Hunt, TX —In the early hours of July 5th, our family experienced a tragedy that has forever changed our lives. A sudden and violent flash flood struck the Casa Bonita community in Hunt, Texas, sweeping away homes, families, and memories in a matter of moments.
My parents and two nieces, Brooke and Blair, were staying at a neighbor’s riverfront home, generously offered while the owners were away, as my parents’ home was only one bedroom. That night, around 3:30 a.m., a storm woke the family. My brother R.J. was asked to check on the girls, who had been tucked into bed at 11 p.m. in a house just five doors down.
To his horror, when R.J. stepped out of bed, their own house was already flooding silently beneath the sound of pounding rain. The water was rising a foot per minute. They had to break a window to escape—a miracle in itself.
He immediately tried to reach my parents and nieces by kayak, but the storm had turned the roads into raging rivers, with whitecaps on the waves. The water was too violent; he couldn’t reach them. He and Annie woke six neighbors, helping them escape, and the group made their way in freezing, pitch-black conditions to a stranger’s home across a flooded highway.
They made it out alive. So did their Labrador, who somehow swam through the flood and found them up the hill. Their second dog did not survive.
The house where my parents and nieces were staying—just five doors from safety—was later swept away, along with most of the neighborhood. Of 20 homes, only 4 to 6 are still standing.
That morning, at 3:30 a.m., just before the worst of the flood hit, Brooke sent a message to my brother, and her grandparents on Annie’s side:
“I love you.”
They were in the loft upstairs, holding onto their rosaries, symbols of a faith they treasured. They were young, faithful, and full of light. Two weeks earlier, Blair and I had a conversation about God and Heaven—a moment I’ll never forget.
Yesterday afternoon, search and rescue teams found their bodies together, hand in hand, 15 miles away in Kerrville.
We have not yet located my parents’ bodies, and our hearts are shattered all over again as we wait. The Coast Guard couldn’t reach the area that morning due to the storm. Annie was rescued by helicopter, while R.J. attempted another route to find help.
I work as a flight attendant with Southwest Airlines, and my amazing company is helping us bring Brooke and Blair home from San Antonio after their autopsies. When we recover my parents, they will be flown home as well.
We plan to hold a joint funeral for Brooke and Blair at St. Rita Catholic Church—details to come. Right now, our focus is on finding my parents and beginning the long road ahead.
This is the hardest thing we’ve ever faced. Our family has lost nearly everything—our loved ones, our homes, our stability—and we are doing all we can to survive the unimaginable.
If you feel moved to help, you can support our family through our GoFundMe page:
👉 Support the Harber Family After Tragic Loss
We are so grateful for your prayers, love, and support. It is what is holding us up right now.
Please continue to keep Brooke, Blair, my parents, and our entire family in your hearts.
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