'I needed to get to my boys': Mother recounts Texas camp flood rescue
In one of the deadliest floods in Texas history, a mother's worst fears turned into grateful tears when she reunited with her two sons after they survived a harrowing experience at a camp near the Guadalupe River.
The devastating floods that struck central Texas on July 4 have claimed at least 120 lives, with around 170 people still missing. The disaster has been severe in Kerr County, where at least 27 children lost their lives at nearby Camp Mystic.
For Keli Rabon, that morning brought an alarming text message about flooding at Camp La Junta, where her sons Braeden, 9, and his younger brother Brock had arrived just the day before."There is truly nothing that could prepare you for a moment of uncertainty, which became hours of uncertainty," Rabon said in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.
The situation quickly became dire as the camp lost power and cell service.
"Once I saw the information coming in from Camp Mystic that had been posted online, it became clear that this was quite a dire situation," Rabon recalled. "I needed to just get to my boys as fast as I could."
During the chaos, Brock and other campers climbed into the cabin rafters to escape rising floodwaters.
"Thank goodness the counselors and counselors in training helped all the campers to the rafters," Braeden said. "They're kids, too, but like high school grads. It's just crazy."
The camp's director Scott Fineske led efforts to evacuate the children to town. When Rabon finally reached her sons, she was overwhelmed.
"It was a rush of all the emotions, from intense gratitude to see them, hold them as tight as I could," she said. "I tried my best to hold it together and not cry because I didn't want to scare them anymore."
But amid her relief, Rabon couldn't help thinking of other families. While her boys' experience ended in relief, the flooding claimed lives at other camps in the region.
"There was this immense sense of guilt and fright for the parents who wouldn't be able to hold their children that night and maybe ever again," Rabon said. "Words are not enough to express our gratitude for saving our sons' lives."
She said she hopes to thank the camp staff in person in the future.
In a statement released after the disaster, Camp La Junta owners and directors Scott and Katie Fineske expressed both relief and sorrow:
"We are profoundly grateful that every boy at Camp La Junta is safe, yet our hearts are heavy. We grieve with the families of the Camp Mystic girls and with everyone affected by this tragedy, including our dear friends, Dick Eastland and Jane Ragsdale."
The Fineskes, who have maintained Camp La Junta's legacy since 1928, are now focused on recovery efforts while grieving with the broader Hill Country community. Despite the extensive damage, they plan to welcome campers back next summer.
