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Dad tried to kayak in Texas floods to save his young daughters, whose last texts were ‘I love you'
Dad tried to kayak in Texas floods to save his young daughters, whose last texts were ‘I love you'

The Independent

time4 days ago

  • Climate
  • The Independent

Dad tried to kayak in Texas floods to save his young daughters, whose last texts were ‘I love you'

The Texas father of two girls who died holding hands during the catastrophic floods as he tried to kayak to them has revealed their final words. 'I love you,' the pre-teens wrote in a text. R.J. and Annie Harber spent the Fourth of July at their one-bedroom cabin in Casa Bonita near Hunt, Texas, which they've owned since 2020. Their daughters, Blair, 13, and Brooke, 11, stayed with their grandparents, Mike and Charlene Harber, in a cabin closer to the lake. R.J. told the Wall Street Journal that he was awakened by pounding rain, thunder and lightning around 3:30 a.m. on the holiday. He woke Annie after feeling floodwater in their cabin and seeing water rushing in through the door. Unable to open it, they escaped through a window with water already up to Annie's neck and fled to higher ground. They knocked on two nearby families' doors and woke them, too. R.J. borrowed a kayak, a life vest, and a flashlight to reach the cabin where his daughters and parents were staying, but a swell knocked him into a post halfway there. 'I shined a flashlight out there, and I could see it was white water, and I've kayaked enough to know that that was gonna be impossible,' R.J. told the outlet. He saw that an entire cabin had broken loose from its foundation and was lodged against the side of the cabin where his daughters and parents were staying. 'There were cars floating at me and trees floating at me. I knew if I took even one stroke further, it was gonna be a death sentence,' he said. R.J. made the heartbreaking decision to go back to Annie and the other families. All of them made it to a home on higher ground where another family let them in around 3:45 a.m., the Journal reported. When RJ checked his phone, he discovered that Brooke had texted him at 3:30 a.m. It read 'I love you.' Annie also received texts from both daughters saying 'I love you,' and their other grandfather in Michigan received one that said 'Love you' and a photo of him with the girls. The Harbers and others waited in the dark all night, hearing terrifying noises they later realized were cabins being torn from their foundations. At sunrise, R.J. returned to find most of the community's cabins destroyed, including the one where his daughter and their grandparents had stayed, which had been completely washed away. Kerr County, Texas, has become the center for disastrous floods that hit the state over the weekend. More than 100 people have died and emergency crews have done more than 400 rescues. Blair and Brooke's bodies were found about 12 miles from the cabin. According to a GoFundMe started for the girls' funeral costs, the grandparents have yet to be found. The girls' aunt, Jennifer Harber, wrote, 'They were believers, and one of their favorite classes was religion. Blair and I had a conversation about God and heaven two weeks earlier. They had their rosaries with them.' The GoFundMe has raised over $290,000, surpassing its $275,000 goal. R.J. told the Journal that the family frequently visited their cabin to kayak, fish and play. 'Unfortunately, all those great memories are now a bad memory,' he said.

Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say
Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say

Yahoo

time5 days ago

  • General
  • Yahoo

Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say

Two sisters killed in the Texas flooding were found holding hands, according to their relatives. The bodies of Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11, were recovered on Friday, about 12 hours after devastating flooding hit the cabin community where they were staying with their family. They are among at least 104 people killed after heavy rain on Friday morning caused the banks of the Guadalupe River to burst, sweeping homes and vehicles away. Their aunt, Jennifer Harber, wrote in a detailed statement on a GoFundMe page for the family that the sisters' "hands were locked together" when rescuers found them about 15 miles downstream. She said they had been staying in a cabin with their grandparents along the river, while their mother and father, Annie and RJ, were lodged farther up the hill, away from the water. On the GoFundMe page, which was set up on Saturday, Ms Harber said the girls' parents were safe, but their grandparents Mike and Charlene had still not been found. There are fears the death toll could rise further. In the statement, Ms Harber wrote: "Brooke texted my brother, her grandmother and grandfather on Annie's side saying 'I love you' at 3.30am. "My nieces were upstairs in the loft. They were believers and one of their favourite classes was religion. "Blair and I had a conversation about God and heaven two weeks earlier. They had their rosaries with them. Their bodies were found yesterday afternoon 15 miles away in Kerrville. When they were found their hands were locked together." Later in the statement, she added: "We are beyond devastated and so heartbroken. Prayers are much appreciated and what we needed [sic] at this time." Their father on Sunday, saying Blair "was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart," while Brooke "was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment". The GoFundMe has already raised nearly $300,000. The sisters are among at least 28 children who have died during the flooding, many of whom were staying at a girls' Christian camp along the river. Read more: They include twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, both eight, who had just finished second grade. Their parents John and Lacy Lawrence shared a statement saying: "Hanna and Rebecca brought so much joy to us, to their big sister Harper, and to so many others. "We will find ways to keep that joy, and to continue to spread it for them. But we are devastated that the bond we shared with them, and that they shared with each other, is now frozen in time." As much as 10ins (25cm) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County on Friday, causing the banks of the Guadalupe River to burst at around 4am local time. Homes and vehicles were swept away by the downpour - equivalent to months' worth of rain, while 27 girls staying at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, went missing when the fast-rising floodwaters hit. Search parties are continuing to look for those still unaccounted for, which includes 10 children from the girls' camp.

Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say
Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say

Sky News

time5 days ago

  • General
  • Sky News

Sisters killed in devastating Texas flooding found holding hands, relatives say

Two sisters killed in the Texas flooding were found holding hands, according to their relatives. The bodies of Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11, were recovered on Friday, about 12 hours after devastating flooding hit the cabin community where they were staying with their family. They are among at least 104 people killed after heavy rain on Friday morning caused the banks of the Guadalupe River to burst, sweeping homes and vehicles away. Their aunt, Jennifer Harber, wrote in a detailed statement on a GoFundMe page for the family that the sisters' "hands were locked together" when rescuers found them about 15 miles downstream. She said they had been staying in a cabin with their grandparents along the river, while their mother and father, Annie and RJ, were lodged farther up the hill, away from the water. On the GoFundMe page, which was set up on Saturday, Ms Harber said the girls' parents were safe, but their grandparents Mike and Charlene had still not been found. There are fears the death toll could rise further. In the statement, Ms Harber wrote: "Brooke texted my brother, her grandmother and grandfather on Annie's side saying 'I love you' at 3.30am. "My nieces were upstairs in the loft. They were believers and one of their favourite classes was religion. "Blair and I had a conversation about God and heaven two weeks earlier. They had their rosaries with them. Their bodies were found yesterday afternoon 15 miles away in Kerrville. When they were found their hands were locked together." Later in the statement, she added: "We are beyond devastated and so heartbroken. Prayers are much appreciated and what we needed [sic] at this time." Their father spoke to CNN on Sunday, saying Blair "was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart," while Brooke "was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment". The GoFundMe has already raised nearly $300,000. The sisters are among at least 28 children who have died during the flooding, many of whom were staying at a girls' Christian camp along the river. They include twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, both eight, who had just finished second grade. Their parents John and Lacy Lawrence shared a statement saying: "Hanna and Rebecca brought so much joy to us, to their big sister Harper, and to so many others. "We will find ways to keep that joy, and to continue to spread it for them. But we are devastated that the bond we shared with them, and that they shared with each other, is now frozen in time." 3:49 As much as 10ins (25cm) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County on Friday, causing the banks of the Guadalupe River to burst at around 4am local time. Homes and vehicles were swept away by the downpour - equivalent to months' worth of rain, while 27 girls staying at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river, went missing when the fast-rising floodwaters hit. Search parties are continuing to look for those still unaccounted for, which includes 10 children from the girls' camp.

Who were Harber sisters? Teenagers killed in Texas floods found with their ‘hands locked together'
Who were Harber sisters? Teenagers killed in Texas floods found with their ‘hands locked together'

Hindustan Times

time6 days ago

  • Hindustan Times

Who were Harber sisters? Teenagers killed in Texas floods found with their ‘hands locked together'

