Inside Robert Redford's Family Tragedies: What He Said About the Deaths of His Two Sons

The late actor's sons, Scott and James, whom he shared with ex-wife Lola Van Wagenen, predeceased him.

NEED TO KNOW

• Robert Redford, who died at 89 on Tuesday, September 16, was a father to four children, whom he shared with his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen.
• Redford's two sons, Scott and James, preceded him in death; Scott died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at 2½ months old in 1959, while James died of cancer at 58 in 2020.
• "Something like that doesn't get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you're not even aware of," Redford said about Scott's death in 2017.

Robert Redford , who died On Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 89 years old, he was a father to four children in his lifetime. Two of his children - sons Scott and James - died before the celebrated actor and filmmaker, in 1959 and 2020, respectively.

Redford and his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, welcomed four children together: Scott, Shauna, James and Amy Redford. The former couple's firstborn, Scott, died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at 2 ½ months old. James, who was the third eldest, died of cancer in October 2020. (Robert divorced Van Wagenen in 1985. Decades later, in 2009, he married again with Sibylle Szaggars after their first meeting in 1996, when the actor invited her and a group of friends to dinner at his Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah.

Robert rarely spoke about Scott, who was born on Sept. 1, 1959 and unexpectedly died of SIDS on Nov. 19. In 2017, though, the All the President's Men Star spoke out about Scott's death in an interview with Esquire United Kingdom .

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"I was only 21; my wife was 20. We were just starting our lives; I was just starting my career in New York. Of course it was traumatic, and how that plays out over time, I don't know," Robert said at the time. "We had to deal with it. You have to move on. And we had other children who came. But something like that doesn't get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you're not even aware of."

"I'm sure there's a lot of this stuff that's subconscious. But it's pretty traumatic when it happens, particularly when you're that young. You're not equipped to deal with it," he added. When Esquire asked if he ever spent time in therapy to unpack the loss, Robert said, "Sure I did. But it never worked out. I tried a while back, two or three times. I found myself trying to psychoanalyze the analyst."

James, meanwhile, was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a disease that affects the liver and bile ducts, as an adult. He received two liver transplants in 1993 and founded a nonprofit called the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness following those surgeries. In 1999, James also released a documentary, The Kindness of Strangers , which followed organ donors and recipients.

James' wife, Kyle, announced His death at 58 in an X (previously known as Twitter) post on Oct. 16, 2020. At the time, she told The Salt Lake Tribune That James died from bile-duct cancer in his liver. Kyle said her husband's liver disease had returned in 2018, and that the cancer was discovered in November 2019 while he was awaiting a liver transplant.

Following James' death, a representative for the actor told newsrealtimethat Robert was "mourning with his family during this difficult time and asks for privacy." The representative added, " The grief is immeasurable with the loss of a child Jamie was a loving son, husband and father. His legacy lives on through his children, art, filmmaking and devoted passion to conservation and the environment.

Robert himself spoke about the importance of parenting in his life when he talked with newsrealtimefor a 1998 cover story .

Newsrealtime, think it's been easy for me. That's hard to live with. It's so untrue. The hardest thing in the world is when your children have problems," he said at the time. "There have been so many hits on our family that no one knows about, and I don't want them to, for my family's sake. I've made some interesting movies, and I've been very satisfied with the work, but if someone wrapped it all up and said to me, 'What's your greatest achievement?' I'd say, 'The children. They're the best thing in my life.'

Read the original article on newsrealtime

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Fall River fire chaplain recounts Gabriel House tragedy: 'Nobody was prepared for this'

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — It was 9:45 p.m. on June 13 when Father Michael Racine's phone rang.

It was Richard Aguiar, director of the Fall River Emergency Management Agency.

Aguiar told him the situation at the Gabriel House assisted living facility was dire.

"He basically told me that they already had two fatalities that they knew about and to get down there as quickly as possible," Racine recalled.

SEE ALSO: What we know about the Fall River fire victims

Racine, who has been the Fall River Fire Department's chaplain for about a decade, rushed over to the Oliver Street facility and couldn't believe his eyes.

The guys were starting to bring victims out of the windows," Racine recalled. "I actually anointed someone right as [the firefighters] were bringing the body down the ladder.

"You have to make the assumption that they're Catholic, so they at least get the graces of the sacrament," he explained.

Racine remembers anointing the first five victims, who were brought to a makeshift morgue set up by the Fall River Police Department.

It was very respectful and dignified," Racine said about the morgue, which was shielded and guarded by an officer the entire night. "Everyone was treated with love and respect, as they should be.

RELATED: Funeral home offers to cover the cost of services for Fall River fire victims

To Racine, the entire ordeal was "chaos, but controlled."

I was proud of what I saw from the Fall River Fire Department," Racine said. "Everybody just bonded and worked together.

It wasn't until he got home that the magnitude of the ordeal started to sink in, when he began recording the anointments in his sacrament book.

Racine realized he hadn't gotten the names of the victims he had anointed.

You don't know who you're anointing," Racine said. "When I went to record them on Monday, I wrote, 'Fire victim 1, fire victim 2, fire victim 3, fire victim 4, fire victim 5.'

It's very odd looking at that because it's a permanent record," he continued. "It's a very eerie feeling, because you don't know who you're administering the sacrament to.

Racine said he has never experienced anything like the Gabriel House fire.

This was not your usual fire," Racine said. "Nobody was prepared for this.

MORE: Bodycam shows first responders rescuing residents from Fall River fire

In the days afterward, as the victims were identified, Racine was able to meet some of the families of the residents he anointed. Racine told 12 News they were grateful that he was there to anoint their loved ones.

People appreciate that," he said. "They understand what the sacrament gives. It gives us that fulfillment, the forgiveness of sins, the healing they needed.

Racine also made sure to support the firefighters who were risking their lives to save trapped residents from the burning building.

I just made sure they were OK," Racine said. "Most of these guys haven't seen a fire like this in their careers.

In the wake of the tragedy, Racine hopes everyone will turn to their faith while trying to cope with what happened.

This is going to take a long time to get over," he said. "But I think faith is very important.

Racine told 12 News his door is always open to firefighters who want to talk about what they witnessed that night.

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Fall River fire chief recounts heroic rescue of residents at Gabriel House

The Fall River fire chief shared emotional accounts of firefighters' heroic efforts during the Gabriel House fire on Wednesday, highlighting their life-saving actions. Nine people died in the fire, but Chief Jeffrey Bacon said many more would have perished if not for the selfless work of his firefighters.

Bacon said the 35 firefighters faced incredible moments as they climbed down ladders carrying individuals who could not walk. He said his department never stopped saving lives during the night of the fire.

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"My driver singlehandedly lifts up each victim," Bacon said, pausing emotionally. "Puts him on his shoulder, walks down a flight of stairs, screams for a medic, and every time somebody screamed for a medic, Fall River EMS was there to help provide life-saving care. Every time a victim came, Fall River police were there to deliver them to EMS to provide lifesaving care. This might sound remarkable to you, but the driver of that ladder repeated that action six times."

Officials publicly identified an eighth victim on Wednesday as Joseph Wilansky, 77. The name of the ninth victim, a 70-year-old woman, has not been released.

A memorial with flowers and candles continues to grow at the Gabriel House, where a fire late Sunday claimed the lives of nine people. Pressure is also mounting to answer what went wrong.

