground," according to an announcement from the camp. A video last month shows Ragsdale playing the guitar and singing with campers. She sings the song "Let There Always Be A Song". "When you sing you say, life is good today," "So keep singing till we meet again." Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach. The head coach of the Tivy High School's boys soccer team was "a mentor, teacher and a role model," the team said on Facebook. They added they were mourning "the loss of our leader and inspiration." Zunker died in this holiday weekend's flooding tragedy, his niece told CNN. Mackenzey Zunker said her father identified her uncle's body Saturday evening. Paula Zunker, Reece's wife, also died, according to the soccer team's statement and a post by Recce Zunker's cousin, Haley Furlough. The couple's two children remain unaccounted for, Furlough wrote. Dr. Katheryn Eads, another victim of the Texas floods, "lived a fulfilling life, cut far too short," her daughter Victoria Eads told CNN in a family statement. "She was an incredible wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, and person who spent her life helping kids," the statement continued. Eads assisted children in the foster care system in her early career and continued on as a psychologist and a college professor, her daughter told CNN. "Trying to figure out our lives without her is a possibility we never planned to face and we will always miss her." - CNN

RNZ News
29-06-2025
- RNZ News
After Operation Midnight Hammer, pilots reveal realities of marathon B-2 bomber missions
By Kamin Gock , ABC News A B-2 Stealth Bomber. Photo: AFP / JEROD HARRIS There are very few Americans who know what it's like to fly a B-2 stealth bomber and even fewer that have piloted one for more than 30 hours straight. One of those people is retired Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Basham, who said he was stunned by the "flawless execution" of last weekend's operation , when American pilots conducted a 37-hour non-stop mission targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. Before retiring last year, General Basham flew B-2s in 1999 over Serbia, the bomber's first use in combat, and again in 2003 over Iraq. He gave the ABC an insight into what it takes to prepare and complete such a marathon operation. Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Basham. Photo: AFP / ANDREAS ARNOLD To qualify for his own missions, General Basham needed to complete a 24-hour flight simulation as well as a 24-hour "sortie" mission. The training regime included rehearsing mid-air refuelling, safely landing after being awake for an entire day and managing simulated defences and bomb runs. After years of training, he received the call-up. "I remember the surreal feeling when they said, 'We're actually going to go,' and, of course, my wife doesn't know," he said. "For her, this is like any other night in the last month. I've been going in the evening and coming back home the next morning. It's not lost on me that on this particular occasion, I didn't come back on the next morning." A 31-hour mission awaited him, and it would not be the only one. "I remember not being able to sleep," he said. "Even though we had adjusted our body clocks for many, many weeks prior to the mission, I remember still waking up early and I remember packing my larger than normal lunch." But even with eight sandwiches and some trail mix in hand, General Basham recalls he wasn't very hungry. "You will eat just because it gives you something to do," he said. "My appetite really wasn't there. "Too many butterflies filling up your stomach - no room for any food." He intentionally brought "bland" food to not upset the stomach on such a long journey. Coffee was his main fuel to stay alert along with the occasional catnap, but the adrenaline made it hard to sleep. "You do not want to let down your nation and so you're going to do everything you can to not fail," he said. "That's not going to allow you to sleep." In the air, he and the other pilot ran through each step they would undertake in the hours ahead, while ensuring the weapons were in check and the bomber was continuing to perform as needed. They would also maintain communication with other aircraft, like fuel tankers. Retired Air Force Colonel Melvin Deaile has also piloted the US$2.2 billion (NZ$3.6 billion) aircraft. He took part in the longest ever B-2 bomber mission, flying 44 hours from the US into Afghanistan in 2001. "All my kids were told is: 'Dad's going to work, I don't know when I'll be back,'" he said. "After 9/11 there was a hint that the president may want a response. "We didn't plan on 44 hours. I think the original sortie was 38 to 40 hours." To help him stay awake, Colonel Deaile had been prescribed amphetamines cleared for crew use, known as "pep pills". He said his mission initially involved four bomb runs over different target complexes. But after flying out of Afghanistan, he was directed to go back in and complete another run, which extended his total mission time. "When we went back into the country I dropped some more pep pills," he said. "Because you think the mission's over, you can kind of let down, but then we had to get another tanker, I had to program new bombs and the other guy had to hit the gas." The extreme length of time in the small cockpit also takes a toll on the bladder. The high altitudes and pressurised cockpit mean pilots need to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. "We calculated we drank a bottle of water an hour which meant we had to go pee once an hour," he said. "We didn't want to fill up the chemical toilet too much. It's not designed to hold 44 hours' worth of pee. "So we made an agreement that we would only use the toilet for number twos and we would use the 'piddle packs' for number ones." He described a piddle pack as like "a zip-lock bag with kitty litter in it ... and the kitty litter combines with it to make it more gel-like so it doesn't leak". During 44 hours locked in the cockpit with very little room to move, Colonel Deaile estimates he and the other pilot produced 80 piddle packs. Both pilots said flying back to base was when the adrenaline started to run thin and the lack of sleep kicked in. Colonel Deaile said, from his experience, the most challenging part of being a bomber pilot was mid-air refuelling. "You have to be within 12 feet (3.7 metres) of another aircraft, and you've got to hold the jet in position I would say probably for roughly 20 to 30 minutes ... because that's how long the boom is," he said. On General Basham's first flight in 1999 there was nowhere to sleep, so he and the other pilot sent a note back as soon as possible and small cots were installed inside all the bombers. "The hardest part of a marathon is not typically the physical part, it's the mental part, and a long duration sortie is like that