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A photo of Camp Mystic quarters after the Texas flash floods. | Source: Facebook/FOX Weather
A photo of Camp Mystic quarters after the Texas flash floods. | Source: Facebook/FOX Weather

'Heartbreaking': Photo of Camp Mystic's Young Campers and Counselors Before the Tragic Texas Flood Released

Taitirwa Sehliselwe Murape
Jul 08, 2025
07:15 A.M.

In addition to the photo of the Camp Mystic victims, social media updates and reports have provided details about their lives and the latest information on the tragedy.

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Media outlets recently released a post showing 13 Camp Mystic girls and two counselors, who were swept away by the Texas flash floods. Aside from the photo of the victims, the post displays the devastating impact of the flooding in Hunt, Texas, over the holiday weekend. This has left the public heartbroken.

Netizen comment about the Camp Mystic girls and counselors, posted on July 8, 2025. | Source: Instagram/nypost

Netizen comment about the Camp Mystic girls and counselors, posted on July 8, 2025. | Source: Instagram/nypost

The social media post captures a moment frozen in time — one that now feels unbearably heavy with sorrow. In the photo, the Camp Mystic girls and counselors stand together on a tennis court, smiling brightly in white outfits and sneakers. The young girls in the front row crouch down slightly with their hands placed on their knees.

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At the same time, the young ladies in the back row have their arms wrapped around each other in a show of carefree unity — a final, joyful memory preserved before disaster struck.

The image was taken at the Bubble Inn, less than five days before the floods changed everything. Heartbreakingly, the post has also drawn attention to those still unaccounted for. Among those labeled "Missing" in the image are Molly DeWitt of Houston, Abby Pohl of Austin, Ellen Gorten of Houston, and Camp Counselor Katherine Ferruzzo.

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Underneath the poignant image is a photo showing a damaged room at Camp Mystic with mud covering the floor, walls, and chairs, which are strewn around the space.

The emotional weight of the picture struck a deep chord with viewers across social media, prompting an outpouring of heartbreak, disbelief, and sympathy. "My god! So unreal! 🙏💔," one person exclaimed.

A view of the inside of a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding in Hunt, Texas on July 5, 2025. | Source: Getty Images

A view of the inside of a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding in Hunt, Texas on July 5, 2025. | Source: Getty Images

Another echoed the sentiment, noting how the Camp Mystic tragedy has to be among the most sorrowful moments to emerge from the impact of the floods. Someone else simply wrote, "Unimaginable grief 💔."

Others offered condolences and prayers for the victims and their families. "This is just so incredibly sad. All of those poor kids and their families. My heart breaks for them all. May the ones who passed rest in peace," read one heartfelt comment.

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A view of a damaged home near Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. | Source: Getty Images

A view of a damaged home near Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. | Source: Getty Images

Another shared, "This is truly one of the most horrific stories that will be in our lifetime. Pray for these poor [sic] beautiful souls and their families." "RIP beautiful girls life cut to short to soon very sad. There are no words to express to family and friends [sic]," added a fellow heartbroken person.

Someone else penned, "Heartbreaking 💔." Expressing frustration and sorrow, one person wrote, "So sad! 😞 This should not have happened!!!" while another opined, "It's the saddest thing….. god [sic] bless all those little angels."

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Amid the growing chorus of sorrow online, tributes have begun to pour in for each of the young lives lost, including those who served as mentors and protectors to the campers. One such tribute centers on 18-year-old counselor Chloe Childress, whose radiant smile and serene strength are captured in a photo of her outside, surrounded by lush greenery.

Donning a white and blue, floral two-piece outfit, Childress exudes calm confidence — a quiet poise that those who knew her say defined her leadership.

According to the moving Facebook post, the rising waters of the Guadalupe River overtook parts of the camp, claiming the lives of at least 11 young women and girls, including Childress. She had just graduated from The Kinkaid School in Houston and was weeks away from beginning her college journey at the University of Texas at Austin.

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In a letter to the school community, Kinkaid's headmaster, Jonathan Eades, reflected on the depth of Childress's impact.

"Her honesty gave others the courage to speak up. Her resilience helped others push through. Her joy, so present in the little things, reminded all who knew her to keep showing up with heart," expresses part of the letter.

As co-president of the Honor Council, a varsity cross-country runner, and founder of a senior-citizen-focused service club, Childress lived by example, not just joining her community, but helping shape it. "She lost her life upholding this selfless and fierce commitment to others," Eades added.

