As floodwaters swallowed their Texas home, Julian Ryan made the split-second decision that would cost him his life but save his entire family. The 27-year-old father punched through a window to create an escape route for his fiancée Christina, their two babies, and his mother as their trailer filled with water in minutes.
The act of heroism came with horrific injuries – Julian nearly severed his arm in the process. Bleeding heavily, he helped his family to the roof before uttering his heartbreaking final words: “I love you all, but I won’t make it.” Hours later, rescuers recovered his body.
Julian’s sacrifice highlights both the brutality of the Texas floods that killed 82 people and the extraordinary lengths parents will go to protect their families. His mother called him “the hero of this story,” while Christina vowed to honor his memory by advocating for better flood warning systems so no other family experiences such loss.
