Texas floods victim left harrowing death voicemails for his children as water rushed in behind him: Live updates
Jeff Ramsey, 61, and his wife Tanya, 46, were camping at HTR RV Park in Kerrville with their whippet dog, Chloe, when the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level on July 4.
The father used his final moments to send a message to his two children, Jake, 24, and Rachel, 23, letting them know he loved them as the waters raged in the background.
More than 160 people are believed to be missing days after a destructive wall of water took the lives of over 100 people.
At least 27 little girls and their counselors from the century-old, all-girls Christian camp tragically died when the 'tsunami wall of water' struck the campsite before daybreak on Friday.
Five campers and one 19-year-old counselor are among at least 173 people still missing in the floodwaters five days on from the tragedy.
Officials in Texas are facing mounting questions about whether they did enough to get people out of harm's way.
Governor Greg Abbott has offered a sassy excuse for why he won't entertain questions about who is 'to blame' for the devastating floods.
Abbott held a press conference on Tuesday to update the public on the devastating death toll, vowing to stop at nothing until 'every person' is accounted for.
But when he was asked who was 'to blame' for the tragedy, Abbott went on the offensive, using a football analogy to warn the reporter that only 'losers' cast blame in a time like this.
It comes as a chilling new flash flood killed at least three people in New Mexico Tuesday night.
Texas flood victim left heartbreaking voicemails for his kids as the waters rushed in
Jeff Ramesy, 61, left devastating voicemails for his children seconds before the raging Texas floodwaters swept him and his wife away.
Ramesy and his wife, Tanya, 46, were camping at HTR RV Park in Kerrville with their whippet dog, Chloe, when the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level on July 4.
His children, Jake, 24, and Rachel, 23, awoke to find a harrowing message from their father with the sounds of the raging floodwater in the background.
'Once they realized there was nothing they could do, my stepmom was on the phone with her mom while my dad made a call to me and my sister. We were asleep. He left us a message saying he was not going to make it and that he loved us so much, telling us goodbye,' Jake told the New York Post.
'He called me once he realized there was no hope. It was a short voicemail. He just left me a voicemail. He said, "Buddy. I love you so much. It doesn't look like we are going to make it. Tell Rachey I love her."'
Jake noted it was out of character for his dad to sound afraid, and his stepmom was screaming in the background, 'We're dying, we're dying!'
'You never heard this guy panic but we heard panic and fear in his voice,' he said.
Tanya was killed in the flood, but Jeff has not been found as of Wednesday morning, according to the family.
A local animal rescue found their beloved pup and will reunite her with the family.
12:57
Three dead in New Mexico flood
A man, a four-year-old girl and seven-year-old boy were swept away Tuesday night by floodwaters in southern New Mexico.
'Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their loved ones in this terrible tragedy,' Village of Rudioso Mayor Lynn Crawford said.
'We are united in our sorrow and our commitment to supporting one another as we face this devastating loss together.'
Emergency crews carried out at least 85 swift water rescues in the Ruidoso area, including of people who were trapped in their homes and cars, said Danielle Silva of the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The water had receded by Tuesday night and search and rescue and swift water rescue teams were scouring the town for the missing people, while public works crews cleared debris from the roadways. Some cars were left stranded in the mud.
12:55
Mom of three Camp Mystic campers shares their story of survival
Lisa Miller's three daughters, 14-year-old Eliza, 12-year-old Genevieve and nine-year-old Birdie, all miraculously survived the deadly flood.
Mom describes daughters' survival at Camp Mystic during Texas floods
At least 27 little girls and their counselors from the century-old, all-girls Christian camp tragically died when the 'tsunami wall of water' struck the campsite before daybreak on Friday.
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