A community still reeling from one of Texas’s deadliest natural disasters is now confronted with a story so heart wrenching it cuts straight to the core of grief.
Late on July 4, torrential rains unleashed flash floods across central Texas, including the Guadalupe River, causing waters to surge past 26 feet within hours. That morning, holiday weekend celebrations turned into a nightmare as mobile homes, cabins, and vehicles were swept away with little warning.
Search and rescue teams have confirmed over 120 fatalities in the Hill Country, while more than 160 individuals remain missing, their families clinging to hope.
Amid this widespread devastation, one family’s ordeal resonates deeply. Ty and Kellye Badon had sent their daughter, 21 year old architecture student Joyce Catherine Badon, to spend time at a cabin on the river with her college friends over the holiday weekend.
That night, the house where Joyce and her friends Aidan Heartfield, Ella Cahill, and Reese Manchaca were staying collapsed in the flood.
Volunteers later described how the walls buckled and floors gave way in mere seconds.
But in that chaos, a four word message came through. As the floodwaters closed in, Joyce managed to text her father one last time:
“We’re being washed away.”
Moments later, her phone died.
In the days that followed, an outpouring of community effort took shape. Teams of volunteers, families, and even strangers combed nearly seven miles of flooded riverbanks using kayaks, drones, and search dogs, all in the hopes of finding Joyce’s friends and giving her family closure.
A poignant moment came when Ty Badon made a heartbreaking discovery, the body of a young boy, roughly aged 8 to 10, a tragic reminder of the flood’s indiscriminate fury and the enormity of loss that unfolded near the cabin.
On July 7, the family received the news they had dreaded. Kellye shared on Facebook:
“God showed us the way we should go this morning. We found our lovely daughter who blessed us for 21 years. We pray to be able to find her three friends soon. Thanks to EVERYONE for the prayers and support. God is good!”
The bodies of Joyce, Reese Manchaca, and Ella Cahill were later recovered. Heartfield’s fate remains uncertain and search efforts continue.
Reese, remembered as an architecture scholar at UTSA, was laid to rest in Porter this week, honored by her community in a somber procession. Ella and Joyce, known for their artistry, kindness, and friendship, have left an indelible mark on grieving peers and educators.
Amid the human anguish, questions have surfaced about the region’s preparedness. Some Texas officials and media outlets suggest that staffing gaps at the National Weather Service may have delayed crucial warnings, a situation some link to cost cutting measures earlier this year. The White House, however, defended the NWS, asserting that warnings were timely and accurate.
But above all the statistics, memorials, and debates, one truth stands out. Joyce’s final text captured the urgency, fear, and helplessness of that moment.
“We’re being washed away.”
That message, relayed to her father, became the defining echo of a tragedy that took so many lives. Behind every headline is a voice silenced too soon, a plea lost in the storm, and a family left holding onto the last words of someone they loved.