Two sisters, Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were found dead with rosaries and their 'hands locked together' in tragic discovery after Texas Hill Country floods, reported Newsweek, citing their families. Harber family's GoFundMe shows Blair, 13, and Brooke, 11, in the center. (GoFundMe) As flash floods ravaged central Texas on Friday, The Associated Press reported that around 80 people were killed while several remain missing. Flooding occurred after the Guadalupe River rose more than 20 to 26 feet in 90 minutes, resulting in extensive destruction and mass evacuations. What we know about Harber sisters In a statement posted on a GoFundMe page, their aunt Jennifer said that the Harber sisters died during a family vacation at Casa Bonita, a gated enclave in Hunt, Texas. 'RJ and Annie's daughters, Brooke (11) and Blair (13), were with their beloved grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, when they tragically lost their lives in the devastating floodwaters in Hunt, Texas. The family is now facing an unimaginable loss and a very long road ahead,' the page says. Both the girls had been residing with their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, who remain unaccounted for. Their parents RJ and Annie were lodging in a different cabin close by. Around 3:30 in the morning, they got up to the sound of rushing water and attempted to break a window to get to their daughters, but the water current did not let them reach them. Brooke Harber texted dad, maternal grandparents before Texas tragedy In the GoFundMe, Jennifer stated that Brooke Harber sent messages to her father and her maternal grandparents around three in the morning, stating, 'I love you.' The sisters were discovered 15 miles away in Kerrville. 'Their hands were locked together when they were found,' the GoFundMe states, describing the tragedy as a 'nightmare.' Also Read: Melania Trump's Texas floods post sparks outrage as she offers just two things to victims; 'You and your husband…' Trump approves 'Major Disaster Declaration' for Kerr County Taking to X on Saturday, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz stated: 'Heidi and I continue to lift up in prayer the families of the victims. It is imperative that all Texans heed the warnings and guidance of law enforcement. Please stay safe.' President Donald Trump authorized Kerr County a 'Major Disaster Declaration' on Sunday, opening the door for federal funding for rescue and recovery efforts. In the middle of the flood debris, multiple local, state, and federal agencies continue to conduct search and rescue operations. Texas flash floods have killed at least 82 people and left others, including girls at a summer camp, missing. As officials face questions about their readiness and the haste of their early response, the destruction along the Guadalupe River, west of San Antonio, has prompted a large search operation.

Texas sisters, 11 and 13, send haunting three-word text message before drowning as dad fought to save them
Texas sisters, 11 and 13, send haunting three-word text message before drowning as dad fought to save them

Daily Mail​

time6 days ago

  • Daily Mail​

Texas sisters, 11 and 13, send haunting three-word text message before drowning as dad fought to save them

Two young sisters killed in the deadly Texas Hill Country floods sent their parents a heartbreaking final text before they drowned to death. Blair, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were found dead about 12 hours after the flash floods erupted along the Guadalupe River early Friday morning. The sisters were with their grandparents Mike and Charlene Harber at a rented cabin along the river in Hunt when they were swept away, the family has revealed. As the parents were desperately searching for the girls, they checked their phones and saw they each received a text from their daughters that read 'I love you' at 3.30am. The girls also sent a similar message to their grandfather in Michigan. Their bodies were found Friday afternoon in Kerrville, about 15 miles from the cabin. The sisters were found holding hands. Blair and Brooke were eighth grade and sixth grade students respectively at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas. The sisters are among the 89 declared dead - with dozens more missing - when torrential rains created a near-Biblical flash flooding that caught thousands of Lone Star residents by surprise. Mike and Charlene were in the cabin with the girls and are currently missing. The young girls were staying with their grandparents in Casa Bonita cabin community near Hunt when the deadly flash floods broke out early Friday morning. Their father RJ and mother Annie were staying in a separate cabin nearby. The couple were woken up by the sound of rushing water early Friday morning as their cabin began to flood. They managed to escape the building by jumping out of a window as the water reached neck-level. RJ started to kayak towards the cabin where his daughters and parents were staying, but swell knocked him into a post about halfway through his journey. He shined a flashlight towards the cabin and saw an entire building had detached from the foundation and struck against the cabin where his family was. 'I shined a flashlight out there, and I could see it was white water, and I've kayaked enough to know that that was gonna be impossible,' RJ told The Wall Street Journal. 'There were cars floating at me and trees floating at me. I knew if I took even one stroke further, it was gonna be a death sentence.' He kayaked back towards Annie and the pair headed to higher ground with other families who managed to flee the flooded campsite. When they arrived at a safe spot, the couple checked their phones and saw they each received a text from their daughters that read 'I love you', timestamped at 3.30am. The girls also sent a similar message to their grandfather in Michigan. Blair and Brooke's bodies were found Friday afternoon in Kerrville, about 15 miles from the cabin. 'When they were found their hands were locked together,' a family member revealed in a crowdfunding campaign. The relative added: 'They had their rosaries with them.' Their grandparents Mike, 76, and Charlene, 74, remain missing. A GoFundMe account established in the family's honor has already raised more than $197,000, as of Monday morning. Father Joshua J. Whitfield, the priest for the St. Rita Catholic Community, has vowed to honor the girls memory. 'Even if we may never fully understand why such tragedies happen, we are called to respond with love, compassion, and prayer,' Whitfield told KDFW. 'We will honor Blair and Brooke's lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.' Annie is a teacher at the Catholic school her daughters attended. The church is offering counselors to support students and faculty impacted by the tragedy.

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