At least 94 are dead in Kerr County, Texas alone after historic floods. The owner of Blue Oak RV Park is haunted by the screams she heard as the water rose.
KERR COUNTY, Texas — What was meant to be a fun Fourth of July along the Guadalupe River became one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.
As of the latest update, at least 109 people are confirmed dead across Texas following catastrophic flash flooding. In Kerr County alone, officials say 94 lives have been lost — including more than 30 children. Many victims have yet to be identified.
Authorities say the death toll in Kerr and neighboring Kendall County has now surpassed that of Hurricane Harvey.
For Lorena Guillen, this isn’t just a news headline — it’s home.
“This is my life,” she said, standing near the Guadalupe River.
Lorena owns Howdy’s Restaurant, Bar and Chill, as well as Blue Oak RV Park, nestled on the Kerrville-Ingram city line. Her home sits on the same property just steps from the river.
“All of that was beautiful green areas,” she said.
But on the morning of July 4, it changed.
It had rained overnight — nothing out of the ordinary, she described. But when Lorena awoke to the flashing lights of rescue crews, the scene outside was anything but normal.
“Completely unreal,” she said.
In a panic, Lorena ran down to the RV park, knocking on doors to wake up residents and guests. Her husband sprinted toward an RV near the river, where the Burgess family was staying for the holiday.
“He started yelling at them, ‘Throw me your baby, throw me your baby!’” Lorena recalled. “Then a wave came in and took the family.”
The bodies of John and Julia Burgess, the parents, were later found. Their young sons, Jack and James, are still missing. The couple’s surviving daughter was away at a nearby camp.
“It was absolutely awful,” Lorena said.
The floodwaters surged higher and faster than anyone anticipated. All 33 RVs in the park were swept away. The neighboring campground with tiny homes and cottages was destroyed too.
“They had a total of 40 people missing as of yesterday,” Lorena said.
She’s also mourning the loss of one of her employees, Julian Ryan. He was 27 years old.
“When he was at home, the water kept rising so high he had to break a window to get his family out to safety,” Lorena said. “He cut an artery in his arm and he bled to death.”
“That’s what a true hero does,” she added.
She and Julian had just closed the restaurant together before the floods started.
In the days since the storm, Lorena hasn’t slowed down. She’s been helping others — managing her business and raising money for survivors.
“I haven’t had a chance to miss him yet,” she said, holding back tears. “Because when I do… it’s hard.”
The moments Lorena slows down are when it hurts the most: “The second I close my eyes, all I can hear is the screams.”