Green’s brother, John Burgess, his wife Julia and their two young sons, from the Houston area, were killed in the July 4 floods while camping in Ingram.
LIBERTY, Texas — Like many Texas families, country star Pat Green lost loved ones in the July 4 floods in the Texas Hill Country.
Green’s younger brother, John Burgess, his wife, Julia, and their sons James and Jack were camping in Ingram when the floodwaters swept them away. As of Wednesday, the boys were still missing.
Editor’s note: The video above originally aired on July 8.
“We are heartbroken and anxiously waiting for all of them to be found. Thank you for your prayers,” Green’s wife Kori posted on Instagram.
The couple’s 8-year-old daughter was at a nearby summer camp, which wasn’t affected by the flooding.
The family lived in Liberty, northeast of Houston.
Green teamed up with other country stars for a special fundraising event, Pat Green & Friends Flood Relief Livestream, at Globe Life Field Wednesday night.
“We need to care for more than just ours; we need to take care of others, too,” Green said. “Texas stands up for Texas… we all look out for each other.”
Green sent a heartfelt thank you to the search and rescue crews who assisted his family through the tragedy.
“I have nothing but gratitude for those people and how much they did for my family,” Green said. “It’s a dang lot… all I can say is if you ever met John or Julia, you were probably in a great spot. I wanna celebrate their memory, not lament.”
The lineup included:
- Miranda Lambert
- Jon Pardi
- Dierks Bentley
- Corey Kent
- Casey Donahew
- Josh Abbott
- Ryan Bingham
- Eli Young Band
- Joe Nichols
- Kaitlin Butts
- Ty Myers
- Kevin Fowler
- Bob Schneider
Country singer Chris Cagle said he was grateful to be included by Green.
“Texas country people were thick as thieves; we’re family to each other, these people I’ve known for most of my life and not only that- I look after them as much as they look after me,” Cagle said.
The show was streamed for free on YouTube and Pat Green’s Givebutter page. Viewers could donate at any time.
All proceeds from the concert and livestream will be distributed to Kerr County Relief, TEXSAR and the Do It For Durrett Foundation via The Pat Green Foundation, directly benefiting the families affected by this heart-wrenching disaster.
According to a news release from the Texas Rangers, all proceeds from the concert and livestream will go to Kerr County Relief, TEXSAR and the Do It For Durrett Foundation through The Pat Green Foundation. The funds will directly benefit those affected by the recent floods.
Remembering John and Julia Burgess
A funeral will be held for the Burgess family at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 18, at The Church of St. John the Divine in Houston.
When we visited Liberty on July 8, neighbors had left flowers and stuffed toys in front of the family’s home.
“The neighbors around here, we’ve all been praying and everything, and it’s just a sad, sad situation. I just can’t hardly believe it,” neighbor Winnie Taylor told KHOU 11.
The couple was inside their RV with two young sons, Jack and James, at a campsite in Ingram when the Guadalupe River rapidly rose early Friday while most people were sleeping.
According to relatives, John was later found dead. They said Julia’s body was recovered on Monday, July 8, but their boys remained missing as of Wednesday, July 16.
We learned Julia Burgess was a beloved teacher at Liberty Elementary, not far from the family’s home.
Liberty ISD shared a simple message on social media over the weekend that stated, “Our hearts are with the Burgess family — please continue to pray.”
“I think we’re all still trying to wrap our heads and our hearts around this situation,” Mark Linabury said.
Linabury is President and CEO of the East Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, where he said John Burgess attended a luncheon two days before the flood.
Linabury shared a post with a photo of Burgess cutting a ribbon on his financial services business a couple of years ago.
“You always knew when John was in the room because he just had this smile that could light up any room,” Linabury told us.
Like many, he was praying for a miracle as the days passed.
“You know, you just want a magic wand and we don’t have one,” he said.