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan joined the community Tuesday night for a vigil and said he is frustrated with Dennis Etzkorn, the facility's owner.

Coogan said the two spoke on the phone early Tuesday, but when he called back again Etzkorn stopped answering his calls.

Etzkorn was seen driving off in a pickup truck just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, avoiding reporters after spending the entire day at Gabriel House.

How you can donate:

• Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fall River
• Firefighters' Wives Association Inc.

"These are his residents, and he might as well push them on the sidewalk and say, 'Have a nice day,' if he's not going to follow up. He has a financial obligation to these people, and we're going to see to the best of our ability that he does what he's supposed to do for them because these people were thrown into the abyss," Coogan said.

Coogan said as of Wednesday night, overtime will be used to get more firefighters on trucks. He says every shift, six of Fall River's 10 trucks will meet national standards, with a plan to hire more firefighters down the road.

Bacon said all residents have been placed in housing, and two people remain hospitalized in critical condition.

Fall River Fire Captain Michael O'Reagan spoke Tuesday night at the city council meeting. He called the fire a "nightmare" situation for all public safety officials.

He was emotional as he thanked first responders and ordinary citizens who helped save lives.

"We had operations ... we had guys by themselves, taking people down ladders alone ... something we don't do," he said.

O'Reagan said his crews were still rescuing and recovering people after 40 minutes on Sunday.

The Bristol County District Attorney's Office identified seven of the deceased as Rui Albernaz, 64; Ronald Codega, 61; Margaret Duddy, 69; Robert King, 78; Kim Mackin, 71; Richard Rochon, 78; and Eleanor Willett, 86; and Joseph Wilansky, 77. The office said a 70-year-old woman was still pending notification of family.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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READ THE FULL STORY: Fall River fire chief recounts heroic rescue of residents at Gabriel House

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"God gave me light": Kerr County couple shares how they survived when a wall of water hit their home

KERR COUNTY, Texas (Nexstar) — Susan Johnson heard the toilet bubbling in her Kerr County home at 4 a.m. on July 4. She and her husband, Rick, knew they were in trouble as a wall of water approached their home in Ingram.

MAP: Where have flash flood deaths been confirmed in Texas?

Within minutes, that water slammed into their house located between Bumblebee Creek and the Guadalupe River in west Kerr County. The couple had to swim for their lives in the darkness, clinging to a sycamore tree for nearly two hours as flood waters raged around them.

"There's a difference between watching real hard and then a 32-foot wall coming down and hitting. There's just no time, none," Johnson said.

At least 134 people have been killed in the catastrophic flash flooding across Texas, with Kerr County suffering the heaviest toll Officials said 107 people died in the county as of July 15, including 37 children, with 97 people still missing from the greater Kerrville area.

The Johnsons' property was located at the convergence of two waterways—a geographic feature that helps explain why the Hill Country flooding proved so devastating across the region.

'Perfect storm' geography

Becky Etzler, executive director of the Riverside Nature Center in Kerrville, uses topographical maps to show visitors why the Hill Country experiences such severe flash flooding. The region's steep terrain creates a natural funnel that channels water rapidly downhill from elevations exceeding 2,000 feet to areas below 1,600 feet over short distances.

Western Kerr County is located at the headwaters of the Guadalupe River system, where multiple tributaries converge after rushing down limestone hills. When heavy rainfall occurs in the area, water flows horizontally through underground rock formations until it reaches springs that feed the river.

"It's the perfect storm, just geographically, in geology and through geologic features of, you know, this rapid, rapid, and thus flash flood alley," Etzler said.

Life-or-death escape

The Johnsons received alerts warning of extreme danger around 4 a.m., but the water rose faster than they could react. Johnson, a military veteran, used his training to guide his wife through chest-deep water to a window as their house filled rapidly. He grabbed his go-bag containing knives, flashlights and a whistle.

Outside, they faced roaring floodwaters that Johnson described as sounding like freight trains. In complete darkness, a flash of lightning illuminated a sycamore tree limb, and they managed to grab it, pulling both of them to safety.

"If I missed that tree for whatever reason we were going to hit the flood, and I mean extreme flood and no human could swim against it," Johnson said.

The couple secured themselves in the tree with Johnson's web belt about 12 to 14 feet above the ground, enduring freezing water and wind for nearly two hours until dawn broke and water levels began dropping.

Once the immediate danger passed, Johnson organized rescue efforts for his neighbors. He helped evacuate elderly residents, including a 98-year-old man and his 83-year-old wife, and coordinated with first responders who arrived around 7:30 a.m.

The neighborhood effort ensured all 19 houses were safely evacuated, although most residents lost their homes and belongings. Johnson credited the community's quick response and cooperation for preventing any deaths in their area.

Unprecedented flooding

Even facilities designed to withstand periodic flooding suffered extensive damage. The Riverside Nature Center, located in what officials designated a 500-year flood plain, experienced its first-ever inundation when both the Guadalupe River and Town Creek rose simultaneously.

Etzler said the center had never flooded despite numerous high-water events of the Guadalupe River over the years. This time, the facility sustained three feet of water in education buildings, destroying classroom materials and forcing the complete reconstruction of damaged structures.

Starting over

The Johnsons lost their home of 13 years, both vehicles and nearly all possessions. They plan to move within Kerr County but will choose higher ground away from creek and river confluences.

Johnson said his military training helped him stay focused during the crisis, but he has no desire to face such conditions again at age 67.

We're alive," he said. "Why should I be sad? We're alive.

A GoFundMe page has been established to help the Johnson family rebuild after losing their home and belongings.

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Jewel Thais-Williams, founder of the beloved Black queer nightclub Jewel's Catch One, dies at 86

Jewel Thais-Williams, founder of the pioneering Black lesbian and queer nightclub Jewel's Catch One in Los Angeles, has died. She was 86.

The death of Thais-Williams was confirmed by KTLA and by several friends and employees of the club. No cause of death was immediately available.

For decades, the Mid-City nightclub — known to regulars as The Catch — was L.A.'s hallowed sanctuary for Black queer women, and a welcoming dance floor for trans, gay and musically adventurous revelers. Artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Madonna and Whitney Houston sashayed down Catch One's winding halls, while the indomitable Thais-Williams fended off police harassment and led care programs during the height of the AIDS crisis.

The Catch was singularly important to the development of Black and queer nightlife in L.A., and belongs beside New York's Paradise Garage and Chicago's Warehouse in any account of the most important nightclubs in America.

It was a community, it was family," Thais-Williams told The Times in a 2018 interview. "To be honest myself, I was pretty much a loner too. I always had the fears of coming out, or my family finding out. I found myself there.

Thais-Williams, born in Indiana in 1939, opened Jewel's Catch One in 1973. She didn't have ambitions to open a generationally important nightclub, just a more resilient business than her previous dress shop. However, her experience of being shunned as a Black woman by other local gay clubs strengthened her determination to make the Catch welcoming for those excluded from the scene in L.A.

I didn't come into this business with the idea of it becoming a community center," she said in 1992. "It started before AIDS and the riots and all that. I got the first sense of the business being more than just a bar and having an obligation to the community years ago when Black gays were carded - requiring several pieces of ID - to get into white clubs. I went to bat for them, though I would love to have them come to my place every night.

