1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Center. It's nice to be back with you in studio. 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: We're here in Texas. It has been a very tough 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: last week. You spent a lot of time with victims families, 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: you spend a lot of time with first responders, You 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: spent time with local elected officials, and even with the 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: President United States American Kerrville. There's such sad stories that 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: have come out of this tragedy, but also a lot 8 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: of hope for just humanity and seeing people come together. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: Well, it's been just over a week since the horrific 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: flooding in Kerr County and throughout the Hill Country had 11 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: a devastating impact. We are still searching at this point 12 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: for bodies. To date, one hundred and twenty nine people 13 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 2: have been confirmed killed in that flooding. Many of those 14 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 2: were children. They're an additional one hundred and seventy three 15 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: people that we know of that are still missing. Search 16 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: and rescue teams are out searching right now. Unfortunately, the 17 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: Hill Country is right now as you and I speak, 18 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 2: under another flash flood warning, so they've suspended some of 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 2: the searches because there's there's heavy rains that are occurring 20 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: there right now. I could tell you I just today 21 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 2: spoke with a family whose little girls remains were discovered yesterday. 22 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 2: We're at a stage now, we're far enough away that 23 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 2: that that if you have someone missing, the odds are 24 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: becoming almost unavoidable, that that at this point it's a 25 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 2: search for remains and in some instances partial remains. The 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 2: damage that was done from a massive wall of water, 27 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 2: from trees and cars and debris is horrific. And we're 28 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 2: in the we're in the process of picking up and 29 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 2: coming back together. On Friday, I joined President Trump in 30 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: going to the Hill Country. We flew down together on 31 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: Air Force One. The President and I met with first responders, 32 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: met with families, We had a round table. It was powerful. 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 2: The first Lady came as well, we're going to take 34 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: you in inside what happened there, what we learned, and 35 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: what's going to happen next. 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a lot to cover today. I also want 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: to talk to you real quick about Patriot Mobile. 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So go to Patriotmobile dot com slash verdict. 66 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: That's Patriot Mobile dot com slash verdict, or call them 67 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: nine to seven to two Patriot. If you use the 68 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: promo code Verdict, you're gonna get a free month of service. 69 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: That's Patriotmobile dot com slash verdict or nine seven to 70 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: two Patriot. That's nine seven to two Patriot. Senator, you 71 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: mentioned Friday that you flew down with the President of 72 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: the First Lady. You guys were in Washington, DC at 73 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: that point. You flew back into Texas. You were there 74 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: early in the week as well, And I think one 75 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: of the things that people don't see is the amount 76 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: of compassion many times that the President and the First 77 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: Lady have in these types of scenarios. Donald Truck is 78 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: a guy that actually has a huge heart. He loves helping, 79 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: he loves listening to people that are going through tough times. 80 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: We've seen that through his whole career. What was it 81 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: like being with him and telling him about what you'd 82 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: seen earlier in the week in. 83 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: Texas well, Listen, I was very glad he decided to come, 84 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 2: and I'm glad he decided to come when he did, 85 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 2: which was Friday, a week after there had been some 86 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 2: discussion about his coming earlier, say Monday or Tuesday. And 87 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 2: the reason he decided not to is that when he 88 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 2: comes in, they shut down the airspace, and the president 89 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: coming to town shuts downs the roads. It's a huge 90 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: logistical nightmare. I think the White House made the right 91 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: decision that when you have active search and rescue going 92 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: a million different directions, it's not helpful to have the 93 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: President come in right in the middle of it. A 94 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: week later, after much of the search and rescue has happened. 95 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 2: That's the right time, when everyone is dealing with the grief, 96 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 2: for him to come in. And so I met him 97 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: at Andrews Air Force Base and we took off from there. 98 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: I will say, on kind of a lighter note, there 99 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: was a moment as we were getting ready to take 100 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 2: off of the play that I sent you. 101 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: A picture and I appreciate that picture. 