Dad dies after almost cutting arm ‘clean off' while trying to save family in Texas flooding: ‘I'm not going to make it'
Julian Ryan, 27, his mother, his fiancée Christinia Wilson, and the couple's 6-year-old and 13-month-old children all huddled in the bedroom of their trailer home in Ingram as the surging waters of the Guadalupe River shocked them awake at 4 a.m. Friday, according to The New York Times.
'It just started pouring in, and we had to fight the door to get it closed to make sure not too much got in,' Wilson told local KHOU.
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4 Julian Ryan died after saving his family from the deadly flood waters in Texas on July 4, 2025.
GoFundMe
With his two babies already perched on a floating mattress, the door of the bedroom burst open, flooding the room — and Ryan made a drastic move to save his family.
The brave father punched a hole in a bedroom window — severing an artery in his arm and almost cutting the limb 'clean off,' family members told KHOU.
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Wilson told the outlet that she repeatedly called 911 but that no one was able to get to their home in time to save her valiant fiancé.
'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all,' Ryan told his family as he bled out in the flooding bedroom.
The waters continued to rise until the force ripped the trailer in half and the family was able to flee to safety without their brave dad, son, and husband, according to the Times.
4 Julian Ryan with Christinia Wilson and their children.
KHOU 11/YouTube
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4 Christinia Wilson speaks to a reporter after her fiancé's death.
KHOU 11/YouTube
4 Flood waters rage in the Texas Hill Country.
'He was the best father, and was always such a happy person who was never above helping people, no matter what it cost,' Wilson said.
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'Julian gave his life for his family, passing as a true hero. While his family is eternally grateful for his sacrifice, they are shattered by their loss,' a GoFundMe that has raised over $25,000 read.
Ryan's body was not recovered until hours later on Friday after the waters in Kerr County began to subside.
The shocking flash flood has claimed the lives of 43, including 15 children, with as many as 22 girls from Christian summer retreat Camp Mystic still unaccounted for.
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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas flash floods: more rain forecast as death toll passes 100
The death toll from the flash floods that have wreaked devastation in Texas since Friday has passed 100 and is expected to rise further as more victims are found and more rain threatens to deluge the region. Camp Mystic, the girls summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas, has confirmed that 27 children and counsellors died. 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,' a statement on the camp website read. The search continued for missing people, it said, adding: 'We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected.' Related: 'No warning at all': Texas flood survivors question safety planning and officials' response Camp Mystic is a nondenominational Christian institution that has hosted the children of some of Texas's political elite over its 99-year history. Former first lady Laura Bush was a camp counselor there, and past camp attendees included the daughters of former US president Lyndon B Johnson and the former Texas governor John Connally. 'Our hearts are broken by the devastation from the floods in Wimberley and the tragic loss of so many lives – including a precious little Hunt cousin, along with several friends' little girls,' said Tavia Hunt, wife of the Kansas City Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, in an Instagram post. A Camp Mystic counselor, Chloe Childress, also died in the flooding, a representative of her high school confirmed on Sunday. Childress was remembered as compassionate and known for helping others feel, 'feel safe, valued, and brave', a statement to a local ABC affiliate said. The number of missing people from other nearby camps has not been released, as officials said life-threatening flooding remained a threat as crews continued an urgent search for people still missing. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes in Friday's pre-dawn hours, after a downpour north of San Antonio. The sheriff of Kerr county, Larry Leitha, has said at least 68 people were found dead in an area of Texas known as the Hill Country. There are several summer camps there. At least 10 other deaths were reported in the counties of Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson, local officials have said. The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, warned that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could produce more perilous flooding, especially in places where the ground is already saturated. Kerr residents were clearing mud from their destroyed properties and saving what belongings they could. Some said the heroism of the neighbors was all that saved them, as authorities faced questions about whether enough warnings about the downpour were issued, how many actually received them and whether enough was done to prepare for the rain. Reagan Brown told the Associated Press that his parents, in their 80s, managed to escape uphill as water inundated their home in the town of Hunt. When Brown's parents learned that their 92-year-old neighbor was trapped in her attic, they went back and rescued her. 'Then they were able to reach their toolshed up higher ground, and neighbors throughout the early morning began to show up at their toolshed, and they all rode it out together,' Brown said. A video posted on X showed girls from Camp Mystic being evacuated and singing the hymns Pass It On and Amazing Grace as they crossed a bridge over the Guadalupe River, which was still flowing fiercely. Local officials have already faced questions about what kind of flood warning systems and evacuation plans were in place in the county. Judge Rob Kelly, the county's top elected official, told reporters that 'nobody saw this coming'. The county had considered a tornado warning-style siren in the past, but Kelly said the public had 'reeled at the cost'. 'There's going to be a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of second-guessing and Monday morning quarterbacking,' said the Republican US representative Chip Roy, whose district includes Kerr county, according to the Associated Press. 'There's a lot of people saying 'why' and 'how', and I understand that.' The US Department of Homeland Security responded to criticism of warning systems on Sunday on social media by saying mainstream media were 'lying' and that the National Weather Service issued timely warnings. Donald Trump on Sunday signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr county, which is meant to unlock federal resources meant to help local officials. He said he would probably visit on Friday, a week after the deadly flash flood, saying to go earlier might impede search and recovery efforts. Associated Press contributed reporting
USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
Texas flooding death toll rises; Kerrville overwhelmed by generosity: Updates
Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country. Over a week since an inundated Guadalupe River sent floodwaters tearing through homes and youth camps in Texas, optimism for rescuing any of the dozens of people still missing from Hill Country on Saturday has steadily faded as the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of rescuers, many of them volunteers, have scoured miles of destruction for any sign of the missing. But they haven't rescued anyone alive since July 4, the day of the flood, officials in the hardest-hit Kerr County said. Some 160 people are missing from the county alone. As of the morning of July 12, the death toll had risen to at least 129, with authorities in Kerr and Travis counties reporting more bodies recovered. The toll in Kerr County rose to at least 103, including 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. In Travis County, the toll rose to nine from eight, spokesperson Hector Nieto confirmed to USA TODAY. Officials previously said at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved all-girls Christian camp, were among the dead. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones," President Donald Trump said as he and first lady Melania Trump surveyed the damage on Friday. "It's hard to believe the devastation." In Kerrville, community's generosity has surpassed some needs The overwhelming response from community members near and far has become too generous, officials in Kerrville said on Saturday. The Kerrville Police Department said so many people have brought food for its staff, some has gone to waste. All its needs, including meals, are taken care of, the police department said. The police department also asked law enforcement officers in the region to stop showing up unannounced to help, as it is coordinating with agencies to assign officers to certain tasks. On Friday, the city of Kerrville asked volunteers to stop coming to help, as the most urgent needs are being handled by first responders and families within the community who were affected by the flooding. "Your generosity and support mean more than words can express," the city said. "Please don't lose heart – your help WILL be needed. As the days and weeks unfold, there will be many opportunities to step in and support our neighbors. We promise to share updates as specific volunteer needs arise." What happens if they aren't found? Grim reality sets in More than 10 months after Hurricane Helene spawned floods that ripped through western North Carolina last year, the bodies of Lysa Gindinova's 3-year-old cousin, Yevhenii Segen, and their grandmother, Tatiana Novitnia, have still not been found. The two were swept away by floodwaters, and the family wrestles with the fact they may never see them again. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gindinova told USA TODAY. Families in Texas are starting to face that same haunting realization after the deadly Hill Country flash floods as volunteers continue to scour the region for the missing. Much like last year's North Carolina floods, the Texas floods left behind mountains of debris: piles of crushed trailers and cars, stacks of downed cypress trees and walls of hardened mud that make recovery challenging. The amount of debris and destruction have made the grim task slow and taxing. Troy Tillman, 34, a sheriff's detective from just outside Lubbock, Texas, described uncovering a Ford F-250 pickup – completely submerged in mud and rock along the Guadalupe in Center Point, about 10 miles downriver from Kerrville. If a 3-ton truck like that is buried, Tillman thought, what else could be entombed at their feet? Read more. ‒ Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann Volunteers expected to help with recovery Saturday Kerr County said it is expecting a large number of "spontaneous volunteers" to help with recovery efforts on Saturday. Volunteers have been a key part of search and rescue in the days since the flood, with officials sometimes asking volunteers to stay away so qualified personnel can conduct some of the grueling work. Volunteers are asked to register with Texas Community Recovery and check in at Tivy Antler Stadium in Kerrville before attending a safety briefing. Officials continue to grapple with question of blame Officials in Texas have faced relentless questions about what could have been done to prevent the high death toll and short amount of warning time in the Hill Country flooding. In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha has said he's not dodging the questions, but is focusing on the top priority of locating each missing person and identifying each victim found. Trump on Friday rejected concerns about whether communities along the Guadalupe River were adequately prepared for the disaster. 'I think everybody did an incredible job under the circumstances,' Trump said. 'Only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Gov. Greg Abbott earlier in the week said "blame" was the "word choice of losers." Is more flooding on the way? As cleanup and recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, a renewed threat of flash flooding is in store over the weekend, forecasters said. Scattered showers are expected to develop Saturday afternoon and evening in south-central Texas, including parts of areas that already flooded. Heavy rain can quickly run off already wet ground, forecasters said. In Kerrville, there is about a 35% chance of an inch of rain falling through Sunday morning, the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio said. "The expected heavy rainfall totals along with already sensitive, wet antecedent conditions may lead to scattered to potentially numerous instances of flash flooding," the National Weather Service said. Abbott activated emergency response resources on Friday at the Texas Division of Emergency Management in response to the forecast: "Texas continues to stand ready to deploy all necessary resources to support Texans as severe storms move across our state,' he said. Over 13.5 million people were under flood watches from the National Weather Service across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico on Saturday morning. How many died in Texas flooding? Here's a breakdown of the Texas flooding death toll, according to county officials: Contributing: Christopher Cann, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick and Michael Loria, USA TODAY
