The San Antonio family was swept away by floodwaters while staying in a cabin along the Guadalupe River in Hunt.
SAN ANTONIO — In Kerrville, a chain-link fence is now adorned with photos of the victims lost on July Fourth. Among them are Emlyn and Penny Jeffrey, along with their 11-year-old granddaughter, Madelyn “Emmy” Jeffrey.
The San Antonio family was swept away by floodwaters while staying in a cabin along the Guadalupe River in Hunt.
Madelyn was a student at Bulverde Creek Elementary in the North East Independent School District.
“Our thoughts are with the entire family during this unimaginable time,” shared a district spokesperson.
According to a GoFundMe page, Madelyn is remembered as a “firecracker, filled with love and passion.”
Her grandparents, Emlyn and Penny, were described as pillars of the community, especially known for their volunteer work with Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA).
“Losing them is a huge loss to this community,” said Yolanda Valenzuela, who coordinated Emlyn’s work with CASA. “It’s just tragic.”
Emlyn began volunteering in the early 2000s and Penny joined him shortly after. As court-appointed advocates, they supported abused and neglected children in the foster care system.
“They served so many… 100 cases,” Valenzuela said.
On July 4, the couple and their granddaughter were in their riverside cabin when floodwaters surged through, sweeping away the cabin and those inside.
“What’s more heartbreaking is there were no goodbyes,” Valenzuela said.
She shared that the couple often took on the most difficult cases, building deep trust with the children they served. One moment that stood out: a former foster child, years after their case had closed, invited Emlyn to his high school graduation.
“He was the only person who showed up,” Valenzuela said. “That’s the kind of people they were. They built relationships that lasted.”
On GoFundMe, Madelyn’s mother wrote:
“We know my dad fought with everything he had to keep his girls safe. Hold your babies tight. Do all the things. My girl was living her best life when she was called home.”
Valenzuela said Emlyn and Penny’s legacy will continue through the lives they impacted.
“They made lifelong impacts,” she said.