102 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 2: So I was in the conference room at Air Force one, 103 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: the President was boarding. We're getting ready to take off, 104 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,799 Speaker 2: and there's a TV screen right there in the conference 105 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: room and Boom, who smiling mug was there. But you 106 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: were on Fox News that morning you were talking on 107 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: Fox News, and so I pulled out my phone and 108 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: snapped a picture of you on Air Force One. You 109 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: joined us for the morning. I was glad of it. 110 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: We flew together, just you were there in real life, 111 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: and I was on the screen. I'll take whatever and 112 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: get I showed the picture of my kids, by the way, 113 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: and they were like, that's Air Force One. Was like, 114 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 1: that's Air Force One. Daddy hasn't been on there in 115 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: twenty four years, but still the coolest plane in the world. 116 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 2: So we flew down Friday morning. The President was on 117 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 2: the plane. Milania the first lady came on the plane, 118 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: and then we also had John Cornyan joined us, Wesley 119 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 2: Hunt joined us, and then there were several cabinet members 120 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 2: who came. Brooke Rawlins, a Texan, the head of Secretary 121 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: of Agriculture, Scott Turner, another Texan, the Secretary of HUDD. 122 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 2: We also had Kelly Loaflow, the administrator of the Small 123 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 2: Business Administration. So we all flew down, spent quite a 124 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 2: bit of time talking with the President, talking with the 125 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 2: President about what was going on on the ground, just 126 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: how bad it was. And then when we landed, President 127 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 2: Trump took a helicopter tour and examined some of the 128 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: devastation and met some of the first responders on the ground. 129 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 2: We flew in chinook helicopters down to Kerrville where we 130 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: met with first responders and we heard the latest in 131 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: terms of the search and rescue, how they're systematically going 132 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 2: through different areas with helicopters, with drones, with ground search 133 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 2: and rescue, with dogs that are searching. They put in 134 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 2: place a burn band because there's debris everywhere, but you 135 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: don't want to accidentally burn the remains of someone who 136 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: was killed, so they're holding off. Before any debris can 137 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 2: be burned, they've got to clear through it and make 138 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 2: sure that there are no remains within it. They usually 139 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 2: send in a cadaver dog to make sure of that. 140 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 2: And then we sat and did a round table with 141 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 2: President Trump and with local leaders. And I will tell you, 142 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 2: I think the President first lady did a really effective job. 143 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: Here's President Trump early on in that roundtable talking about 144 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: the federal response and all the heroic rescues we saw here. 145 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:25,679 Speaker 2: Give a listen. 146 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 3: Administration is doing everything in his power to help Texas. 147 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 3: And I can tell you that and the governor will 148 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 3: be the first to tell you that when the request 149 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 3: was made for the emergency funds, Christy, I think we 150 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 3: gave it within about two minutes, maybe less, and they 151 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 3: had everything they needed right right immediately. So we've deployed 152 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 3: over four hundred first responders and assisted or enabled more 153 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 3: than fifteen hundred rescues. Amazing fifteen hundred customers in Border 154 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,239 Speaker 3: Protection and the US Coast Guard have deployed numerous search 155 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 3: and rescue crews and they're they're all over the territory. 156 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: It really is amazing to see how the government came together. 157 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: You witnessed it when you were down there Sunday Monday. 158 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: You get to witness it again later in the week. 159 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: But he's not exaggerating when he says everyone's working together 160 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: to try to find people and help those that were 161 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: devastated by this flood. 162 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: Well, that's right, and it very much is a cooperative 163 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: effort between the local government, both the city and county, 164 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: and the state government and the federal government. And I 165 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: will say Texas unfortunately has a lot of experience dealing 166 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: with natural disasters, and I think between hurricanes and floods 167 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: and tornadoes and wildfires, the Texas emergency Response team just 168 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 2: has a lot of experience. It's not our first rodeo, 169 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: and so they respond very effectively in terms of marshaling assets. 170 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 2: I can tell you in the first few hours of 171 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 2: this flood, when I was talking to the governor and 172 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 2: the Lieutenant governor and nim Kid who heads the Texas 173 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 2: Department of Emergency Management, all of them at the time, 174 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 2: they said they had every federal asset they needed. I 175 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: spoke with President Trump that first day and I said, 176 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: this is bad. We're going to need real help. He said, 177 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 2: anything Texas needs, yes, yes, yes is the answer. And 178 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 2: so we had that commitment, we had the resources surged 179 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: on the ground, and a little bit later in the 180 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 2: roundtable here here's an observation the President made about about 181 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 2: what he had seen in Texas. 