The idea is to have the freedom to go where you want to without being harassed. The predominantly male, white gay community has its set of prejudices. It's better now, but it still exists.

Jewel's Catch One became a kind of West Coast Studio 54, with disco-era visionaries like Donna Summer, Chaka Khan, Sylvester, Rick James and Evelyn "Champagne" King performing to packed rooms. Celebrities like Sharon Stone and Whoopi Goldberg attended the parties, glad for wild nights out away from the paparazzi in Hollywood.

Thais-Williams "opened the door for so many people," said Nigl "14k," the Catch's manager, doorperson and limo driver for 27 years until its sale in 2015. "A lot of people who felt unwanted in West Hollywood had nowhere to go. But people found out who she was and spread the word. She was a great friend and a shrewd businessperson who allowed people to just be themselves."

The club's many rooms allowed for a range of nightlife — strip shows, card games and jazz piano sets alongside DJ and live band performances [along with Alcoholics Anonymous meetings]. The boisterous, accepting atmosphere for Black queer partiers contrasted with the constant surveillance, regulation and harassment outside of it.

There was a restriction on same-sex dancing, women couldn't tend bar unless they owned it," Thais-Williams said in 2018. "The police were arresting people for anything remotely homosexual. We had them coming in with guns pretending to be looking for someone in a white T-shirt just so they could walk around.

A fire in 1985 claimed much of the venue's top floor, closing it for two years. Thais-Williams suspected that gentrifiers had their eye on her building.

It's very important not to give up our institutions — places of business that have been around for years," she said. "Having a business that people can see can offer them some incentive to do it for themselves. I'm determined to win, and if I do fail or move on, I want my business to go to Black people who have the same interest that I have to maintain an economic presence in this community.

Thais-Williams' AIDS activism was crucial during the bleakest eras of the disease, which ravaged queer communities of color. She co-founded the Minority AIDS Project and served on the board of the AIDS Project Los Angeles, which provided HIV/AIDS care, prevention programs and public policy initiatives.

With her partner, Rue, she co-founded Rue’s House, one of the first dedicated housing facilities in the U.S. for women living with HIV. The facility later became a sober-living home. In 2001, Thais-Williams founded the Village Health Foundation, a healthcare and education organization focused on chronic diseases affecting the Black community.

Jewel is a true symbol of leadership within our community," said Marquita Thomas, a board member of Christopher Street West, who selected Thais-Williams to lead the city's Pride parade in 2018. "Her tireless efforts have positively affected the lives of countless LGBTQ minorities, [and her] dedication to bettering our community is truly inspiring.

After decades in nightlife, facing dwindling crowds and high overhead for a large venue, in 2015 Thais-Williams sold the venue to nightlife entrepreneur Mitch Edelson, who continues to host rock and dance nights in the club, now known as Catch One. (Edelson said the club is planning a memorial for Thais-Williams.)

People in general don't have appreciation anymore for their own institutions," Thais-Williams told The Times in 2015. "All we want is something that's shiny because our attention span is only going to last for one season and then you want to go somewhere else. The younger kids went to school and associated with both the straight people and non-Blacks, so they feel free to go to those spots. The whole gay scene as it relates to nightclubs has changed — a lot.

After the sale, the importance of the club came into sharper focus. A 2018 Netflix documentary, produced by Ava DuVernay’s company Array, highlighted The Catch's impact on Los Angeles nightlife, and the broader music scene of the era. When Thais-Williams sold it, the Catch was the last Black-owned queer nightclub in the city.

In 2019, the square outside of Jewel's Catch One was officially named after Thais-Williams.

With Jewel's Catch One, she built a home for young, black queer people who were often isolated and shut out at their own homes, and in doing so, changed the lives of so many said then-City Council President Herb Wesson at the ceremony. "Jewel is more than deserving to be the first Black lesbian woman with a dedicated square in the city of Los Angeles for this and so many other reasons."

L.A.'s queer nightlife scene is still reeling from the impact of the pandemic, broader economic forces, and changing tastes among young queer audiences. Still, Thais-Williams' vision and perseverance to create and sustain a home for her community will resonate for generations to come.

Multiple generations of Black queer joy, safety, and community exist today because of Jewel Thais-Williams," said Jasmyne Cannick, organizer of South L.A. Pride. "She didn't just open doors — she held them open long enough for all of us to walk through, including this Gen-X Black lesbian. There's a whole generation of younger Black queer folks out here in L.A. living their best life, not even realizing they're walking through doors Jewel built from the ground up.

"Long before Pride had corporate sponsors and hashtags, Jewel was out here creating space for us to gather, dance, organize, heal, and simply exist," Cannick continued. "We owe her more than we could ever repay."

Thais-Williams is survived by her wife and partner for 40 years, Rue.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .

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The owner's family of the Kansas City Chiefs faces heartbreaking loss as a 9-year-old relative dies in catastrophic Texas floods

Clark Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, and his loved ones are among many grieving after 9-year-old Janie Hunt, a young relative, became one of the victims of the devastating floods that swept through Central Texas over the weekend.

Janie was attending Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp nestled along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, when torrential rains caused the river to swell. In just 45 minutes, the river rose 26 feet, fueled by nearly 10 inches of rain that fell in a matter of hours.

CNN reported That as of Monday, the death toll had risen to at least 89, with many others still unaccounted for.

Tavia Hunt, wife of Clark Hunt, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram , expressing both grief and deep faith.

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, she wrote .

Tavia's message didn't shy away from the heavy spiritual question that often follows in the wake of tragedy: "How do we trust a God who is supposed to be good, all knowing and all powerful, but who allows such terrible things to happen — even to children," she said .

She turned to multiple scriptures in search of comfort and strength, offering words of solace to others suffering in the aftermath.

If your heart is broken, I assure you God is near, she said He is gentle with your wounds. And He is still worthy—even when your soul is struggling to believe it. Trust doesn’t mean you’re over the pain; it means you’re handing it to the only One who can hold it with love and restore what was lost. For we do not grieve as those without hope.

Approximately 750 children were attending Camp Mystic at the time of the flooding. The camp confirmed that at least 27 campers and counselors lost their lives, and several others are still missing. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha reported that 10 campers and one counselor were still unaccounted for as of Monday.

In a public statement posted to their website , Camp Mystic expressed its sorrow: "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly. We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level. We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us."

Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. told CNN that no warning was given about the scale of the rainfall or the risk of such catastrophic flooding.

It all happened upriver at the worst possible place, Herring said And I think everyone in Kerrville, everyone in Kerr County wishes we had some way to warn them. To warn those people. I've lost two friends. We loved them and they're gone. You know they're gone. Everyone here, if we could have warned them we would have done so. And we didn't even have a warning. We did not know.

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2 Dallas girls killed in flooding at Camp Mystic, families say

Two North Texas girls missing from Camp Mystic Nine children have been confirmed dead in the wake of catastrophic Central Texas flooding: Lila Bonner, 9, and Eloise Peck, 8, CBS News Texas confirmed on Sunday.

A sign posted outside the home of 8-year-old Eloise Peck stated that "she lost her life in the tragic flooding." The family asked for privacy to mourn.

Bonner's family confirmed on Saturday that She was among the children who had died in the flood. .