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Among those unaccounted for is Ferruzzo, a counselor at Camp Mystic's Bubble Inn cabin. In a serene portrait shared alongside an update from her family, Ferruzzo appears in a garden, surrounded by soft pink roses and greenery.

She wears a simple white dress and a warm smile, her expression gentle and radiant. In a public statement, Ferruzzo's parents asked for privacy and prayers as rescue teams continue their search.

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They remember Ferruzzo for her "fierce and loving spirit," and expressed confidence that she "did all she could to save the lives of the girls in her cabin."

Among the young lives tragically lost in the floods is camper Sarah Marsh. In a photo shared on social media, Marsh smiles brightly in a navy Camp Mystic T-shirt, her hair gently tousled and her expression full of joy and innocence.

Another name added to the list of young victims who did not survive the flooding is nine-year-old Janie Hunt. In a candid image, Hunt is seen beaming with wide blue eyes and a gap-toothed smile, wearing a pale yellow shirt and a colorful beaded necklace. She embraces a friend, exuding warmth, playfulness, and the innocence of childhood.

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In a touching photo now etched in the hearts of many, Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner are seen embracing each other, as they smile beneath trees lining green grounds. The two girls were best friends and cabinmates.

Peck's mother shared that her daughter did not survive the floodwaters and that she passed away alongside her closest companion, Bonner.

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Meanwhile, eight-year-old Anne Margaret Bellows is remembered by her family as a radiant and joyful presence at Camp Mystic. Her bereaved mother described her as fun-loving and kind.

Amid her grief, Bellows' mom expressed heartfelt gratitude to the camp's leadership and staff, including late Director Dick Eastland and the counselors who risked — and in many cases, gave — their lives in efforts to save the campers. She said they loved and protected the children "until the very end," a reflection of the bravery that marked those final, tragic moments.

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Other victims who lost their lives include two young girls from Austin: Linnie McCown and Mary Stevens. Both just eight years old, the girls had been enjoying their time at the Christian all-girls summer camp in the Hill Country when rising floodwaters overtook the area on July 4, 2025.

According to her father, who confirmed her passing, McCown was a student at Casis Elementary. Stevens, who attended Highland Park Elementary, was also confirmed deceased through a statement from a family spokesperson.

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Their loss has reverberated deeply throughout the Austin community, where a candlelight vigil was held in their memory on Sunday night at Casis Elementary.

Fellow camper DeWitt remains among the missing following the catastrophic flood at Camp Mystic. A photo circulated by her family shows the young girl smiling brightly with a brick wall behind her.

DeWitt's school, Wilchester Elementary, organized a support gathering in her honor and for others still unaccounted for. On Saturday, students, staff, and families came together on campus to wrap green ribbons around trees.

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The event served not only as a visual tribute but also as a powerful show of unity for all the children, counselors, and families affected by the tragedy in the Hill Country.

Sadly, Wynne Naylor, who had previously been listed as missing, has now been confirmed deceased. The heartbreaking update was shared by her great-aunt, who revealed that the family received the news at 11:50 a.m. on July 6.

The message, filled with sorrow, also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of thoughts and prayers extended to the family.

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Joining the growing list of the deceased is young camper Renee Smajstrla, whose joyful spirit is evident in a photo of her sitting on stone steps with a sweet smile as she holds a sheet of paper in her hand.

Her family confirmed that she had been found, though not with the outcome they had so desperately hoped for. Still, they expressed gratitude for the many prayers and the online support that may have helped first responders locate her swiftly.

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Aside from the confirmed casualties and updates that DeWitt and Ferruzzo were among the missing, Getten and Pohl joined the list of those unaccounted for. With each update, families and communities continue to grapple with profound grief, clinging to hope for those still missing, while mourning the many young lives already confirmed lost.

As of Monday, the death toll from the devastating Texas flash floods has climbed past 100, with 84 victims — including 28 children — recovered in Kerr County alone.

A view of the flooding at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas on July 5, 2025. | Source: Getty Images

A view of the flooding at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas on July 5, 2025. | Source: Getty Images

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Search teams continue navigating treacherous terrain in hopes of locating the still-missing, including several from Camp Mystic.

Officials have yet to address questions surrounding evacuation protocols, even as more rainfall threatens to worsen conditions across the region. With 10 campers and one counselor still unaccounted for, the toll is expected to rise.

At this time, we wish to extend our most heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones, friends, and communities of all the Camp Mystic girls and counselors, and all victims impacted by the tragedy, as they mourn such significant losses. We hope for their healing amid their time of grief. RIP to all the lives lost.

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