KERR COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) - The family of 8-year-old Blakely McCrory has confirmed the heartbreaking news that she was among those who lost their lives during the devastating flash floods that tore through the Texas Hill Country over the July 4th weekend.
Blakely was one of the campers at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, a girls’ summer camp located along the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas. As floodwaters rapidly engulfed the area early Friday morning, dozens of children and counselors were swept away. Officials have now confirmed at least 27 fatalities at the camp, with others still unaccounted for.
Blakely’s mother, Lindsey McCrory, shared a message of both sorrow and gratitude following the confirmation of her daughter’s death.
“While we hoped for a miracle, it has been confirmed that Blakely’s life was lost on the Guadalupe that early morning, along with so many others,” McCrory said. “Although we must mourn her absence, we will choose to celebrate her life.”
Blakely, a student at Memorial Lutheran School in the Houston area, had deep ties to the Brazos Valley. Her family lives in Bellaire and her relatives include Texas A&M graduates and a grandparent in Brazos County.
In her statement, McCrory also expressed appreciation for the emergency responders who worked tirelessly to bring her daughter home, “Deepest thanks go to all the first responders, many of whom remained on station for days at a time, without sleep, sustenance, or comfort. You brought Blakely home, and for that, we will always be grateful.”
The historic flooding across the region has claimed at least 109 lives, with Kerr County alone accounting for 87 of those. Camp Mystic housed roughly 750 children at the time of the flooding, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha. As of Tuesday, several campers and one counselor were still missing.
Blakely’s family said they will remember her as a radiant light who brought joy to all who knew her.
“Our little corner of the world is a better and brighter place because Blakely was here,” her mother said.
The family continues to ask for prayers for the many others affected by what has become one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Texas history.
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