Bonner and Peck were two of the three girls from Dallas — the other being 8-year-old Hadley Hanna — who were among a group of missing Camp Mystic campers, unaccounted for following the flash floods that swept through Kerr County early Friday.

Monday morning, Camp Mystic confirmed that 27 campers and counselors died in the flash flooding that swept through the area.

"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," the camp said in a statement. on its website We are praying for them constantly.

Camp Mystic's owner and director Dick Eastland, 74, also died while trying to save girls at the camp, according to local media reports .

At a news conference on Sunday, officials said at least 10 Camp Mystic campers were still missing , along with one counselor.

Hadley Hanna is among those still missing.

There were about 750 children at Camp Mystic when the floods hit, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said.

Dallas sisters among the dozens killed in Central Texas flooding

Two sisters from Dallas - 13-year-old Blair Harber and 11-year-old Brooke Harber - were among the dozens of lives lost in the catastrophic floods that swept through Central Texas early Friday.

Their deaths were confirmed Saturday by St. Rita Catholic Community. Blair was preparing to enter eighth grade, and Brooke was set to begin sixth grade at St. Rita Catholic School.

The sisters were not attending Camp Mystic, but were in the area when the flooding occurred.

Dozens dead, many still missing

As of Monday morning, at least 82 have died and at least 41 more are missing, according to officials, following the devastating flash floods that hit the Texas Hill Country. Rescue operations remain ongoing across the area.

Authorities caution that not all of the campers are confirmed missing — some may be unreachable due to storm-related communication outages — but the uncertainty has left families anxiously awaiting updates.

According to the camp's website, children become eligible to attend Camp Mystic, located in Hunt, Texas, along the Guadalupe River, after completing second grade.

My instruction to every state agency involved in this is to assume everybody who is missing is alive," Abbott said during a news conference on Saturday. "And there is a need for speed - not just every hour. Every minute counts, which is why there are people in the air, people in the water, people on the ground right now because they are looking to save every last life. And we will not give up that effort.

Trump signs federal disaster declaration for Kerr County

President Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday morning, at Texas Governor Greg Abbott's request. On Saturday, Abbott said he visited the summer camp for the first time, calling the scene "horrendously ravaged" in a social media post.

Abbott encouraged all Texans to pause in reflection and prayer on Sunday, and also to "seek God's wisdom, peace, and mercy during this time of need for so many Texas families."

Large-scale response underway

In response, authorities have launched a large-scale search effort, deploying helicopters, Texas game wardens, and specialized rescue teams. Several children have already been rescued from trees and other stranded locations.

Rescuers scoured flooded riverbanks littered with mangled trees Saturday and turned over rocks in the search for more than two dozen children from a girls' camp and many others missing after a wall of water swept down a river in the Texas Hill Country.

Col. Freeman Martin with the Texas Department of Public Safety said there are still unidentified victims at funeral homes, including adults and children.

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Texas flooding latest: Two sisters among 51 dead as desperate search for campers swept away enters third day

LIVE – Updated at 08:10

Four girls missing from a summer camp were found dead after a desperate search for dozens of other campers continues after devastating floods hit Texas , killing at least 51.

At least 15 children were killed as a result of what Texas GOP Congressman Chip Roy called a "once-in-a-century flood." More than 850 people from around the region have been rescued or evacuated, officials said Saturday.

Two girls — 13-year-old Blair and 11-year-old Brooke — were among those killed by the floods, their father told CNN on Saturday night. Harber said Blair "was a gifted student and had a generous, kind heart," and described Brooke as "like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment."

There are also 27 girls still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River that was ravaged by the floods, officials said. At least four girls who attended Camp Mystic have been confirmed dead, according to reports , marking a tragic end to a day-long search.

The unexpected flash flooding struck on Friday after torrential rain along the Guadalupe River. The destructive force of the fast-rising waters just before dawn on Friday washed out homes and swept away vehicles.

Key Points

• Death toll rises to 51
• Witness accounts reveal the horror of the floods
• Mapped: Where was hit by the deadly flooding?
• How the Texas Hill Country flood went from small water flow to deadly tide in a matter of hours
• Trump 'heartbroken' over Texas flooding

08:08 , Alex Croft

Witness recalls 'indescribable' moment of the flooding

07:47 , Alex Croft

Tonia Fucci, a Pennsylvania resident visiting her grandmother for the Independence Day weekend, woke early on Friday to the sound of heavy rain "coming down in buckets."

"It's indescribable, the sounds, of how loud they were, which turned out to be ... the massive cypress trees that came down along the river," she told a Reuters reporter in an interview the next day.

Ms. Fucci filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house and two recreational vehicles in a parking lot, with their wheels submerged in water.

"I'm still in shock today," Fucci told Reuters news agency There are so many missing children and missing people. You just want them to be found for the families' sake. But, you know, it's not going to be a good ending... There's no way people could have survived the speed of the water.

Ms. Fucci said she had received National Weather alerts on her phone hours after the flood had already hit. The residents of the town had to rely on one another, as they ran to their neighbors to see who needed help before rescue teams arrived.

"Something I've never seen before. You knew it was tragedy," Ms. Fucci said.

ICYMI: Congressman reunited with daughters after flooding

07:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Representative August Pfluger shared that he and his wife were reunited with their two daughters, who were attending Camp Mystic.

"Camille, Vivian, and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana, who were evacuated from Camp Mystic," he wrote The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families, and we mourn with them as well as hold out hope for survivors.

Texas officials question scaled-back Weather Service's actions on the night of the floods — but experts say the agency did all it could

05:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Texas officials are questioning the actions of the National Weather Service قبل يوم الجمعة الذي شهَدَ فيضانات قاتلة، حيث دافع زملاؤه من أخصائيي الجوي عن الوكالة.

Some state and local officials say the NWS didn't provide accurate forecasts ahead of Friday's destructive flooding months after President Donald Trump's administration gutted the agency and experts warned forecasts could suffer.

Continue reading:

Texas officials question NWS actions amid floods as experts defend the agency

62-year-old woman found dead in San Angelo

04:25 , Katie Hawkinson

A 62-year-old woman was found dead amid floodwaters in San Angelo, Texas.

Tanya Burwick's body was recovered several blocks from her submerged car, the San Angelo Police Department said .

Death toll rises to 52

03:53 , Katie Hawkinson

Fifty-two people have been killed by the disastrous flooding in central Texas, according to a new tally Saturday evening by T The New York Times .

Trump 'heartbroken' over Texas flooding

03:46 , Katie Hawkinson

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said President Donald Trump is "heartbroken" over the Texas flooding.

"Know that President Trump is absolutely heartbroken by what's happened here in Texas," Noem said.

"Relief will be coming," Noem added, noting that Trump has indicated he'll accept Texas Governor Greg Abbott's request for federal aid.

Man recounts rescuing victim caught in floodwaters

03:25 , Katie Hawkinson

Texas resident Carl Jeter told CNN he helped rescue a woman swept away in the Guadalupe River as heavy storms battered the state.

The woman was stuck in the Guadalupe River for four hours before pulling herself up onto a tree, Jeter told CNN .

He called the police to rescue her, but when they didn't arrive within 30 minutes, he sprang into action.

Jeter said he got into his car and flagged down a nearby rescue officer. Soon afterward, a water rescue team helped get the woman to safety.

She then waited inside Jeter's home until a family member picked her up.

