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League City volunteer firefighter, wife missing in Kerrville flooding, family says
Former League City volunteer firefighter Brad Perry and his wife, Tina, went to Kerrville for the 4th, but their RV was swept away, family members told KHOU 11.
KERRVILLE, Texas — A League City couple who were camping in Kerrville for the 4th of July holiday were feared missing after catastrophic overnight flooding, family members say.
Steven and Debbie Whatley in Bayou Vista were worried sick when they spoke with KHOU 11 Friday morning. They said Brad and Tina Perry were camping in their RV when devastating flooding caught the area off guard.
They heard from Brad, 49, around 5 a.m. on Friday but hadn’t been able to reach him since then. Brad told them that he had to climb on top of a tree when their RV was swept away.
“A 911 alert went out from his phone to both his sons, and his youngest son, 18, called him back, and he spoke very briefly to him,” Debbie Whatley told us. “Said he was breathing, labored, and he said, ‘I’m in a tree. Your mom is gone. I got to go.’ And then that was it.”
Tina, 52, had not been seen or heard from since, according to the Whatleys. A close family friend told KHOU 11 that she was later rescued. She said Tina was found in a tree after rescuers heard her hollering for help. She was taken to an area hospital with a broken rib and punctured lung.
The Whatleys said Brad used to be a volunteer firefighter in League City, where he trained in swift water rescues, so they hope that helped him survive.
Deadly flooding in Central Texas
As much as 10 inches of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding along the Guadalupe River. An emergency evacuation order was issued Friday morning.
RELATED: Kerr County flooding updates: Fatalities confirmed, holiday celebration cancelled in Kerrville
Videos showed vehicles swept away in the fast-moving water.
Search teams used boats to conduct rescues Friday as flooding threatened riverfront communities near wildlife habitats and campgrounds.
The Kerr County sheriff’s office and county judge confirmed fatalities but did not provide additional details.
A flood watch that was issued Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to seven inches. That shifted to a flood warning for at least 30,000 people overnight.