182 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 3: You know two words, unity and competence. If you were 183 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 3: to ask me two words that I've seen here, one 184 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 3: is unity. The unity has been unbelievable. And then the competence. 185 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 3: The competence of the Coast Guard and some of the 186 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 3: people within the Post Guard that saved a lot of lives. 187 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: They went out and they saved a lot of lives. 188 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 3: But there were others other than the Coastguard. But I 189 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 3: would say competence and unity. The way everyone has just 190 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: pulled together. It's rare that you see this. Again. I've 191 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 3: been to so many and I've seen big and fighting, 192 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 3: and you know, just it doesn't work the same way. 193 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 3: This has been amazing. This is and this is the 194 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 3: biggest because I've never seen one like this. Neither is 195 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 3: anybody else. 196 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: By the way, He's right. I go back and I 197 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: remember when I was at the White House when Katrina happened. 198 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: We saw that bickering he's mentioning, and I listened and 199 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: watched it firsthand. On August to twenty sixth, August twenty seventh, 200 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: August twenty eighth, Hurricane hits, the twenty ninth, the devastation 201 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: where you had just because of politics, you had certain 202 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: people in the Mayor's office, in the Governor's office, and 203 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: then the White House and the reserves, and it was like, 204 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: why there are people that are hurting, And I'm so 205 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: thankful to you mention this because this is where we 206 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: got so many things right this past week. 207 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 2: Well, and I'll tell you, in visiting with some of 208 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 2: the senior officials in the state who deal with emergencies, 209 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 2: over and over and over again. One of them told 210 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: me said, of everything we've seen, this is the worst. 211 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 2: And I got to say, I agree with that. And 212 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 2: I've been on the ground for many, many disasters, tragedies, 213 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 2: with tragedies with very significant loss of life. So you're grieving, 214 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 2: but I got to say, they're just something different about 215 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: little kids. Amen, the little girls in the bubble in camp, 216 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 2: the eight and nine year old third graders whose lives 217 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 2: were lost. Every one of us as parents, every loss 218 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: of life is a tragedy, but this touches really deep. 219 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 2: The roundtable, the President asked me to express my thoughts. 220 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 2: Here's what I had to say to the President on Friday. Well, 221 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: miss President, I want to say thank you for being here. First, lady, 222 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 2: thank you for being here where we are right now. 223 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 2: The Hill Country is a very special part of the state. 224 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: It is universally considered the most beautiful part of the state. 225 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 2: You've got rolling hills, You've got these incredible, peaceful, wonderful rivers, 226 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 2: the Guadalupea River. Just about all of us have been 227 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 2: swimming in that river, floating in that river. And one 228 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 2: of the things that's really special about Kirk County is 229 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 2: there forty summer camps here. This is a place where 230 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 2: all across Texas our kids go. The Governor's daughter came 231 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,319 Speaker 2: every year to camp here. Both of you know our 232 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 2: girls really well. Heidi. The week before this flood was 233 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 2: here in Hunt picking up our daughter Catherine from camp. 234 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 2: And Camp Mystic that faced such devastating loss is an 235 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: institution in this state. It's one hundred years old, was 236 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 2: founded in nineteen twenty six. And I'll tell you, in Texas, 237 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 2: it's not just here that the hurt has felt. It's 238 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 2: every part of the state. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, 239 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: West Texas, East Texas. Texans have gone. And what's amazing 240 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 2: is you see at the closing ceremonies of these camps. 