It's a true miracle," Jeter told CNN. "We've been on the river for a long time and that's not something that is survivable.

Photos of rescue teams searching for missing campers after Texas Hill Country flash flood

02:45 , Katie Hawkinson

Photos of rescue teams searching for missing campers after Texas Hill Country flash flood

How the Texas Hill Country flood went from small water flow to deadly tide in a matter of hours

02:30 , Erin Keller

A powerful flash flood hit Central Texas' Hill Country late Friday into early Saturday, leaving at least 27 people dead , including children, while many more are still missing.

Most of the missing were attending Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River.

What began as a routine flood watch quickly turned into a deadly disaster . The National Weather Service predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some isolated areas possibly receiving 5 to 7 inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were hit with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours.

Continue reading:

How the Texas Hill Country Flood Turned Deadly in Just Hours

Girl ‘living her best life’ at camp and man who saved his family. Everything we know about Texas flooding victims

02:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Everything we know about Texas flooding victims

Texas officials prioritizing search and rescue

01:45 , Katie Hawkinson

Texas officials are prioritizing search and rescue efforts, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday evening.

We're really focused on life safety," he said. "Our primary focus is on search and rescue of every single person involved, and we'll continue through the night to make sure that happens.

"We're in a marathon, and we have to make sure we always think about that and look after each other," he added.

Two girls died in flooding in Kerr County: report

01:20 , Katie Hawkinson

Two girls — 13-year-old Blair and 11-year-old Brooke — were killed by the floods in Kerr County, their father told CNN on Saturday night.

Harber said Blair "was a gifted student and had a generous, kind heart."

He described Brooke as "like a light in any room; people gravitated to her, and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment."

Death toll rises to 51

Sunday, 6 July 2025 00:59 , Katie Hawkinson

The Texas flooding death toll has risen to 51 people.

43 people were killed in Kerr County, including 15 children. The floods killed another four people in Travis County, three people in Burnet County, and one person in Kendall County.

Grok uses climate change statistics to explain Karoline Leavitt's post about Texas floods

Sunday, 6 July 2025 00:44 , Ariana Baio

Grok, Elon Musk's artificial intelligence bot on X, summarized a post from the White House Press Secretary regarding the devastating Texas floods , providing information on how global warming increases the likelihood of extreme weather.

Read more:

Grok uses climate change statistics to explain Trump's post about Texas floods

27 children still missing from Camp Mystic

Sunday, 6 July 2025 00:21 , Katie Hawkinson

Twenty-seven children are still missing from Camp Mystic, authorities said on Saturday evening, indicating no change from earlier in the day.

Authorities said they are rescuing people by the hundreds.

Death toll rises to 43

Sunday, 6 July 2025 00:12 , Katie Hawkinson

This week's catastrophic flooding has killed at least 43 people in Kerr County, Texas, officials revealed at a Saturday evening press conference.

The fatalities include 15 children and 28 adults.

Watch: Texas flood victim clinging to tree is airlifted out of danger in dramatic rescue

Saturday, 5 July 2025 23:55 , Katie Hawkinson

Georgia Congressional candidate shares conspiracy theories amid floods

Saturday, 5 July 2025 23:40 , Katie Hawkinson

A woman running for Congress in Georgia is spreading conspiracy theories claiming that devastating weather events — like floods and hurricanes — are "fake."

Her comments come amid the devastating flooding in Texas.

Kandiss Taylor wrote on X Fake weather. Fake hurricanes. Fake flooding. Fake. Fake. Fake.

“Whack weather patterns creating crises that are portrayed to be natural and real, but when weather is manipulated, it is a fake progression not natural,” she added.

It is not possible to artificially create or manipulate large-scale weather events like hurricanes.

When another X user accused Taylor of "making false claims" about the Texas floods to "get attention," the candidate said she was praying "nonstop" for those affected.

I wasn't speaking about that event specifically," Taylor wrote. "However, if weather was modified there, it is murder. We better speak up.

Rep. Pfluger reunited with his children

Saturday, 5 July 2025 23:26 , Katie Hawkinson

Representative August Pfluger shared that he and his wife were reunited with their two daughters, who were attending Camp Mystic.

"Camille, Vivian, and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana, who were evacuated from Camp Mystic," he wrote The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families, and we mourn with them as well as hold out hope for survivors.

ICYMI: State officials vow to continue efforts until 'every single person' is located

Saturday, 5 July 2025 23:20 , Kelly Rissman

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promised a 'relentless' response effort after floods rampaged parts of his home state.

“We will be relentless in going after and making sure we locate every single person who has been a victim of this flooding event,” Abbott said at a Saturday afternoon press conference. “We’re not going to stop today or tomorrow. We’ll stop when the job is completed.”

Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, echoed this sentiment. He said his team refuses to quit searching until every missing person has been found: "We will not stop until we find every one of them."

Ground crews, air assets, and boats have been working to search for missing people, Kidd added. Recovery efforts have not yet begun.

How the Texas Hill Country flood turned into a deadly tide within hours

Saturday, 5 July 2025 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

A powerful flash flood hit Central Texas' Hill Country late Friday into early Saturday, leaving at least 27 people dead, including children, while many more are still missing.

Most of the missing were attending Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River.

What began as a routine flood watch quickly turned into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly receiving 5 to 7 inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were hit with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours.

San Antonio Express-News newsroom meteorologist Anthony Franze said the storm was fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and remnants of Tropical Storm Barry. These combined to create a slow-moving weather system that remained over the area and dumped heavy rain over hills and valleys.

The geography of Hill Country made things worse. The steep hills and rocky land don't absorb water well, so rain quickly flows into creeks and rivers. This caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 20 feet in a matter of hours.

Erin Keller has the story.

How the Texas Hill Country Flood Turned Deadly in Just Hours

More rainfall hits San Antonio area

Saturday, 5 July 2025 22:40 , Kelly Rissman

The National Weather Service warns of "life-threatening flash flooding" in parts of Texas as storms continue to batter the already-devastated region.

In Burnet County, between 5 and 10 inches of rain have fallen, the agency said.

The service warned locals not to drive on flooded roads, noting that "most flood deaths occur in vehicles."

WATCH: Rep. Chip Roy on deadly Texas flooding

Saturday, 5 July 2025 22:20 , Kelly Rissman

Noem addresses delayed flood warning alerts from 'ancient' system

Saturday, 5 July 2025 22:03 , Kelly Rissman

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Noem was asked about the delayed text alerts regarding the incoming flash floods: "Wasn't that a fundamental failure of the federal government's responsibility to keep us safe?"

The Homeland Security secretary admitted that there are times when the National Weather Service hasn't provided up-to-date alerts. Trump is "currently upgrading the technology," she said.

The National Weather Service and NOAA have acknowledged "we needed to renew this ancient system that has been left in place with the federal government for many, many years," she added.

Death toll rises to 32, Kerr County Sheriff says

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:43 , Kelly Rissman

The death toll after the floods has risen to 32, with 18 adults and 14 children having lost their lives in the disaster, the Kerr County sheriff said.

Five of the adults and three of the children remain unidentified, Sheriff Larry Leitha said.

Kidd said his team is still searching for people, noting that recovery efforts have not yet begun.

Officials detail response after 'once-in-a-century flood'

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:39 , Kelly Rissman

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said he lives along the Guadalupe River: "Our properties were devastated."

