A final, desperate text message – “we’re being washed away” – was all 21-year-old Joyce Badon could send before floodwaters tore through the Texas home where she was staying with three friends. The heartbreaking message, confirmed by search volunteers, came as record-breaking floods surged through Central Texas over the holiday weekend.
The Guadalupe River transformed into a deadly torrent, rising rapidly to unprecedented levels and sweeping away everything in its path. At least 107 people have been confirmed dead, including many children from a riverside summer camp. Countless others remain unaccounted for as rescue teams work around the clock.
Joyce had been vacationing at a farmhouse with friends Ella, Reese and Aiden when the waters hit. In their last phone call, the group told Aiden’s father the house was being destroyed around them before the connection cut out. For days afterward, volunteers like Louis Deppe scoured the flood zone, often making grim discoveries. “The more eyes, the better,” Deppe explained, describing how victims were found tangled in trees and debris.
The Badon family’s nightmare ended July 7th when Joyce’s body was recovered. Her mother Kellye shared an emotional tribute online, clinging to faith amid unimaginable loss. As search efforts continue for Ella and Aiden, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder of nature’s devastating power and life’s fragility.