marathon," he said. After debriefing back at base in Missouri, he returned home from the 31-hour mission, and remembers cracking a beer at 9am, sitting in a recliner and watching TV. That afternoon it was his turn to mow the lawn, and before the sun had set he had returned to normal life. General Basham flew B-2 bombers for about nine years and took part in multiple missions that spanned more than 30 hours. Colonel Deaile flew B-2s from 1998 to 2002 but Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan would be the only long-distance mission he would take part in. "I've never said I want to crawl in the cockpit and be there again for two days," he said. "Once was enough." Last week's mission into Iran involved seven of America's 19 B-2 bombers . Operation Midnight Hammer was shrouded in deception and secrecy. A separate package of decoy bombers was sent west over the Pacific, and were picked up by keen flight trackers and reported by news outlets. But the main strike team headed east undetected, catching even the most experienced aviators off guard. "I almost felt nauseous on Saturday night because I missed this as well," General Basham said. "I should have realised that, no, there was something else going on. "That's how well this was executed." The aircraft unloaded more than a dozen Massive Ordnance Penetrators, also known as bunker busters, on the Iranian nuclear facilities. The weapons, weighing 30,000 pounds (13.6 tonnes), had never been used before in combat. General Basham said he remembers the "clunk" he felt when releasing weapons from the aircraft, but he had never carried a bomb that came even close to that weight. "I look forward to hearing from the pilots one day [about] dropping a 30,000-pound bomb, because that's a significant amount of weight to lose in a short amount of time," he said. There have been questions over the impact the 14 bunker buster bombs had on their targets. CNN and other outlets reported on a leaked early US intelligence assessment that suggested the strikes only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months. President Donald Trump and his administration have attacked the outlets and journalists who reported on the early assessment, accusing them of insulting the aviators. "I think CNN ought to apologise to the pilots of the B-2s, I think MSNBC ought to apologise. Cable networks are real losers, you're gutless losers," the president said. He has repeatedly said the strikes "obliterated" the desired targets and his defence secretary held a press conference to rebut the reports. Retired now at 59, General Basham said he didn't think the pilots would be bothered by the political drama unfolding. "They're not gonna worry about those things," he said. "There's the political world and the policy world - that's not the world we live in. "We live in the world where we're asked to do a mission, we did our mission successfully, we'll let others determine the efficacy of that. "But in the end I couldn't be more proud of the pilots, the maintainers, the planners, the intelligence community, everyone, and what they did to make this happen." - ABC News


Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
'Top farmer' posthumously named Rural Hero
The late Mid Canterbury farmer Chris Allen was posthumously named Rural Hero in a touching moment at the Primary Industries New Zealand Awards. Mr Allen, 62, died after he was electrocuted while fixing a garage door last December, leaving a rural community paying tribute to his leadership and negotiating skills as a Federated Farmers board member for eight years. In other highlights Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty sharefarmer chairwoman Bridie Virbickas was presented with the Emerging Leader Award at the annual awards ceremony in Christchurch. More than 400 farmers and industry people attended the function, part of the two-day Primary Industries New Zealand (PINZ) Summit. Mr Allen's contribution to farming led supporters to say every farming family was in his debt for his years of championing rural causes. Judges praised the collaborative nature, persistence and practicality of the Federated Farmers leader for his advocacy on freshwater, environmental and biodiversity issues. "A top farmer in his own right, he led with humour and knowledge." The judging panel described Ms Virbickas as making a strong mark in the dairy sector - managing 850 cows while leading beyond the farm gate. As an elected sharefarmer leader, she supports fellow farmers in areas such as dispute resolution, and practical workshops. She is also a founding trustee of AgRecovery, helping reduce farm waste nationwide, and leads on-farm restoration projects with schools and councils. Southland farmer and NZ Pork chairman since 2019 Eric Roy was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Primary Industries Award. His production, leadership and political service to primary industries and rural communities spans nearly 60 years. The six-term Member of Parliament has held roles with Federated Farmers, Pāmu, the Meat & Wool Board and other community and charity initiatives. "Few can match his contribution - Eric Roy is a truly exceptional New Zealander," the judging panel said. NZPork deputy chairman Jason Palmer said his decades of service to farming, rural communities and public life reflected a commitment to doing the right thing. 'He has provided invaluable leadership to NZPork during his time as chairman on our board, helping shape the future of sustainable pig farming in New Zealand. We're really pleased to see that contribution recognised at a national level.' A Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) project to help farmers get the most out of their combine harvesters won the Technology Innovation Award. Workshops and follow-up one-on-one sessions resulted in improvements in harvest efficiency, productivity, sustainability and profitability. Farmers reported increases in yields of between 20% and 50%. FAR technology manager Chris Smith said the workshops showed the importance of growers measuring and monitoring potential grain and seed losses and fine-tuning settings. 'Growers have only one opportunity to harvest a crop. Once it is gone out the back of the harvester it is too late.' The Team and Collaboration Award went to Fonterra, LIC, Ballance and Ravensdown for an open data sharing ecosystem, saving farmers an estimated 250,000 hours so far in administration. Dr Robyn Dyne won the Primary Industries Champion Award for her research in nitrate leaching and emissions. Food, Beverage and Fibre Producer Award winners Chia Sisters combines fruit and ingredients such as kawakawa and chia seeds in their health food drinks and were singled out for their commitment to sustainability and innovation. PacificVet and co-founder Dr Kent Keitemeyer won the Guardianship and Conservation/Kaitiakitanga Award.