He saw body bags and witnessed firsthand the devastation from the floods. The judge added: "We know we get rains, we know the river rises. But nobody saw this coming."

Texas GOP Congressman Chip Roy called the disaster a "once-in-a-century flood."

Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said his team refuses to quit searching until every missing person has been found: "We will not stop until we find every one of them."

There are 1,300 additional personnel working on the response as well as 906 state assets, Kidd said.

Noem plans to visit Camp Mystic, she says at news conference

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:31 , Kelly Rissman

In 36 hours, more than 850 people have been rescued, the governor said.

Noem said she plans to visit Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River from where 27 girls have gone missing.

President Trump is 'heartbroken' by Texas floods, Noem says

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:21 , Kelly Rissman

"Know that President Trump is absolutely heartbroken by what's happened here in Texas," Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem said at a Saturday afternoon press conference, noting the president is committed to using federal resources to help the state.

She called the disaster "unprecedented."

We will be relentless in going after and making sure we locate every single person who has been a victim of this flooding event," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. "We're not going to stop today or tomorrow. We'll stop when the job is completed.

After signing a disaster declaration on Friday, the governor signed an expanded declaration to include additional counties impacted by the heavy rainfall and floods. Abbott also signed a request for federal assistance.

"That relief will be coming," Noem said. She noted that Trump indicated he would accept the request.

In photos: The aftermath of the floods in Kerrville

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:15 , Kelly Rissman

How the Texas Hill Country flood went from small water flow to deadly tide

Saturday, 5 July 2025 21:00 , Kelly Rissman

A powerful flash flood hit Central Texas' Hill Country late Friday into early Saturday, leaving at least 27 people dead, including children, while many more are still missing.

Most of the missing were attending Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp along the Guadalupe River.

What began as a routine flood watch quickly turned into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly receiving 5 to 7 inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were hit with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours.

San Antonio Express-News newsroom meteorologist Anthony Franze said the storm was fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and remnants of Tropical Storm Barry. These combined to create a slow-moving weather system that remained over the area and brought heavy rain to hills and valleys.

Erin Keller has the story.

How the Texas Hill Country Flood Turned Deadly in Just Hours

Officials to provide updates on search and rescue efforts

Saturday, 5 July 2025 20:45 , Kelly Rissman

State and federal officials will host a press conference at 2:45 p.m. local time "to update Texans on ongoing search & rescue efforts in counties affected by flooding," according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's press office.

More rain is expected to hit south central Texas

Saturday, 5 July 2025, 20:30 , Kelly Rissman

A flash flood watch is now in effect for parts of Texas near Austin and San Antonio, the National Weather Service warned.

The rain is expected to pummel the same area that has been hit with lots of rain over the past 24 hours.

"Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations," the agency warned.

Two others confirmed dead in Travis County, officials say

Saturday, 5 July 2025 20:15 , Kelly Rissman

Two others have died and an additional 10 have been reported missing after floods ravaged the region, according to Travis County Emergency Services District 1.

One of the missing people is a 17-year-old girl, according to KXAN.

"We literally had homes that were washed away. We had people trapped in homes," Travis County Fire Chief Donnie Norman told KXAN Many of these residents were rescued, he added.

Officials have urged locals to resist the urge to join the search.

"Don't become a statistic, please stay home," Norman added.

Two more campers confirmed dead after catastrophic floods

Saturday, 5 July 2025 20:00 , Kelly Rissman

The families of two girls who went missing after floods devastated Camp Mystic — Sarah Marsh and Lila Bonner — confirmed the tragic news.

Alabama Republican Senator Katie Boyd Britt issued a statement regarding Marsh's passing. "Wesley and I are heartbroken over the loss of Sarah Marsh, and we are keeping her family in our thoughts and prayers during this unimaginable time," she wrote Saturday afternoon.

We continue to pray for the victims’ loved ones, the survivors, those who are still missing, and our brave first responders as search and rescue efforts continue in Texas.

Bonner's family sent a statement to CNN about their 9-year-old: "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time," the family said in a statement. "We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss."

WATCH: Texas flooding: North Texas girls missing

Saturday, 5 July 2025 19:45 , Kelly Rissman

Flash floods form rapidly — here's why they're so dangerous

Saturday, 5 July 2025, 19:30 , Kelly Rissman

According to the National Weather Service A flash flood is flooding that begins within six hours, and often in as little as three hours, of heavy rainfall.

Waters rise so quickly that people are caught off guard, according to the weather service. Many people run into trouble while traveling. If at home or work, the water can rise so quickly that people are trapped before they have time to think about escape.

That is exactly what happened to residents along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County and the surrounding areas after at least 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain fell early Friday morning.

Here’s the full story.

Why flash floods are so dangerous as Texas storm leaves 24 dead

Texas AG sends prayers to families during time of "unimaginable pain and suffering"

Saturday, 5 July 2025 19:15 , Kelly Rissman

The state's Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement in the wake of the floods.

"This tragic unimaginable flood in the hill country has brought so much loss and devastation. This morning Texans are praying for these families. God be with them during this time of unimaginable pain and suffering," he wrote in a social media post Saturday morning.

I want to thank all of the first responders and volunteers who are working around the clock. This is a truly tragic situation. My office stands ready to assist in any way we can for the victims of this tragic situation. Our hearts mourn with you.

More than 850 people rescued as search efforts continue

Saturday, 5 July 2025 19:00 , Kelly Rissman

The Kerr County Sheriff's Office announced that 850 uninjured individuals and eight injured individuals have been rescued following the floods that devastated the area.

Tragically, 27 people — 18 adults and nine children — died in the catastrophic floods. Six adults and one child are currently unidentified, according to the sheriff's office in a Saturday morning statement.

"We are unable to release any further information on the deceased at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased and their loved ones. We are working hard to locate anyone who is still missing and ensure they are safe," the sheriff's office said.

Officials are still searching for 27 missing children who attended Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River.

Other locals visiting the area could also be missing, but officials haven't attempted to calculate that number, they said Saturday morning.

Mother reunites with Camp Mystic girl: 'We are so grateful'

Saturday, 5 July 2025 18:45 , Kelly Rissman

Reunification efforts are underway after 27 people were killed in the catastrophic floods in Texas.

More than two dozen girls attending Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River, are still missing.

Jenny MacLennan told the New York Times she's "grateful" to be a parent who has been reunited with her 10-year-old daughter. The girl's cabin was on high ground above the floods, she told the outlet.

It's completely devastating" that so many families haven't reunited with their children, MacLennan said. "We were one of the ones that did, and we are so grateful.

The Red Cross is assisting with reunification, according to the Kerr County sheriff's office.

If you are missing someone during this emergency, please call 800.733.2767.

Flash floods pummel south-central Texas

Saturday, 5 July 2025 18:15 , Kelly Rissman

Texas prepares for more flash floods as rescue operations continue for at least 27 missing girls.

South central Texas can expect additional flash floods near the Guadalupe River, which surged 29 feet in a matter of hours, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials urged locals to evacuate immediately or find higher ground if evacuation isn't possible.

En fotos: Devastación tras inundaciones repentinas que azotaron partes de Texas

Saturday, 5 July 2025 18:01 , Kelly Rissman

Why flash floods are so dangerous

Saturday, 5 July 2025 18:00 , Kelly Rissman

A monstrous, swift-moving flood swept through the Hill Country of west-central Texas Friday, while many families celebrated 4 July.

