TUCSON, Ariz. — The Kerrville, Texas floods are impacting people from across the country, including in Tucson.
A young couple, Holly and Jeremiah Mikiel, left Kerrville to move to Tucson, Holly's hometown, the day before the storm devastated the area.
Holly and Jeremiah say they drove through the storm on July 3, but had no idea how bad it was going to be.
“Until the next morning, I was woken up at like 4 o’clock in the morning, this time by my friend Brianna, and she said that our park, our local park, Louise Hays Park was completely underwater,” Holly said. “And almost to the bridge and the bridge is like 20 feet above the park.”
Holly said it was hard to believe and very shocking because that wasn’t how she last saw it.
“Like everything was fine when we left. I mean I looked at the park on our way out of Kerrville. I was watching people kayak. I was watching dogs run in the park. Everything was fine, until it wasn’t,” Holly said.
She said it was a scary moment when she couldn’t get ahold of her mom, grandma and sister who still live in Kerrville.
“I didn’t know if they were at home. I didn’t know if they were out there stuck in the water somewhere. Didn’t know if they were dead or alive honestly,” Holly said.
Holly ended up reaching her family and is thankful they’re okay, but can’t stop thinking about her community and the girls at Camp Mystic.
“This was a community that I served. I probably saw a lot of these girls at the restaurants that I worked at. I probably gave them extra crayons or an extra drink,” Holly said. “I know I served the Tivy soccer coach at the sandwich shop that I worked at. They were lovely people.”
According to Tivy High School’s Facebook, soccer coach Reece Zunker, and his wife, Paula tragically lost their lives in the flash flood on July 4th, and their two children are still missing.
Holly’s mom, Shari Goddard, also from Tucson, is living in Kerrville and says this is something she’s never experienced in her life.
“We’ve lost friends, people’s homes have been destroyed. Businesses have been destroyed. I perform at a theater out here that’s been devastated,” Goddard said.
Goddard is helping with clean-up efforts at the theater and says it’s difficult to see how much hurt this tragedy has caused.
“And even though I’m not from here, it’s hard to see how much pain everybody is in,” Goddard said.
Goddard says across the street from where she lives is the Guadalupe River and can clearly see search and rescue efforts.
“As I head down the street from where I am, I had to go to my mom’s, you can see them all congregated in spots along the river,” Goddard said.
She said she’s retired from the Red Cross and it really gave her a sense of pride to see them set up at her parents church.
Jeremiah’s mom and sister also live in Kerrville.
He says they’re okay, but it’s hard not to be with them right now.
“Just watching the devastation happen and everything, it would be great to have my family here with me instead of there,” Jeremiah said.
Jeremiah said though his family is okay, he knows people affected.
“One of my friends, his mom lives in Hunt and her whole neighborhood was devastated,” Jeremiah said. “A lot of my friends are helping family clean out their homes and look for people still and all that. It’s definitely taken a toll on people I know personally.”
Holly and Jeremiah say there are no words to describe this catastrophe and the amount of lives it took, but to see the nation support the town means the world.
“You spend a lot of your life, like, trying to fight for causes that a lot of people don’t back up and it’s really nice to see the response on this one,” Jeremiah said.
Holly said it restores her faith in the world.
“I didn’t realize that people could come together to care about such a little place,” Holly said. “And such a small, but such a rich community that has a lot of history that it has to offer.”
Holly and Jeremiah say they are doing everything they can to support their second home during this tough time.
“Donating to our local charities in the fundraisers,” Holly said.
Goddard says she’s thankful she and her family are okay, but these tragedies really drive it home when you realize it could’ve been anybody.
“It’s when you realize that your circle is not that small,” Goddard said. “It’s going to be a long road back. You feel it. There’s a sadness over everybody out here,” Goddard said.
If you would like to help those affected, here are organizations accepting donations: Hill Country Arts Foundation, King's Ransom Foundation, and Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