241 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 2: You see multiple generations. You'll see grandmothers and moms and 242 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 2: little girls who have all gone to the same camp. 243 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 2: And the pain that the state is feeling. And on Monday, 244 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 2: I went and walked through Camp Mystic. In the center 245 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: of the camp is a cabin called the bubble In 246 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 2: where the littlest girls were staying. And in front of 247 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 2: the bubble in are right now seventeen small white crosses 248 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 2: in the ground, and each cross has the name of 249 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 2: another little girl who lost her life. The final cross 250 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: has the name of Dick Eastlin, the camp director who 251 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 2: gave his life trying to save his girls. And the 252 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 2: water rose in that camp and in that cabin eight 253 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 2: feet high. You can see the water line eight feet high. 254 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:34,960 Speaker 2: It blew the windows out of the cabin and it 255 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 2: swept those girls out. I will tell you, I've never 256 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 2: seen anything more horrible in my life. And i just 257 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 2: sat there crying. I saw mom and dad come up 258 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 2: to one of those crosses, drop to their knees and 259 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 2: kiss that cross, and the mom was weeping. I also 260 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 2: want to tell you, and you said this, You talked 261 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: about unity. The way this community, the way the state 262 00:13:55,960 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: is coming together, is incredible. There are stories of heroisdom. 263 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 2: I met a mom and dad who had a fourteen 264 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 2: year old boy at Camp le Hunt, a boy's camp. 265 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 2: Their fourteen year old son was awakened at three in 266 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 2: the morning. The water was rising. The counselor said, let's 267 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 2: go save the little boys. And they went down to 268 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 2: the seven, eight nine year old boys and pulled them 269 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 2: out of their camps through the crashing water. And this 270 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: mom and dad were crying. Now their son survived, and 271 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: I said, look, your son will always have this trauma. 272 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 2: You will always have this trauma. But at the same time, 273 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: your son will always know when he was fourteen years 274 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 2: old that there are little boys and one day there 275 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: are men who are alive because he had the courage 276 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: as a fourteen year old to risk his life to 277 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: save them. And so we are grateful you're here. And 278 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 2: I will say something Chip referenced is very true. There's 279 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 2: a video of a school bus full of campers from 280 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 2: Mystic after this crisis, riding past the devastation and they 281 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 2: are singing Christian hymns. And I promise you there's no 282 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 2: a person here who can watch that video and not 283 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 2: weep tears of sorrow, but also tears of joy. So 284 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 2: we are grateful for the response, Governor, the first responders, 285 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: everyone who's come together, and to all the moms and dads, 286 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 2: just know we love you. The agony my street at home, 287 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 2: every house has a green ribbon around it for the 288 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: girls at Mystic, and that's true in a lot of 289 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: streets all throughout Texas. And we will come through this 290 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 2: one way or the other. I'll tell you the Hunt 291 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 2: store right now, the sign says Hunt Store, except today 292 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 2: it doesn't. It says Hunt Strong. They redid the sign. 293 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 2: That's the spirit of who we are. Thank you Jed 294 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 2: very much. 295 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: The heroes that have come out of this, that fourteen 296 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: year old. I have three boys. I know that my dad, 297 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: when he was raising me, wanted me to be a 298 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: strong young man that would do what that fourteen year 299 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: old did. I want to raise my boys to be 300 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: the same way. But for that family to know their 301 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: son made a difference in literally save people's lives is 302 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: an incredible I think story that of the good that 303 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: has come out of such a horrific event. You also 304 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: met other heroes. One that went viral this past week 305 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: was it was it was a guy that was saving 306 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: literally more than there. It was one hundred and sixty four lives. 307 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 2: Yes, Scott Ruskin. He's a Coastguard swimmer. And and here 308 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 2: you can see I met Scott when when I was 309 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: down in uh down in the hill country. He's twenty 310 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 2: five years old. And uh, you know we've talked before 311 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 2: about how the Coastguard swimmers. These guys are badass. I mean, 312 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 2: I mean, they're the analogy I use. It's it's like 313 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 2: a Navy seal and a California surfer combined together, you know, 314 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 2: and it's so accurate. 315 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: I mean, it's so accurate. 316 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 2: So Scott's comment, like it like in the press this week, 317 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 2: was I'm just a dude. Yeah, I'm just a dude 318 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 2: doing a job, which is a very swimmer thing to say. 319 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 2: But the early morning of the flooding, they put him 320 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: on the ground at Capt Mystic, Uh and he spent 321 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 2: three and a half hours there with the girls on 322 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 2: a field that was the highest point of Mystic. And 323 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 2: he loaded one hundred and sixty five girls onto helicopters 324 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: and they evacuated them on helicopters. They had about fifteen 325 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: girls per helicopter and the girls, you know, you got 326 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 2: to picture this scene. It's it's pitch black, it's still nighttime. 327 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: The rain is helping her down. The girls are in 328 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 2: their pajamas, they're missing shoes. Many of them are crying. 