Latest reports suggest at least 24 have been killed.

Additionally, nearly two dozen remain missing—many of them children attending a Christian camp. The search continues as desperate families post social media pictures of their loved ones in a desperate bid to find them.

The tragedy has been officially categorized as a flash flood, the nation's top storm-related killer.

Read the full story.

Why flash floods are so dangerous as Texas storm leaves 24 dead

Kerrville mayor calls it a 'hard day' as death toll rises to 27

Saturday, 5 July 2025 17:45 , Kelly Rissman

"Today will be a hard day. It will be a hard day," said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. at a Saturday morning press conference.

At that news conference, officials announced that the death toll had risen to 27, with the lives of 18 adults and nine children lost to the flash floods.

He thanked federal resources for aiding the community. The mayor said people from all over the country and around the world have asked how they can help Kerrville. "Please pray for our community," he said.

Read More

I looked into the eyes of a man who blew himself up on the Tube. I still see him everywhere.

Two decades have passed since the 2005 London attacks, but the face of the lead suicide bomber, Mohammad Sidique Khan, has never left Dan Biddle's memory.

It feels as real today as the day they looked into each other's eyes.

"I can be in the kitchen and he is standing in the garden," says Dan, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

He's there, dressed as he was on that day, holding the rucksack, just with his hand above it, about to detonate it again.

Even if Dan looks away, the bomber is still there when he looks back.

"I saw this guy literally disassemble himself in front of me, and now I'm seeing him again."

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing

• 7 July London bombings: What happened that day?

Dan was in close proximity to Khan, on a rush-hour London Underground Circle line train on 7 July 2005. How he survived is almost beyond rational explanation.

As we pulled out of Edgware Road station, I could feel somebody staring at me. I was just about to turn around and say, 'What are you looking at?', when I saw him put his hand in the bag.

And then there was just a brilliant white, bright flash—heat like I've never experienced before.

Khan had detonated a homemade bomb—made using an al-Qaeda-devised chemical recipe—that he was carrying in his rucksack.

The device killed David Foulkes, 22, Jennifer Nicholson, 24, Laura Webb, 29, Jonathan Downey, 34, Colin Morley and Michael Brewster, both 52.

In total, 52 people were killed that day , caused by four bombs detonated by Islamist extremists. Another 770 were injured.

Dan was blown out of the train, hit the tunnel wall, and fell into the crawl space between the tunnel wall and the track.

His injuries were catastrophic. His left leg was blown off. His right leg was severed from the knee down. He suffered second and third-degree burns to his arms, hands, and face. He lost his left eye—and his hearing on that side too.

He suffered a massive laceration to his forehead. A pole from the tube train's internal fittings penetrated his body, causing punctures and ruptures to his kidneys, lungs, colon, and bowel. He later lost his spleen.

Dan was the most severely injured victim of the attacks to survive. And he was conscious throughout.

He initially thought the white flash was an electrical explosion.

Debris had fallen onto him, and his arms and hands were on fire. He could see the flames flickering.

Right after the explosion, you could have heard a pin drop. It was almost as if everybody had just taken a big breath," Dan says, "and then it was like opening the gates of hell. Screaming like I've never heard before.

Dan could see some of the dead. He tried to push down to lever himself up from the debris. He realised how profusely he was bleeding.

"The initial feeling was one of total disbelief. It was like, surely God, this is just a nightmare."

Dan's mind immediately turned to his father, and how he couldn't bear for him to witness this.

My dad cannot be the person that walks into a mortuary and says, 'Yeah, that's my son'," Dan says. "I couldn't bear the thought of that.

He didn't believe he would get out of the tunnel. But the will to survive instinctively kicked in and he screamed for help.

The first person to respond was fellow passenger Adrian Heili, who had served as a combat medic during the Kosovo war. If it had been anyone else, Dan believes he would have died.

The first thing he said to me was, 'Don't worry, I've been in this situation before, and never lost anyone.'

And I'm thinking, 'How can you have gone through this before?'

"And then he said to me: 'I'm not going to lie to you. This is really going to hurt.'"

Adrian applied a tourniquet and clamped the artery in Dan's thigh to prevent him from bleeding to death. Dan's life was literally in Adrian's hands until paramedics arrived approximately half an hour later.

Adrian helped many more in the hours that followed—and in 2009 received the Queen's Commendation for Bravery.

Dan's trauma was far from over. He was taken to nearby St Mary's Hospital where he repeatedly went into cardiac arrest. At one point, a surgeon had to manually massage his heart to bring him back to life. He was given 87 units of blood.

I think there's something in all of us - that fundamental desire to live.

Very few people ever get pushed to the degree where that's required.

"My survival is down to Adrian and the phenomenal care and just brilliance of the NHS and my wife."

Physical survival was one thing. But the toll on Dan's mental health was another.

After eight weeks in an induced coma, Dan began a year-long journey toward leaving the hospital—and he realized he would have to navigate the world outside differently.

His nights became consumed with mental torture.

He dreaded having to close his eyes and go to sleep because he would find himself back in the tunnel.

I wake up and [the bomber] is standing next to me," Dan says. "I'll be driving—he's in the back seat of my car. I'll look in the shop window and there's a reflection of him—on the other side of the street.

Those flashbacks have led to what Dan describes as survivor's guilt.

"I've replayed that moment a million times over in my head. Was there something about me that made him do it? Should I have seen something about him then tried to stop it?"

By 2013 Dan had reached a dangerous low. He tried to take his own life three times.

But he had also started a relationship with his now-wife Gem—and this was a crucial turning point.

The next time he came close to suicide, it was Gem's face he saw when he closed his eyes, and he realized that if he ended his own life, he would inflict appalling trauma on her.

Gem persuaded Dan to take a mental health assessment—and he began to get the expert help he needed.

In 2014 he agreed—together with his therapy and attempts to manage the condition—to do something he thought he would never do: return to Edgware Road.

When the day came, Dan sat outside the station experiencing flashbacks and hearing the sounds of 7/7 again: screams, shouting, and sirens.

He and Gem pressed on. As they entered the ticket hall, there were more flashbacks.

The station manager and staff were expecting him and asked if he wanted to go down to the platform. Dan said it was a "bridge too far". Gem insisted they all go together.

When they reached the platform, a train pulled in. Dan began to feel sick. But the train quietly moved on without incident—and by the time a third train had arrived, he found the courage to board it.

I feel really, really sick. I'm sweating. She's crying. I'm tensing, waiting for a blast. I'm waiting for that big heat and that pressure to hit me.

And then the train stopped at the point in the tunnel where the bomb had gone off—an arrangement between the driver and the station manager.

They had stopped the train exactly where I had been lying. I remember looking down at the floor, and it was a really weird feeling—knowing that my life had really come to an end there.

As the train pulled away, something inside Dan urged him to get off at the next station and move forward with his life.

"I'm going to leave the station, I'm going to do whatever I'm going to do today, and then I'm going to marry this amazing, beautiful woman," he says. The two tied the knot the following year.

Eleven years later, Dan feels compelled to do something positive with his life.

He now runs his own company helping disabled people find employment—a professional journey he might never have undertaken had it not been for the bomb.

