Family confirms Camp Mystic camper died in devastating Hill Country flooding

KERR COUNTY, Texas — The family of Camp Mystic camper Renee Smajstrla told KHOU 11’s Amanda Henderson the girl has died in the catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River.

Renee’s uncle told KHOU 11 she will forever “be living her best life” at Camp Mystic.

Her family said the photo below was taken on July 3, the day before the catastrophic flooding hit the region.

More than 750 girls were staying at Camp Mystic when the floods hit. As of Saturday, local officials said 27 of those kids remain missing.

“People need to know today will be a hard day,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said during a Saturday news conference. “Please pray for our community.”

As rescue and recovery efforts continued Saturday, officials said the death toll in the flooding continued to rise. Kerr County officials said at least 43 bodies have been recovered, including 15 children.

“We’re constantly going through shift management cycles to make sure our first responders and crews are taken care of,” said Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. “We’ve been rescuing people by the hundreds all day.”

The Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard are among the entities that have responded to the crisis, amounting to hundreds of personnel and vehicles participating in search efforts. Officials said more than 850 people have been rescued from the flooding, with many grabbing on to trees and waiting hours for rescue. 

“We will not stop until every single person is found,” Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said. “It’s going to take a while.”