HEMPSTEAD, Texas
– In the aftermath of the deadly floods that swept through the Hill Country, search efforts continue along the Guadalupe River. But among the mud and debris, some volunteers are finding more than just damage they’re finding memories. And for one former EMT, the mission became deeply personal.
Tracy Cummins and her husband saddled their horses and rode into the ravaged landscape near along the river in Ingram, joining volunteers combing the banks for survivors and signs of life. What they found instead were fragments of everyday life, left behind by floodwaters and scattered for miles shoes, water bottles, bits of clothing.
Recommended Videos
-
At least 120 dead in Texas Hill Country floods, more than 160 still missing
But it was a torn American flag wedged in a hay bale that first caught Tracy’s attention.
“It’s a little damaged, but it survived,” she said. “And the American flag is our symbol of our nation, it stuck it through.”
As the couple continued riding, something bright pink caught Tracy’s eye. It was a water bottle, a little dirty, but intact. A Camp Mystic sticker was still visible. As she turned it over, she found a name written on the bottom.
“Instantly, it hit my heart,” she recalled. “I’ve got to find these people. I have to offer this piece of something for their child.”
A certified EMT Basic and former first responder, Tracy said the moment called on her instincts. “I still have that first responder drive,” she said. “It really just kind of called on my heart. I have the skills, and I felt compelled to help.”
She then turned to social media to help find the victim’s family. Tracy joined the Facebook group “Found on Guadalupe River,” where volunteers are posting photos of found items, shoes, backpacks, mementos, in hopes of reconnecting them with their owners or their families.
-
Country music artist George Strait announces benefit concert for Texas Hill Country flood recovery
When Tracy searched the name she found on the bottle, she came across a heartbreaking post: the little girl’s mother had written just days earlier that she was hoping someone might find any of her daughter’s belongings. Her child died in the flood.
“With every attempt to be respectful and not wanting to disrupt their healing, I just felt I had to reach out,” Tracy said. “Even just offering this small piece of something…it might bring a little peace.”
There are hundreds of items still scattered along the Guadalupe, many washed miles away from the camp where they started. But for Tracy Cummins, each object is more than debris it’s a memory waiting to be returned.
“A lot of solace emotions, sadness, but also peace,” she said, holding the bottle one last time before cleaning and preparing it for shipment. “Knowing that it’s going to bring someone comfort…that’s what it’s really about.”
