KERR COUNTY, Texas – One month has passed since Kerr County experienced severe flooding while locals and visitors were gearing up for the Fourth of July weekend.
Kerr County officials have said at least 108 people died in the floods.
What Kerr County officials, nor anyone else for that matter, have not done is publicly identify those killed in that flooding. KSAT has repeatedly asked for this public information.
Officials told KSAT that information on the missing and deceased was not going to be released to the media out of respect for the families.
Since July 4, KSAT has relied on family members, obituaries, friends, employers and credible media outlets to identify those who died in the flood.
Mother Nature had no mercy on the morning of July 4, for locals, tourists or summer campers.
Camp Mystic was the camp hit hardest by this tragedy. Girls come from all over Texas, and beyond, to spend part of their summer at Camp Mystic. And on July 4th, camp was in session.
Twenty-four 8- and 9-year-old girls have been confirmed dead following the flood, along with two camp counselors. One girl remains among the missing but is believed to be among the deceased.
Not all the girls at Camp Mystic fell victim to flash flooding. Girls who had made it to higher ground were bused out later that day on Kerrville ISD buses and taken to Ingram Elementary School, where they were reunited with their parents.
The victims were both visitors and people who made the Hill Country their home. They include:
Odessa police officer Bailey Martin, his parents Bobby and Amanda Martin, and his girlfriend Jayda Floyd.
Cody and Michelle Crossland, and Joel, Tasha and Kyndall Ramos, from Midland.
Jake, Meghan and Harley Moeller, a family of three from New Braunfels.
A family from Dallas: Brian, Brooke, Mike and Charlene Harber.
Jeff, Amber and Shiloh Wilson, and Melissa and Rob Kamin from the Houston area.
A group of friends from Beaumont, two of whom were students at UTSA: Aidan Heartfield, Elle Cahill, Reece Manchaca and Joyce Badon.
UTSA also lost an instructor in the flood: Katheryn Eads.
There are so many others from across the state and the country who had come back to the place that held a special place in their hearts — a place of friends, family and fellowship.
And others, visiting for the first time.
Among the victims were locals who had lived there most of their lives, who were well-known and loved by their neighbors in Kerr County.
The Zunker family, a beloved soccer coach and his family.
Julian Ryan, a young father who died while making sure that his family got to safety.
Leonardo and Carlos Romero, and Natalia Venzor.
Leo Romero Jr., who survived, told KSAT how he saw his father, Carlos Romero, step-mother Venzor, and younger brother get swept away by floodwaters. Watch his interview below.
But with all the lives lost, there were stories of people who miraculously saved themselves or were rescued.
By climbing into the attic.
Or scrambling onto a hotel roof or riding out the flooding in a kayak with dogs.
One man told KSAT he climbed onto the meter box on the side of his house as floodwaters were rising.
Those are just a few examples of people doing whatever it took to survive.
More than 850 people were reportedly rescued by first responders and volunteers.
The number of missing people, as of this writing, remains at two.
KSAT has filed public information requests with both the state and Kerr County to release the names of the victims.
Kerr County replied, saying it didn’t have a list of victims.
That information would have to come from the state. KSAT has requested that list from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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