Latest news with #ReeceZunker
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘One of a kind': Kerrville ISD honors soccer coach, wife killed in flood
KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Hundreds packed Antler Stadium in Kerrville Wednesday to honor Tivy High School soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula, who were killed as catastrophic floodwaters devastated Kerr County. 'He fit right in, and he has a lot of people here that are really going to miss him,' said Chris Russ, another coach at Tivy. In a social media post, the district said, 'Coach Reece Zunker was not just a soccer coach, he was a mentor, teacher and role model for our Kerrville kids.' Wednesday night's service opened with a Winnie the Pooh quote about having a tough day and not necessarily wanting to talk about it. Young Life Director Josh Smithson led the event. People sang. People prayed. People cried. 'Everyone who was around him enjoyed being around him,' Russ said. 'He was a great father, a great husband.' The district said Zunker's 'passion for his players, students, coworkers, community and his family will never be forgotten.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNN
3 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
Texas school officials remember teacher and coach who died in the flooding
Two Texas school officials describe how the deadly flooding has impacted the Kerrville community and remember the life of high school teacher and coach Reece Zunker.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Thousands of first responders search for Texas survivors against long odds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: People take part in the search and rescue operation looking for missing people by the Guadalupe River, in Hunt, Texas, U.S. July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo KERRVILLE, Texas - Thousands of first responders were still combing through piles of mud-covered debris in Texas Hill Country on Thursday, hoping against long odds to find survivors six days after flash floods swept through the region, killing at least 120. A dozen states have dispatched search teams to Kerr County, where the vast majority of the victims perished when torrential rains sent a wall of water raging down the Guadalupe River in the predawn hours of July 4. At least 96 people, including 36 children, died in Kerr County, officials said at a briefing on Thursday morning. Another 161 people remain unaccounted for. The last person found alive was on Friday, according to authorities. The dead included 27 campers and staff members from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer retreat on the banks of the river. Five girls and one counselor from the camp remain missing, officials said. Kerr County sits at the heart of what is known as "flash flood alley" in central Texas, a region that has seen some of the country's deadliest floods. More than a foot of rain fell in less than an hour early on July 4. Flood gauges showed the river's height rose from about a foot to 34 feet (10.4 meters) in a matter of hours, cascading over its banks and sweeping away trees and structures in its path. Hundreds of community members gathered at a worship service at Tivy High School in Kerrville on Wednesday to remember the victims. Students and adults prayed and sang, with some hugging and holding back their tears during the memorial at the school's football stadium. The school's soccer coach, Reece Zunker, and his wife, Paula, a former teacher there, were among the victims. Their two children were missing as of Sunday, according to the school district. "Zunker was a really tough guy," said art teacher Marti Garcia, who attended Wednesday's event. "I just had faith that he was going to pull it out." Authorities in Kerr County have faced questions about whether more could have been done in the early hours of July 4 to alert residents about the rising floodwaters and get some of them to higher ground. The county declined to install an early-warning system years ago after failing to secure state grant money to cover the cost. Officials have vowed to review the events to determine what may have gone wrong, but have emphasized that their current focus is on rescue and recovery. The state legislature will convene in a special session later this month to investigate the flooding and provide disaster relief funding. Meanwhile, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham told reporters on Thursday that after talks with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, federal authorities had pledged $15 million in disaster relief for the mountain village of Ruidoso, where flash flooding on Tuesday killed three people, including two children, and damaged hundreds of homes. Some $12 million of the federal disaster funding is money previously pledged, but never paid, to build levees to protect the community from flash floods after wildfires last year, Lujan Grisham said. REUTERS
Fox News
6 days ago
- Climate
- Fox News
Texas flooding victims include Dallas Catholic school sisters, camp counselor, Walmart employee
