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.
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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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They searched inside crumpled pickup trucks and cars, painting them with a large X, much like those marked on homes after a hurricane. How long the search will continue was impossible to predict given the number of people unaccounted for and the miles to cover. Shannon Ament wore knee-high rubber boots and black gloves as she rummaged through debris in front of her rental property in Kerr County. A high school soccer coach is one of the many people she knows who are still missing. 'We need support. I'm not going to say thoughts and prayers because I'm sick of that,' she said. 'We don't need to be blamed for who voted for who. This was a freak of nature — a freak event.' Trump plans to survey damage Friday President Donald Trump has pledged to provide whatever relief Texas needs to recover. He plans to visit the state Friday. Polls taken before the floods show Americans largely believe the federal government should play a major role in preparing for and responding to natural disasters. 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