Many families had to climb to their roofs, float on mattresses and swim in high waters to get to safety. About a week later, they share the same feeling, gratitude.
INGRAM, Texas — In a small neighborhood in Ingram, the homes are destroyed — but all the neighbors survived.
Though there is not much left of the houses, especially the Taylor family’s home, they said they are feeling grateful.
Jeremy Taylor and his wife, Mandie Aguilera, shared their survival story nearly a week after floodwaters rushed into their home.
“We’re a family full of survivors,” Aguilera said.
The couple had friends and family over that night — eight people total, including their six-year-old daughter.
When they went to bed, they never imagined they would wake up to the Guadalupe River raging at their back door.
“I was sleeping pretty heavy until we heard a noise in the back — it was actually some trees breaking,” Taylor said.
Within minutes, they said the water was up to their waists — then their chests. They quickly tried to escape, managing to swim outside, climb onto a truck, and then make it to the roof.
“Everyone else’s vehicle floated away. If his truck hadn’t gotten pinned up against the house, we wouldn’t have had anything to climb on,” Aguilera said.
But amid the chaos, their 9-year-old Labrador was nowhere to be found.
“It was tough,” Taylor said.
Eventually, when the water receded, everyone in the neighborhood was found alive — but there was still no sign of their dog.
“We came out every day looking for her, calling out for her,” Aguilera said. “And on Sunday, she was sitting on the porch steps — and she’s good.”
They took her to the vet, where the only injuries found were a couple of ear infections.
The couple said they were emotional when their entire family was finally back together.
“She found her way home,” Aguilera said.
Since then, they said the support from neighbors and even strangers has been overwhelming.
“There’s a lot of devastation and a lot of bad,” Taylor said. “But there’s a lot of good.”
If you would like to help this family, they have started a GoFundMe.