A beloved teacher and his wife. Young sisters staying with their grandparents. Multiple girls from a riverside summer camp and their father-figure camp director. These are some of the dozens of victims killed as gushing floodwaters swept across central Texas on Friday. The flooding originated from the swift waters of the swollen Guadalupe River as a storm pounded the region with torrential rain. The death toll has climbed to 82, with dozens more missing as of Monday morning. As the floodwaters receded, more victims were being identified and their stories shared. Reece and Paula Zunker Teacher and high school soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula were found dead following the devastating flash flooding in Kerr County. "Reece was a passionate educator and a beloved soccer coach," Kerrville Independent School District said in a statement. "His unwavering dedication to our students, athletes, and the Tivy community touched countless lives and will never be forgotten. "Paula, a former Tivy teacher, also left a lasting mark on our community," the statement continued. "The care and impact she shared with her students continue to be felt, even years later." The school district asked to keep the family "in your prayers," as the couple's two children, Lyle and Holland, were both still missing as of Sunday afternoon. Harber Family Blair and Brooke Harber, aged 13 and 11, were sleeping in a riverside cabin in Hunt, Texas, with their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, when the torrent swept away their cabin. The girls' parents, R.J. and Annie, were staying five houses down from them and awoke at 3:30 a.m. to go check on the girls during the storm but found their house had already started to flood. The family detailed their story in a GoFundMe post, sharing how the pounding rain masked the sound of the floodwaters in the home, which they said were "rising one foot per minute." R.J. and Annie broke a window to escape the flooded home and borrowed a kayak from a neighbor to try to reach their children. "But the water had risen too high to reach the neighbor's house that my parents and nieces and their 2 dogs were at," the post read, detailing how the waters were rough and had white caps. The bodies of Blair and Brooke were found 15 miles away in Kerrville. "When they were found their hands were locked together," the family said. The sisters were both students at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas. Charlene and Mike had yet to be found at the time of the fundraising post. Tanya Burwick The last time Tanya Burwick's family heard from her was a frantic phone call about the floodwaters as she headed to work at a Walmart early Friday in the San Angelo area. When Burwick didn't show up for work, her employer filed a missing persons report and sent a colleague to look for her. Police investigating the 62-year-old's disappearance found Burwick's unoccupied SUV fully submerged later that day. Her body was found the next morning blocks from the vehicle. "She lit up the room and had a laugh that made other people laugh," said Lindsey Burwick, who added that her mother was a beloved parent, grandparent and colleague to many. Jane Ragsdale Jane Ragsdale, 68, devoted her life to the Heart O'the Hills Camp, a summer camp for girls in Texas Hill Country. She was a camper and counselor there herself in the 1970s before becoming a co-owner. By the 1980s, she was director of the camp in Hunt. "She was the heart of The Heart," the camp said in a statement. "She was our guiding light, our example, and our safe place. She had the rare gift of making every person feel seen, loved, and important." Dick Eastland Dick Eastland was the director and co-owner of Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Those who knew Eastland said he made the ultimate sacrifice trying to save his campers from the flood. "Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers," Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote on X. "For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you." Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Eastland, wrote in the Kerrville Daily Times: "It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic." Katharine Somerville, a camp counselor at Camp Mystic's Cypress Lake location, told "Fox News Live" on Sunday that the camp director was among the "most selfless men in the whole world" and "a father figure, a comforting force in the uncertainty of everything." Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck Lila Bonner and Eloise Peck were best friends and cabinmates at Camp Mystic. The girls were from Highland Park, a city near Dallas. They had both recently finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary. Janie Hunt Janie Hunt was one of the Camp Mystic campers who died in the devastating floods over the weekend. She was just 9 years old. Janie was a family member of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt. Clark's wife, Tavia, said the family was devastated in an Instagram post. "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 friend's little girls," Tavia Hunt wrote. Anna Margaret Bellows Anna Margaret Bellows, an 8-year-old from Houston, was also attending Camp Mystic. Her parents confirmed to Fox News that she died in the flood. Renee Smajstrla Renee Smajstrla, an 8-year-old from Ingram, Texas, was another of the Camp Mystic girls confirmed to have died. "Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly," Renee's uncle, Shawn Salta, told Fox News in a statement. "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville. " Linnie Anne McCown Linnie Anne McCown, an 8-year-old from Austin, was confirmed to have died in the flood at Camp Mystic. Her father Michael told Fox News, "She loved dance, gymnastics and was the sweetest girl to everyone she met." Sarah Marsh Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama, was spending the summer away from home at Camp Mystic. Marsh was a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary in suburban Birmingham. "Our family is completely devastated by the loss of Sarah and her dear friends at Camp Mystic," the Marsh family said in a statement to Fox News. "This is a tragedy that no parent can prepare for and it will never be right this side of Heaven. "While we are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received, we request privacy as we navigate the unimaginable steps ahead," the family continued. "We continue to keep the fellow campers, staff, and families in our prayers – for their rescue and return home." Mary Kathryn Jacobe Mary Kathryn Jacobe, 8, was also killed in the flood at Camp Mystic, FOX26 Houston reported. Mary's family told the outlet that the girl was "fun, compassionate and kind." "We will miss her dearly," the family said.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Who are the Texas flood victims?