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8 hours ago
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Mom Recounts Floods That Killed Her Children—'FIGHTING in the Water'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A grieving mother has described the terrifying final moments she spent clinging to her children before deadly flash floods swept them away in Ruidoso, New Mexico. "We tried so hard to save our babies," Stephanie Trotter wrote in an emotional statement, recounting how she held onto her son and daughter — Sebastian, 7, and Charlotte, 4 — as their RV filled with water in just seconds. The Context This flash flood tragedy is part of a broader pattern of devastating weather battering the American Southwest this summer. The flooding in New Mexico comes just weeks after deadly floods in Texas, where authorities recently reported more than 160 people missing in the aftermath of catastrophic storms. The tragedy in Ruidoso highlights growing concerns about increasingly intense weather systems striking communities with little time to prepare for sudden surges of water. Residents of the town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, came back to their neighborhood to find what was left of their homes after major flooding on July 8, 2025. Residents of the town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, came back to their neighborhood to find what was left of their homes after major flooding on July 8, 2025. Roberto E. Rosales/AP What To Know Charlotte and Sebastian Trotter were found dead on July 8 after flash flooding swept through the village of Ruidoso and into Riverview RV Park. The children and their parents, Sebastian and Stephanie Trotter, had arrived just two days earlier for a family camping trip from El Paso, Texas. "Our lives changed forever in the absolute worst possible way this past Tuesday while enjoying an innocent family vacation," Stephanie wrote on Facebook. "I want to start off by heartbreakingly announcing that it is true... that our babies Sebastian Rowan (7) and Charlotte Emery (4) are gone with the Lord. Our dogs, Zeus (9) and Ellie (5), also did not make it. Somehow by an absolute miracle... our German shepherd Lily (8) survived along with my husband and I." The Trotters had parked their RV near a small stream when the water rose with frightening speed. "In a matter of a minute or so of the water breaking... our RV was filling before we could step out the door," she said. "We literally just got back to our site 10–15 minutes prior and never received warnings on our phones." "They received no warning or alerts on their phone when suddenly water began to flood the campsite at a rapid pace," the children's uncle, Wyatt, wrote on GoFundMe. As the water rushed through the campsite, the family's escape efforts failed. "Our RV began to fill with what felt like 100 mph water and eventually the wall broke open in our RV and we were sucked into the water," Stephanie said. "I was holding our babies FIGHTING in the water." The parents were separated from their children by trees and debris in the torrent. "My husband was able to guide our son up a tree from a distance for as long as he could hold on, but Charlotte and I continued down the river until trees and debris separated us," she wrote. "It was just simply impossible." Wyatt described how her husband dove into the water to reach Charlotte, while Stephanie and her son tried to climb to safety. "It was impossible for them to fight against the speed and depth of the water at this point," he said. Stephanie said she felt herself drowning but somehow found the strength to fight back to the surface to try to reach her children. Both parents survived, with injuries that they say reveal "the story of a parent's will to fight and risk their own lives to give their babies a chance." Now back in El Paso, the couple are recovering while mourning an unimaginable loss. Sebastian senior, who serves in the Army at Fort Bliss, requires surgery. "Please pray for my husband as he goes in for surgery and pray that he can overcome the pain of some of the things he had to witness as a father," Stephanie wrote. The family says they are deeply grateful to the strangers and rescue crews who risked their lives to pull them from the water. "Thank you so much to everyone that helped get my husband and I out of the water as swiftly as possible and risking your lives for us," Stephanie said. On GoFundMe, Wyatt remembered the siblings as the "brightest, most joyful souls you could ever meet." "Little Sebastian loved nothing more than chasing a soccer ball across a field, dreaming of playing professionally one day. Charlotte was our little performer. Always singing, always twirling, and lighting up every room she entered. They were kind, curious, and loved harder than anyone I've ever known." Fort Bliss, where Sebastian Trotter is stationed, has pledged to support the family during their recovery. Loved ones have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help them rebuild, which has raised more than $198,000 as of July 12. Above all, the family asks for privacy and prayers as they mourn. "Our babies were absolutely everything to us. Everything we did and have been working so hard for — was always for them," Stephanie wrote. "Please just pray." A third victim, identified by officials as a man between 40 and 50 years old, was swept away at the same RV park as the Trotter family. Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media show a house being swept up in the surge in Ruidoso as rushing waters tore through previously burn-scarred terrain from wildfires.