329 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 2: They're scared. Some of them are looking for their friends. 330 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 2: Some of them are looking for the young your younger 331 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 2: sisters who they can't find. They're terrified. Some of them 332 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:43,400 Speaker 2: were singing Christian hymns and Scott was comforting each of them, 333 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 2: putting them when I talked to him. He'd just gotten 334 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 2: off the phone with a mom and dad who had 335 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 2: called him with their daughter, and they said, you saved 336 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 2: our daughter's life. They said she was scared out of 337 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 2: her mind, and you held her hands, you picked her 338 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 2: up and loaded her into helicopter. And as you did, 339 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: you held her hands. You told her it's gonna be 340 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: all right, You're gonna be okay. And this hero hero, 341 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 2: and you know, laid back Swimmer, he was reduced to 342 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:20,640 Speaker 2: tears that heroism was happening day after day after day. 343 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: You look at the last little over a week and 344 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: you talk about we're still trying to find people. You 345 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: talk about you know, I say this not really sarcastily. 346 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: Finally the government got it right. The response was incredible. 347 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: And seeing you work together, seeing how strong the people 348 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: are in Texas, what was your takeaway even from Monday 349 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: to Friday, being there and seeing how quickly people are 350 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: still actively helping. They're still out there searching, they're still 351 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: trying to help their fellow man and woman in Texas. 352 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 2: Look, they're working hard, and you've got volunteers coming in 353 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 2: like crazy. You got people coming in from all over 354 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 2: the state that are contributing. The Community Foundation in Kirk 355 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 2: County has received over thirty million dollars in contributions in 356 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: just a week. They've already distributed over five million dollars. 357 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 2: As they're trying to give money just to help help 358 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,159 Speaker 2: people get back on their feet, right on the ground 359 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 2: and listen. There's also lots of confusion. I will say 360 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 2: I've spoken now to quite a few parents and people 361 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 2: who lost loved ones, and there's frustration. Early on, it's 362 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,919 Speaker 2: hard to get information. I'll tell you the moms and 363 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 2: dads who had girls missing a mystic. I would be 364 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 2: getting phone calls and texts do you know anything about 365 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 2: where my daughter is? And what you want to answer? Yes, 366 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 2: And the frustrating thing is is that you don't. And 367 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 2: so you'd say, look, I'll try to connect you with 368 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 2: the head of emergency management. I'll try to connect you 369 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 2: with the sheriff, like the people on the ground, but 370 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 2: in many cases they're just out search teams looking and 371 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 2: until they find the remains, there's nothing to be told 372 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: other than we're still looking. That frustration was I'll tell 373 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 2: you there was an article just came out in Texas 374 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 2: Monthly about what happened and I want to take a 375 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: few minutes and actually read a significant portion of the article. 376 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 2: The articles by a fellow named Aaron Parsley, and it's 377 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 2: entitled The River House Broke. We rushed in the river, 378 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 2: and he's telling a first hand story about his family 379 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 2: that had a house right along the Waterla Loopy River. 380 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 2: I want you just listen to this. Rosemary, the four 381 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 2: year old, woke up first. She told my brother in 382 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 2: law Lance that there was something on the roof. Seven 383 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 2: of us were at my family's river house on the 384 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 2: Guadalupe between Ingram and Hunt for the fourth Our little 385 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 2: stretch of river is wide, green, cool, deep and slow. 386 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 2: It's some of the best swimming anywhere in one of 387 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: the most beautiful spots in Texas as far as I'm concerned. 388 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 2: I've spent many peaceful afternoons there, floating and staring up 389 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 2: at the cypress trees that tower over the water house, 390 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 2: a one story cabin on stilts about fifty yards from 391 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 2: the river up the steeply slope. Yard was built right 392 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 2: after the nineteen eighty seven flood that devastated this region, 393 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 2: killing ten teenagers. Concrete pillars put our family's place a 394 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 2: few feet feet above what officials consider the one hundred 395 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 2: year floodplain. More than once, I'd tried to imagine the 396 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 2: water's rising that high, but it seemed impossible. I woke 397 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 2: around three am to the sound of thunder and rain. 398 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 2: My only thought was I hope it stopped so I 399 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 2: could go on an early morning run. Shortly before four thirty, 400 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: I would later learn Rosemary climbed down from the top 401 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 2: bunk of the kid's bedroom and went to get her father. 