At least 82 people were killed and dozens are missing after devastating flash floods swept through Texas on the Fourth of July. The death toll is expected to rise and Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that there were 41 people confirmed to be missing and 'there could be more.' Survivors have described the floods as a 'pitch black wall of death' and said they received no emergency warnings. Officials have come under scrutiny as to why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner about the severe weather or told to evacuate. Julian Ryan, 27 - Died saving his family Heroic father Julian Ryan (left), 27, used his final moments to save his family from the fast-moving waters. The father-of-two selflessly punched through a window of their home in Kerrville, just off the Guadalupe River, to help his mother, his fiancée and the couple's 6-year-old and 13-month-old children escape to the roof. Despite the severe injury, 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. But, the glass tore through his arm, severing an artery and nearly detaching the limb. His final words were, 'I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.' Reece and Paula Zunker High school soccer coach, Reece Zunker (top right), and his wife, Paula (top left) were among those who died in the devastating floods that swept through Texas on Friday. Reece was teacher and soccer coach at Tivy High School in Kerrville, and Paula was formerly a teacher at the school. The couple's two young children, Lyle (left) and Holland (right), were both still missing as of Sunday afternoon. 'It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of one of our beloved teachers, Reece Zunker, and his wife, Paula, who tragically lost their lives in the flash flood on July 4th,' the Kerrville Independent School District said in a statement. 'Reece was a passionate educator and a beloved soccer coach. His unwavering dedication to our students, athletes, and the Tivy community touched countless lives and will never be forgotten. 'Paula, a former Tivy teacher, also left a lasting mark on our community. The care and impact she shared with her students continue to be felt, even years later.' Jeff Wilson, 55 - Beloved teacher Renee Smajstrla, 8 Janie Hunt, 9 - Cousin of the Kansas City Chiefs owner Sarah Marsh, 8 Alabama native Sarah Marsh (pictured) died after the waters swept through Camp Mystic, according to her family. 'Thank you for the outpouring of love and sympathy! We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever! We love you so much sweet Sarah,' her grandmother said, according to The Kerrville Daily Times. Lila Bonner, 9 - Attending camp with her best friend The family of Lila Bonner (right), who was sharing a cabin at the camp with her best friend Eloise Peck, confirmed her passing to NBC News. 'In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time,' the family said. 'We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss.' Eloise Peck, 8 Dallas girl Eloise Peck (right), who recently finished second grade at Bradfield Elementary with her best friend Lilia, also died in the flood. 'Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals,' her mother, Missy Peck, told FOX 4 . 'She passed away with her cabinmate and best friend Lila Bonner who also died. Eloise had a family who loved her fiercely for the 8 years she was with us. Especially her Mommy.' Blair Harber, 13 - Died holding on to younger sister Two sisters, Blair (left) and Brooke Harber (right), were among those who were killed in the deadly Texas floods. They were not attending Camp Mystic when the natural disaster struck. The sisters were with their grandparents at a cabin along the Guadalupe River when they were swept away, reported FOX 4. The girls' parents were staying at another cabin and are safe. Their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, are missing. 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', timestamped at 3.30am. The girls also sent a similar message to their grandfather in Michigan. Brooke Harber, 11 Brooke Harber (center), Blair's younger sister, was confirmed dead over the holiday weekend. The sisters were found holding hands. Blair (left of center) and Brooker were eighth grade and sixth grade students respectively at St. Rita Catholic School, according to their priest, Father Joshua J. Whitfield. 'Even if we may never fully understand why such tragedies happen, we are called to respond with love, compassion, and prayer,' Whitfield said. 'We will honor Blair and Brooke's lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.' Richard 'Dick' Eastland, 70 - Hero camp director Beloved Camp Mystic Director Richard 'Dick' Eastland (pictured), 70, died while trying to rescue campers from the biblical rushing waters. Eastland's nephew, Gardner Eastland, confirmed the death in a Facebook post on Saturday. The camp director's wife, Tweety, was found safe at their home, according to Texas Public Radio. Father-of-four Eastland died in a helicopter on the way to a Houston hospital, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told the Washington Post. The Eastlands have owned and operated Camp Mystic since 1974, and many viewed him as a father figure at the camp. Chloe Childress, 18 Camp Mystic counselor Chloe Childress (pictured) also lost her life in the disaster. The Kinkaid School graduate was about to start studying at the University of Texas at Austin in the fall. 'Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone's burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave,' Jonathan Eades, the head of The Kinkaid School, wrote in a letter to the school community. 'She understood what it meant to be part of a community, and more than that, she helped build one.'
