Kerrville Community Gathers in Prayer Amid Tragic Texas Flood Losses
KERRVILLE, Texas — Under the setting sun at Antler Stadium on Wednesday night, silence and sorrow replaced the usual roar of football fans. The stands were filled—not for a game, but for a vigil. Hundreds of Kerrville residents came together to grieve, to remember, and to begin healing after a catastrophic flood claimed over 100 lives and left many more missing along the Guadalupe River.
The tragedy, which struck in the early hours of July 4, has been called the second-deadliest flood in Texas history. Among the victims was beloved Tivy High School soccer coach Reese Zunker, whose loss was deeply felt among the school’s 4,700 students.
“Tragedy came in the darkness,” one speaker said. “But with daylight came hope.”
A Night of Remembrance and Resilience
Families, students, teachers, and neighbors filled the stadium bleachers. They greeted one another with tearful hugs, shared stories, and quietly held space for collective grief. Some wore Tivy High’s signature blue. Others pinned green ribbons to their shirts—Camp Mystic’s color—in memory of the 27 girls and camp director Richard “Dick” Eastland who perished when floodwaters surged through the cherished all-girls summer camp.
In the face of overwhelming loss, many in the faith-driven Hill Country community turned to gospel and prayer. Bible verses were read, worship songs filled the stadium air, and hands lifted to the sky in reverence and heartbreak.
“We Move Forward Together”
Leah Westra, a local mother and coalition coordinator with the Hill Country Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, stood among the crowd with her three children—two of whom are Tivy students.
“This isn’t about forgetting,” she said. “It’s about honoring, grieving, and moving forward because we must. We will rebuild together.”
School board trustee Pete Calderón tried to bring comfort by reminding students and families of spiritual truths.
“God never promised a life without tragedy or pain,” Calderón told the audience. “But he did promise to walk with us through the fire. And that’s what we hold on to now.”
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Faith on Display
Faith was the invisible thread stitching the night together. The stadium, transformed into a sanctuary, echoed with the lyrics: “It’s your breath in our lungs.” Arms raised in worship, shoulders leaned on one another, and sobs were muffled by the embrace of friends and family.
One teenage girl, her red glasses fogged with tears, wiped her cheeks again and again. A mother clutched her young son, who was too small to understand the weight of the night. Still, she held him tighter, as if she could protect him from the sorrow sweeping through the stands.
Nearby, two friends linked arms across rows, refusing to let the pain pull them apart.
“Peace, peace,” murmured a man under his breath—his own quiet prayer amid the crowd.
A Cross from Afar
Near the heart of the vigil stood Dan Beazley, a man from Michigan who had driven over 1,300 miles to Kerrville. In his hands, he held a massive wooden cross—nearly twice his height—which he had brought with him in the bed of his truck.
Beazley had already stood with the cross at the devastated grounds of Camp Mystic, offering a symbol of hope while rescue crews sifted through debris.
“I just wanted to make a small difference,” Beazley said. “To help them grieve, to bring light into the darkest place.”
Beside him stood Abigail Smithson, a student at Tivy High, who joined him in lifting the cross as a sign of strength and solidarity.
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A Moment of Joy After Mourning
As the sun finally disappeared behind the hills, the atmosphere began to shift. Frisbees sailed through the air, footballs were passed around the field, and children’s laughter returned to the stadium. For a short time, the community found joy together again.
“There’s healing in play, in laughter,” said YoungLife minister Josh Smithson, father of Abigail. “That hour of play gave them space to breathe, to let go of the weight they’ve been carrying.”
Questions Remain
Even as the community begins to heal, difficult questions persist. Was there enough warning? Were evacuation procedures adequate? Areas like Camp Mystic were among the hardest hit, and many are now asking whether lives could have been saved with better systems in place.
Still, on this night, Kerrville chose unity over blame.
In the hush of shared grief and the power of collective hope, a community came together—not to forget, but to remember, honor, and begin the journey forward.
