Camp Mystic Flood Survivors Share Their Experiences

Survivors of Camp Mystic recounted hearing terrifying screams from their fellow campers during the Texas floods on July 4th. This chaos unfolded around 3 AM, much earlier than previously indicated.

One survivor mentioned that counselors assured the girls that all the younger campers had been relocated safely, but that was far from the truth—many were actually fighting for their lives, and tragically, at least 27 people perished.

Most of the 650 campers and staff were asleep at 1:14 AM, facing a potential “devastating” death toll when a Flash Flood Warning was issued by Carr County.

Amelia Moore, a 14-year-old camper from this Christian Girls Summer Camp, was jolted awake around 2 AM by a loud clap of thunder, just before the power went out.

She could hear screams from girls in cabins situated further downhill in the Guadalupe River area known as the Flat. Despite this, counselors instructed them to stay put, insisting it was nothing serious.

“Many counselors had been there for a long time, so they thought it was just a normal storm,” Amelia recounted.

However, as the water began to seep into cabins, it became clear to Amelia that this was not your average summer storm.

She eventually fell asleep, only to awaken at 7 AM to find that a senior lodge, which housed many older campers, had become isolated due to floods and fallen trees.

Strict Camp Mystic rules prohibited snacks and cell phones in cabins, leaving them stranded without food or means to reach the outside world.

“We were really hungry,” she recalled. “As days dragged on, we kept asking, ‘Does anyone have food? Please, we just need something to eat.'” They were mistakenly told that everyone had been safely moved to another site, but it remains unclear if this was to evade causing panic or if the counselors were unaware of the reality.

A camper at one of the Flatlands cabins for the youngest kids was forced to climb through windows to escape to higher ground.

“This part makes me feel sick. They were assured the flats were safe, so they played games in the Rec Hall, thinking everything was fine,” Amelia said.

She described the chaotic aftermath; the first rescue helicopter did not arrive until around 3 PM, over 12 hours after the flooding began.

Due to limited capacity, the evacuation process was slow, and there was confusion about who was coordinating efforts.

“It was hectic. There were counselors, but no clear leadership,” she noted.

Tempers flared as a new girl arrived and disrupted the line, leading counselors to attempt an organized evacuation based on age.

As of now, camp organizers have not responded to requests for further information.