402 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: Lance stepped out of bed to see what was causing 403 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 2: all the pounding and creaking. I stirred about that time too, 404 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 2: and heard what I figured was the kids running around 405 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 2: the house, excited by the storm. What's going on? I 406 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 2: asked where trouble? Dad said, big trouble. I looked past them. 407 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 2: The river was as high as the deck, twenty feet 408 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:15,360 Speaker 2: above the ground. We talked through our options. Getting onto 409 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 2: the roof was impossible. We had no ladder and the 410 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 2: eaves were about eight feet above the deck. Patrick weighed 411 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 2: whether we could all climb through a window onto the 412 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 2: live oak, whose branches were near the back of the house, 413 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 2: then realized it wasn't reachable. Lance called nine one one, 414 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 2: but the dispatcher said he didn't know when anyone could 415 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 2: get to us. As we reassembled in the kitchen, the 416 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 2: vinyl flooring under our feet started to bubble. Then water 417 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 2: began to pool. My dad walked into the bedroom and 418 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 2: saw the carpet floating off the floor. The river's musty 419 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 2: scent permeated the house, mixed with what smelled like freshly 420 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 2: chopped wood. My sister sat Rosemary and Clay on the 421 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 2: kitchen island countertop. Rosemary was four and Clay was twenty 422 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 2: months old. We discussed whether we could get them higher, 423 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: maybe even on top of the cabinets in the small 424 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 2: space below the ceiling. Then the roof over the porch 425 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 2: crashed down and we heard glass shatter in my father's room, 426 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 2: just off the kitchen. Rosemary asked, why did the window break? 427 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,360 Speaker 2: Clay started to cry. When the sliding glass doors open 428 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 2: and water poured in. Lance ran to it, shoved it closed, 429 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 2: and held it shut. The pendant lamps began to swing 430 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 2: wildly over the kitchen counter. The house was shifting. It 431 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 2: lurked sharply, and we all struggled to stay on our feet. 432 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 2: It felt like walking down the aisle of a plane 433 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 2: during strong turbulence. We're moving, We're moving, Patrick said. The 434 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 2: realization was terrifying. The rushing, still rising water had lifted 435 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 2: the house off its pillars. It was a float, and 436 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 2: then it wasn't. I saw part of the deck rip away. 437 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 2: I heard windows break from every corner, Cracks split the walls. 438 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 2: We crashed into something, probably a tree. I don't know 439 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:31,199 Speaker 2: how long It took ten seconds, maybe fifteen, for the 440 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 2: house to come apart. Alissa managed to keep both kids 441 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 2: on the countertop, one hand on each, still trying to 442 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 2: reassure them. As the house came undone, she grabbed one 443 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 2: in each arm. This is the part that will forever 444 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 2: haunt me. If I or anyone else had been closer 445 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 2: to them, we would have helped her. We would have 446 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 2: grabbed one of the kids. But we simply didn't know 447 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:57,200 Speaker 2: that we were about to be plunged into the water. 448 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 2: We simply didn't now as we were thrust into churning water, 449 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 2: into darkness. Our disintegrating house sucked us down into the river. 450 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 2: The last thing I remember from inside the house was 451 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 2: seeing the refrigerator coming at me. Patrick saw the countertop 452 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 2: tear away from the kitchen island with Alyssa and the 453 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 2: kids on it. As the river carried me downstream, I 454 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 2: struggled to stay above water. I was surrounded by branches, 455 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 2: by twisted metal, by uprooted trees, by countless smaller objects, 456 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 2: bottles of sunscreen, books, couch cushions, coolers that came from 457 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: inside our home or somebody else's. I realized I lost 458 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 2: my shoes and my phone. I grabbed at every branch 459 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: and every tree that was still standing. A few snapped 460 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,439 Speaker 2: off in my hands, leaving me with a fistful of leaves. 461 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 2: I managed to briefly hold onto one, perhaps for a 462 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 2: few seconds, until the force of the water and the 463 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 2: constant assault from debris ripped me away. I latched onto 464 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: a tree with branches large enough to support me and 465 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 2: pulled myself out of the water. My breathing was frantic, 466 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 2: but my mind was focused. I considered the possibility of death. 467 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 2: I thought, if I survive, I'll be the only one. 468 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 2: The tree began to crack, creak, and moan. Then it 469 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 2: slowly fell into the river, and so did I. I 470 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 2: reached for another tree and climbed as high as I could, 471 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 2: a couple of feet above the rushing water. I stepped 472 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 2: up to a higher branch, and then another. If this 473 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 2: tree collapsed, I wasn't sure if I would fight to 474 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 2: stay above the water again. I pleaded with the tree 475 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 2: to hold me, to withstand the power of the river. Please, 476 00:26:55,560 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 2: I whispered, please, Over the roar of the water and 477 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 2: the crackling of the trees. I heard screaming. It was guttural, primal. 