Two young sisters were found dead, still holding hands, after flash floods swept through Central Texas early Friday morning. Blair Harber, 13, and her sister Brooke, 11, from Dallas, sent a final message to their family at 3:30 a.m. before the rising waters carried them away from a house in Hunt to where they were found 15 miles downstream in Kerrville.
The girls were staying with their grandparents when severe flooding hit the area. Their aunt, Jennifer Harber, shared that Brooke sent a heartbreaking text to the family: “Saying I love you at 3:30 a.m.” The girls’ father, R.J., tried to reach them in an upstairs loft but was unable to navigate the rapidly rising water. He eventually borrowed a kayak from neighbors but could not get to the house where his daughters and parents were trapped.
The grandparents remain missing. The floodwaters overwhelmed the property before rescue could arrive, destroying homes and vehicles in the community.
Blair and Brooke were students at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas. In a letter to the school community, leaders described the girls as faithful and devoted, sharing that they were holding their rosaries the night they died. “Even in their last moments, they held tightly to each other,” the letter stated, describing the sisters’ final moments as a testament to their faith and bond.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported that 41 people remain missing across the region. He warned residents to brace for more storms in the next two days. The state’s flood death toll has climbed to approximately 80.
In response, President Donald Trump signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County to unlock federal assistance and bolster emergency response. Rescue and recovery operations continue as Texas faces ongoing severe weather conditions.
The Harber family and their community now mourn the loss of two faithful young girls whose final act was a message of love. Their story stands as a heartbreaking reminder of both the power of nature and the enduring strength of faith.
