Camp counselors realized floods were becoming deadly—their split-second decision saved nearly 400 boys at camp

The staff acted on their own accord and worked for hours to get all the kids to safety during the Texas floods.

PUBLISHED AUG 8, 2025

(L) Kids walking up to a campsite. (R) A large area flooded because of a river. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Maskot; Chris McLoughlin

Quick and coordinated action might make all the difference in an emergency situation. The rescue of 400 students and counselors at an all-boys camp, Camp La Junta, during the Texas floods near the Guadalupe River, is a shining example. The boys and counselors were awakened by the sounds of the raging storms and water early on the morning of July 4. The staff worked quickly to get the boys sleeping in cabins closest to the river out and were able to save all their lives, per USA Today.

Kids at a summer camp. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Marc Romanelli

The floodwaters had started to fill up fast in the cabins nearest to the river, the place where the youngest boys slept. The children were taken above the hill quickly to keep them safe, as the counselors ran through the floods to get all the kids out of their cabin and to a higher spot. The waters even tore down the wall of one of the cabins and the staff helped the children get inside the rafters above their bunk beds. They waited until the waters slowed down and then either took the boys to safety in a line or swam with the kids on their shoulders to the higher cabins. A few hours later, each and every person at the camp was safe and had been accounted for.

A flooded campsite. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | HKPNC

The staff didn't wait for any orders and acted on their own accord as they started the rescue work. The river's water levels had risen over 20 feet in less than an hour, per the outlet. "If it hadn't been for them, it would have been a very different scenario with our boys. They didn't have anyone telling them what to do; they just did it and saved a lot of our boys," Georgie Brown, 11-year-old camper Beau's mother, admitted. On the other hand, the situation had turned pretty dire at the all-girls Camp Mystic, located five miles down from Camp La Junta. Around 27 campers and counselors had lost their lives at the camp because of the floods. Quite a few camps along the banks of the river experienced massive damage.

Man walking with a kid on his shoulders. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Elena Medoks

Parents of children from Camp La Junta were glad to see their kids back, but were also grieving the loss of lives at Camp Mystic. "It's unbelievable that something so terrible can happen in such a happy place," Georgie remarked. Some children in higher cabins at the camp could take shelter inside, while those closer to the river had to climb up to their beds and then their rafters to be safe, until the waters calmed down a little. The counselors also tried to keep the kids occupied throughout the ordeal and kept their parents updated about the situation through various forms of communication.

Kids getting on a bus. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Izusek

Finally, trucks and buses arrived at the camp in the evening to get the people to First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville, where they got to meet their families once again. However, many of the boys could see the devastation the floods caused on their way. "It's heartbreaking because it was one of my favorite places to go as a kid. Now, my son never wants to go back," Janet Davis, one of the boys' mom, pointed out. The wait to hear about their children and their well-being wasn't easy for the parents either. They held onto hope until they got to see their kids, safe and well, in person.