{"id":42535,"date":"2025-07-06T04:57:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T04:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/42535\/"},"modified":"2025-07-06T04:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T04:57:16","slug":"brothers-swam-for-their-lives-to-survive-texas-flooding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/42535\/","title":{"rendered":"Brothers swam for their lives to survive Texas flooding"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two brave brothers recalled the harrowing moment they woke up to flood waters surging through their camp cabin in Texas in the middle of the night \u2014 forcing them to make the split-second decision to swim for their lives.<\/p>\n

Piers and Ruffin Boyett were fast asleep at Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, when they awoke at 4 a.m. Friday as the fierce storm raged, causing the waters of Guadalupe River to swell to 26 feet in 45 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flood started getting bigger,\u201d younger brother Piers recounted to local KSAT<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had bunk beds in our cabins and [the water] was going up to the top bunk and we had one choice \u2014 and we had to swim out of our cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TwoBrothers Piers (left) and Ruffin (right) Boyett were forced to flee their cabin at Camp La Junta \u2014 by swimming out. KSAT.com<\/p>\n

The brothers, both wearing Camp La Junta<\/a> T-shirts, recalled a terrifying scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a first-hand view of the flood,\u201d Ruffin said. \u201cThe cabins were flooding and the walls, they broke down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of the campers in those cabins had to go up on the rafters and wait there until they could swim out,\u201d Ruffin added.<\/p>\n

\n

NEW: Two brothers explain their terrifying night and how they survived the Kerr County floodwaters. <\/p>\n

The brothers were sleeping at Camp La Junta when they started floating. <\/p>\n

At least 24 people have lost their lives in the flood. <\/p>\n

Authorities say more than 20 girls are\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/T1yhLNmbU1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ruffin told the outlet that he was the first person to wake up in his cabin, and that his counselor was asleep as the waters continued to rise.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe woke up like, \u2018What? We\u2019re flooding!’\u201d Ruffin said of his counselor.<\/p>\n

\"DroneDevastation along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas. REUTERS<\/p>\n

The boys were able to find safe quarters after swimming out \u2014 sheltering in \u201ccabins on hills\u201d at their camp for 17 hours. <\/p>\n

\u201cNo one died, we\u2019re thankful for that,\u201d Ruffin said, patting his brother on the back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the way here, we saw some of the other camps destroyed. Obliterated,\u201d the elder brother said in disbelief.<\/p>\n

Camp La Junta is one of many youth camps in Kerr County \u2014 which experienced unprecented flooding early Friday morning. Forty-three people have died \u2014 28 adults and 15 children, officials said in a Saturday night update.<\/p>\n

Camp Mystic<\/a>, a Christian summer retreat for girls, saw at least four campers killed and as many as 23 girls still unaccounted for, according to local officials.<\/p>\n

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