Recent floods in Texas have left communities desolated, with a heartrending account of a father sacrificing his life to save his fiancée and children.
A state of emergency has been issued for various counties in Texas following severe flash floods on July 4.
Authorities reported that the heavy rain, equivalent to a month’s worth, poured down in just a few hours. This resulted in the Guadalupe River reaching a perilous height of 26 feet.
Officials have confirmed that at least 50 fatalities have occurred, including 15 children.
Kerr County was among the hardest hit areas, where one man heroically saved his children, fiancée, and mother at the cost of his own life.
Julian Ryan, 27, tragically died from severe blood loss after breaking through a window to escape the rising waters in his home.
Ryan’s mother, fiancée Christina Wilson, and their two young children, aged six years and 13 months, were caught off guard by the sudden flooding that surged into their trailer home in Ingram at 4 am on Friday (July 4).
In a bid to save his family by breaking the window for an escape to the roof, Ryan severely injured his arm, reportedly severing an artery, with Christina describing the wound as nearly severing his arm ‘clean off’.
Praising Julian’s bravery, his family shared their memories with local news sources, recounting his final words.
His fiancée told KHOU 11: “By 6 o’clock my husband was dead, he had lost all of his blood. He looked at me and the kids, my mother in law and said ‘sorry I’m not going to make it, I love ya’ll’.”
She later discovered Julian’s body after the waters receded, though it took hours before it could be recovered.
Julian’s mother remarked that her son was ‘the hero of this story’.
The family emphasized the urgent need for improved disaster prevention measures, suggesting that flood sirens might have prevented such a loss of life.
Col. Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, announced on Friday: “We brought in over 100 troopers this morning. And they’ve worked all day, rescues, high water vehicles, boats, rescue divers, seven rescue helicopters with hoist capabilities.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott assured: “We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person and ensure everybody involved in this is going to be fully accounted for.”
President Trump addressed the media after the flooding incident, referring to it as a ‘terrible thing’.
“It looks like some young people have died,” Trump said, indicating that his administration would collaborate with Abbott to deliver aid and support to the state in this challenging time.