He still has flashbacks and bad days, but he's finding ways to manage them—and has published a book about what he has been through.

I'm very lucky to still be alive. I've paid an immense, enormous price. I'll just keep fighting every day to make sure that he and his actions never win.

A list of organizations in the UK offering support and information regarding some of the issues in this story is available at newsrealtime Action Line

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Texas flash flood horror as graphic images show inside ruined Camp Mystic bedrooms

Hours after a devastating flash flood swept away campers on Saturday, official images have surfaced depicting the wreckage of several girls' bedrooms at Camp Mystic. The photographs reveal walls of a cabin at the beloved Texas camp obliterated, with relentless rain continuing to batter the state.

Camp Mystic is nestled in Hunt, Texas, approximately 117 miles from Austin. It is situated near the Guadalupe River, which overflowed its banks , taking with it various structures and unsuspecting campers.

The released photos show extensive damage within the camp , with houses displaying varying degrees of destruction and scattered debris as search efforts for the missing campers continue. One particularly chilling image captures the abandoned bunk beds of a girls' cabin, surrounded by their personal items scattered about.

The campers' beds and blankets are covered in thick mud and slime, with belongings such as bags, toys, and clothing scattered across the ground. Additional photos show a building's roof sagging dangerously, with sharp wooden fragments beneath, and nearby trees uprooted by the force of the water.

Another photograph shows suitcases and furniture left abandoned outside a building, creating a haunting scene after the river's surge that "completely destroyed" the Christian summer camp on Friday, reports the Mirror US .

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"The camp was completely destroyed. A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary," recounted 13-year-old Elinor Lester. As of Saturday night, the flood's toll had climbed to 43 confirmed fatalities.

The search for the remaining campers continues, but the families of four missing girls have reported their daughters deceased. The young victims, nine-year-olds Janie Hunt, Renee Smajstrla, Sarah Marsh, and Lila Bonner, were among the first to be found and publicly identified.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick disclosed on Friday that over 20 children from the all-girls private Christian summer camp, which accommodates around 750 kids, were still missing. In response to the disaster, more than 850 residents of Kerr County have been evacuated.

"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," shared the girl's uncle Shawn on Facebook. "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday."

Anne Hunt, speaking to CNN on Friday, said her family was holding out hope for news about her daughter, admitting they had no information on her whereabouts. "In the midst of our unimaginable grief, we ask for privacy and are unable to confirm any details at this time," stated the Bonner family.

"We ache with all who loved her and are praying endlessly for others to be spared from this tragic loss." At a press conference on Saturday, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. extended his thanks to city crews, county staff, and state agencies.

"People need to know, today will be a hard day," he said, his voice shaking. "It will be a hard day."

Read More

The death toll from the Hill Country flash floods rises to 24 as rescue efforts continue.

Sign up for The Brief , The Texas Tribune's daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

State officials said Friday night that at least 24 people have died in the catastrophic flood that swept through Kerr County early Friday morning, and 23 girls from Camp Mystic, a private Christian girls' camp, are still unaccounted for.

At a news conference in Kerrville, Gov. Greg Abbott signed an emergency disaster declaration, which allows numerous counties affected by the floods to access the state resources needed to assist with ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said as of Friday night, 24 people had died, and one other person was found dead in nearby Kendall County. He said it was unclear if that person was a flood victim.

Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said local officials were caught off guard by the volume of rain, adding that the National Weather Service advisory issued Thursday "did not predict the amount of rain that we saw."

Gen. Thomas Suelzer, the head of the Texas Military Department, said 237 people have been rescued and evacuated so far.

Officials said they couldn't provide the number of people who are unaccounted for, but they include the 23 girls from Camp Mystic.

In an earlier press conference Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the dead include adults and children, and some were found in cars "that were washed out upstream." He said officials aren't sure whether any of the bodies were children from Camp Mystic, and stressed that the campers are only considered missing at this point.

"We will do anything humanly possible to find your daughter," Patrick said, adding that search and rescue teams are looking for survivors, along with 14 state helicopters, 12 drones, and 400 to 500 people on the ground assisting with the search. He added that if parents have not been personally contacted by the camp, they can assume their daughters have been accounted for.

As much as 10 inches of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River. Patrick said the river, which winds through Kerr County in Central Texas, rose 26 feet in 45 minutes during torrential rains overnight.

"It's going to be a mass casualty event," said Freeman Martin, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Patrick added that San Antonio and Waco also could see flash flooding in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in Kerr County, said authorities are still working to identify those whose lives were lost.

Most of them, we don't know who they are," Kelly said during a news conference. "One of them was completely naked, he didn't have any ID on him at all. We're trying to get the identity of these folks, but we don't have it yet.

Flood warning came after 1 a.m.

A flood watch issued Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to 7 inches of rising water. That shifted to a flood warning for at least 30,000 people overnight.

According to the National Weather Service website, the flash flood watch, which included Kerr County, was issued at 1:18 p.m. Thursday. Nearly 12 hours later, a "life threatening" flash flood warning was issued at 1:14 a.m., according to the website.

When asked about the suddenness of the flash flooding overnight, Kelly said "we do not have a warning system" and that "we didn't know this flood was coming," even as local reporters pointed to the warnings and pushed him for answers about why more precautions weren't taken.

“Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,” he said. “We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States.”

Abbott said the state was providing resources to Hill Country communities dealing with the flooding, including in Kerrville, Ingram and Hunt.

"I urge Texans to heed guidance from state and local officials and monitor local forecasts to avoid driving into flooded areas," Abbott said in a statement.

The Guadalupe's river gauge at the unincorporated community of Hunt, where the river forks, recorded a 22-foot rise in just about two hours, according to Bob Fogarty, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office. Fogarty said the gauge failed after recording a level of 29 and a half feet.

We think the river's higher than that," Fogarty said. "The gauge is completely underwater.

The riverfront communities include several camps, wildlife habitats, and campgrounds. Texas Game Wardens, part of the state parks and wildlife agency, said on Facebook that search and rescue teams are conducting rescues throughout the region and sending more boats to help.

This is the kind of thing that will catch you unaware," Fogarty said. "The water's moving so fast, you're not going to recognize how bad it is until it's on top of you.

Survivors describe overnight ordeal

Erin Burgess’ home is located directly across from the river in the Bumble Bee Hills neighborhood, west of Ingram. When she woke up to thunder at 3:30 a.m. on Friday morning, "it was raining pretty heavily, but no big deal," she said.

Just 20 minutes later, Burgess said water was coming in through the walls and rushing through the front and back doors. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree and waiting for the water to recede enough that they were able to walk up the hill to a neighbor's.

"My son and I floated to a tree where we held onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them," she said, becoming emotional.

Of her 19-year-old son, Burgess said: "Thankfully he's over 6 feet tall. That's the only thing that saved me, was hanging on to him."

Dozens of people posted on Facebook asking for any information about their children, nieces and nephews attending one of the many camps in the area, or family members who went camping during the holiday weekend.

Ingram Fire Department posted a photo of a statement from Camp Mystic, saying the private Christian summer camp for girls experienced "catastrophic level floods." Parents with a daughter not accounted for were directly contacted, the camp said.

Another camp on the river located east of Hunt, Camp Waldemar, stated in an Instagram post that "we are all safe and sound."

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