Latest news with #ChristinaWilson
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Desperate final words of brave Texas dad who died saving kids and fiancee from floods
The family of a Texas father who died while rescuing his loved ones from sudden flash flooding in Texas on Friday shared his heartbreaking final words: 'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.' Julian Ryan, 27, died early on the morning of July 4, after fast-moving floodwaters from the Guadalupe River - which surged over 30 feet above its normal height - swept into his family's home in Ingram. Julian's fiancee, Christina Wilson, said the water surged into their home so quickly that it reached knee-level in just 20 minutes, telling KHOU that Ryan died wild bravely saving his family's life. She said" '[Water] just started pouring in, we had to fight the door to get it closed tried to hold the door closed, just so that too much didn't come in.' 'We ran back into the room and we started calling 911 but it just kept coming. We had no choice but to get out.' In a final act of heroism, Julian punched through a window to help his fiancee, their children and his mother escape to the roof. But, the glass tore through his arm, severing an artery and nearly detaching the limb. Christina said of Julian injuries: 'It almost cut it clean off.' Despite the pain, Ryan stayed focused on getting his family out safely. But with emergency responders unable to reach them in time, the father of two succumbed to his wounds hours later. She said: 'About six o'clock my husband was dead. He had lost all of it... all of his blood.. Holding back tears, Christina recalled her fiance's harrowing final moments. 'He looked at me, the kids, and his mother and said, "I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all,"' she said, adding that Ryan's body was recovered later that morning after the water receded. Loved ones say Ryan's bravery and selflessness will never be forgotten. His sister, Connia . alas said: 'He died a hero. That will never go unnoticed.' The heroic father's family is now mourning the loss of a man they describe as kind, funny and fiercely devoted to those he loved. 'He's the kindest person I've ever met in my life,' close friend Kris Roberts said. 'I'll forever love him no matter what.' As they grieve, Ryan's relatives are also calling for changes in flood preparedness. They believe earlier warnings - like flood sirens - could have saved lives. Christina said: 'If we'd heard a siren, we would've left. We had so many safe places to go.' A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family cover funeral expenses and recover from the loss. In a statement posted to the fundraiser, Ryan's relatives said his death has left 'an unifillable void.' 'Julian gave his life for his family, passing as a true hero,' the family wrote. 'While we are eternally grateful for his sacrifice, we are shattered by our loss.' 'He was known to have an infectious laugh and unwavering kindness. He touched countless lives with his humor and will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,' the fundraising page reads.
Fox News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Fox News
Texas flood survivors share harrowing stories, search continues for those still missing
As officials continue to confirm deaths and search for those missing after the Texas Hill Country floods on Friday, locals have started to share stories of incredible acts of bravery and heroism amid a weekend of anguish. Julian Ryan and his fiancé Christina Wilson were at their home in Ingram, when water began rushing through the doors. As the water was quickly rising, Ryan, 27, punched through a window to get Wilson, their children, and his mother out of the flooded house, according to Houston outlet KHOU-11. Wilson told the outlet the glass cut one of Ryan's arteries and his arm was badly injured. Calls to 911 went unanswered. "By 6 (a.m.), he looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said, 'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all,'" Wilson told KHOU-11. Ryan is being remembered as a "true hero," who was dedicated to his family, according to a GoFundMe created for the family. Erin Burgess, who lives in Ingram, told FOX 29 San Antonio she wouldn't have survived if it weren't for her teenage son. Burgess said that water poured into her home within minutes, forcing her family to seek refuge outside. They hung onto a tree for an hour before water fell low enough for her to hike to a neighbor's house, the outlet reported. She credited her 19-year-old son, who is more than 6 feet tall, with saving her life. "That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him," Burgess said. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday issued a proclamation declaring Sunday a "day of prayer," in response to the floods. "Texans are known for their faith, strength, and resilience," Abbott wrote in a statement. "Even as floodwaters raged, neighbors rushed in to rescue, comfort, and bring hope. In times of loss, we turn to God for comfort, healing and strength. I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday—for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines." Here are some of those still missing, as of Saturday night. Greta Toranzo's mother, Ellen Toranzo, told Fox News Digital her daughter is still missing after being lost in the floods at Camp Mystic. As of Saturday afternoon, Ellen said she had not received word of her daughter's whereabouts. The photo her mother provided was taken at the camp just a few days before the flood. Carrie Hanna told Fox News Digital that her daughter, Hadley, remains missing after the floods at Camp Mystic. The photo Carrie provided to Fox News Digital was taken shortly before Hadley left for camp, on her last day of school. Grandparents Mike Harber, 76, and Charlene Harber, 74, are missing after the Texas floods, according to a report from affiliate FOX 4 Dallas. The couple's granddaughters, Brooke and Blaire Harber, were visiting them at the time and have been found dead. Robert and Joni Brake, of Abilene, Texas, were reportedly staying at the HTR Campground in Kerry County and are missing following the floods, according to FOX 4. Rob and Melissa Kamin, from the Houston area, have also been reported missing after staying at the HTR Campground in Kerry County during the floods, FOX 4 reported.
