8-Year-Old Twin Girls, Educators, Camp Director Among Victims Killed in Texas Floods

The sisters were at Camp Mystic when the surging river claimed their lives, according to their parents, John and Lacy Lawrence.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 7/7/2025, 5:29:02 PM EDT

8-Year-Old Twin Girls, Educators, Camp Director Among Victims Killed in Texas Floods — Twin sisters Hanna Lawrence (L) and Rebecca Lawrence, who were two the victims killed by the flooding at Camp Mystic in central Texas on July 4. (John Lawrence via AP)

Twin 8-year-old sisters from Dallas, a respected soccer coach and teacher, a longtime camp director, and several young campers were among the dozens of victims killed when flash floods tore through central Texas over the holiday weekend. The floods transformed the Guadalupe River into a deadly torrent, leaving families and communities across the region in mourning.

Among those lost were Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 8-year-old twins from Dallas who had just completed second grade. The sisters were at Camp Mystic when the surging river claimed their lives, according to their parents, John and Lacy Lawrence.

“Hanna and Rebecca brought so much joy to us, to their big sister Harper, and to so many others,” the Lawrences said. “We will find ways to keep that joy, and to continue to spread it for them. But we are devastated that the bond we shared with them, and that they shared with each other, is now frozen in time.”

Their grandfather, David Lawrence, former publisher of the Miami Herald, described the ordeal as “an unimaginable time for all of us,” adding, “They and that joy can never be forgotten.”

University Park Elementary School, where the girls attended, reported that numerous students were in the area during the disaster and had to evacuate. “We are deeply saddened to report the loss of multiple students, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families deeply affected by this unimaginable tragedy,” the school stated on its website.

Counseling services have been offered to students and staff as they process the tragedy.

Educators and Coaches Among the Victims

The Zunker family of Kerrville also suffered a devastating loss. Reece Zunker, described by and as “a passionate educator and a beloved soccer coach,” and his wife Paula, a former teacher, were among the deceased, according to the school.

“His unwavering dedication to our students, athletes, and the Tivy community touched countless lives and will never be forgotten,” the school said in its own Facebook post on Sunday.

Paula’s impact as a teacher “continues to be felt, even years later.” The couple’s children, Lyle and Holland, remained missing as of the latest updates. The family had been staying at a river house in Hunt.

A Community Rallies After Tragedy

In San Angelo, the search for 62-year-old Tanya Burwick, 62, ended in heartbreak. According to the San Angelo Police Department, Burwick was last heard from as she drove to work at Walmart early Friday, calling her family in distress about the rising water.

Her employer filed a missing persons report when she did not arrive. Police later found her SUV fully submerged, unoccupied, and discovered her body the next morning several blocks away. “She lit up the room and had a laugh that made other people laugh,” said her daughter, Lindsey Burwick. (AP)

The family, who operates a fireworks stand in Blackwell, was comforted as community members gathered to support them. More than 12,000 buildings in San Angelo were affected by the floodwaters, according to police. “We ask that the public continue to keep the Burwick family in their thoughts and prayers as they navigate this heartbreaking tragedy,” the department posted on Facebook.

Camp Director’s Legacy Lives On

The long time co-owner and Director of Heart O’ the Hills Camp was among those lost, according a statement from the camp.

Jane Ragsdale, 68, who had been a camper, counselor, co-owner, and director since the 1980s, was remembered as “the heart of The Heart.” The camp’s statement on Instagram read, “She was our guiding light, our example, and our safe place. She had the rare gift of making every person feel seen, loved, and important.”

The camp, in existence since the 1950s, suffered extensive damage but was between sessions when the flood hit, so no children were present, the camp said in a statement on its website.

Young Lives Lost and Missing

Sarah Marsh, 8, from Alabama, was attending Camp Mystic when the floods struck.

Sarah was a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary in Birmingham. “This is an unimaginable loss for her family, her school, and our entire community,” Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch posted on Facebook.

Sarah’s grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, described her as a “beautiful spunky ray of light” and said, “She will live on in our hearts forever!”

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also acknowledged Sarah’s passing in a post on X, expressing prayers for all affected.

Blair and Brooke Harber, sisters from St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas, were swept away when their cabin along the Guadalupe River was destroyed, according to the school.

Their parents, Annie and RJ Harber, survived, but the girls’ grandparents remained unaccounted for.

Pastor Joshua J. Whitfield described the sisters as kind and involved in many activities. “We will honor Blair and Brooke’s lives, the light they shared, and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them,” Whitfield wrote to parishioners. The church held a prayer service and offered counseling in the wake of the loss.

Authorities report that more than 100 people have died in the flooding, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report