478 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 2: Who's there? I called, I'm in a tree too. We 479 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 2: have to hang on. Someone will help. It's Alyssa, my sister, screamed, 480 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: I'm with Rosemary. Clay is gone. The memory of those 481 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 2: words will never leave me. A combination of profound relief 482 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 2: an unbearable sadness overwhelms me now, even as I type this. 483 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 2: Alyssa and I kept yelling to each other, though neither 484 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 2: of us could clearly make out what the other was saying. 485 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 2: Be strong for Rosemary, I implored, you have to survive this. Intermittently, 486 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 2: I could hear just one word, Clay, as Alyssa cried 487 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,120 Speaker 2: out for her son. Then I noticed Patrick running along 488 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 2: the river bank. I couldn't believe he was there, fully dressed, 489 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 2: wearing his tank top and shorts, his shoes somehow still 490 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 2: on he had lost only his wedding ring. He told 491 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 2: me later, Patrick, I'm here, I yelled. For the first time. 492 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 2: I thought we had a shot at surviving. Patrick was 493 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 2: the first normal thing since the house broke apart. It 494 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 2: was like being alone on an alien planet and another 495 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,679 Speaker 2: human being randomly arrives. And then Lance came jogging up 496 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 2: after him. They'd ended up in the same pecan tree, 497 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 2: about two hundred feet away from the river bank and 498 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 2: about two thousand feet from where our house once stood. 499 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 2: Lance has a watch with a flashlight that he turned 500 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 2: on after Rosemary woke him up. Patrick said he spotted 501 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 2: the beam after he climbed into the tree. They were 502 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 2: only a few yards apart, close enough that they could 503 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 2: talk without yelling. Lance kept repeating, my son, my daughter, 504 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 2: there's no way. In the river's roiling churn. With Rosemary 505 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 2: clinging to her neck while she paddled with one arm, 506 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 2: Alissa had somehow managed to push her daughter onto a branch. 507 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 2: Rosemary hugged with her arms and legs, lying flat. Alyssa 508 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 2: stayed in the water just below her, gripping the tree's trunk, 509 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 2: and as the waters were seated, she stood uncomfortably on 510 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 2: a branch below her. Alyssa would tell me five days 511 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 2: later that Rosemary wanted to play I spy while they 512 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 2: waded in the tree. Patrick waded into the water to 513 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 2: intercept a blue kayak that was floating by an older 514 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 2: couple watching from a house on a nearby hill. Brought 515 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 2: Lance and Patrick an inflatable inner tube, and they decided 516 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 2: the tube was the better option to catch Rosemary, more 517 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 2: control softer landing. After that, Rosemary's rescue happened quickly. Patrick 518 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,479 Speaker 2: and Lance rigged the inner tube with a green garden 519 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 2: hose they found and tied it around a down tree. 520 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 2: Lance waded into the water, positioning the tube beneath his daughter. 521 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 2: I stood downriver, ready to catch Rosemar if she missed 522 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 2: the target and got caught in the stream. Alissa urged 523 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 2: us to hurry, saying she didn't think she could hold 524 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 2: onto the tree much longer. She had to pry Rosemary's 525 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 2: hands from the branch. Rosemary, terrified, started to cry. Then 526 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 2: my sister cradled her daughter and dropped her twenty feet 527 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 2: into the river where her father was waiting. She landed 528 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 2: directly in the middle of the inner tube, and we 529 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 2: all cheered. Lance carried his daughter to shore. My sister 530 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:39,719 Speaker 2: jumped into the water right after, and I grabbed her, 531 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 2: put my arm around her, and together we walked to safety. 532 00:30:43,320 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 2: Alissa collapsed on the river bank, crying out for Clay. 533 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 2: Rosemary became calm when she reached dry land, but her 534 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 2: face had a blue cast. We were all shivering. We 535 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 2: told Rosemary how brave she'd in and that she was 536 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 2: now safe and it was going to be okay. 537 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: That's the reality of what it was like for so 538 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: many down there, and it happened. That article describes it, 539 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: I think perfectly, so quickly. 540 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 2: I want you to take a look at this picture. 541 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 2: This is Rosemary and Clay. Rosemary survived, Clay did not. 542 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:30,239 Speaker 2: This family, like so many Texas families, is rejoicing at 543 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 2: the lives that were saved and is forever grieving at 544 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 2: the lives that were lost. And this family, like so 545 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 2: many Texas families, needs their friends, their loved ones, to 546 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 2: hold them tight. They need God's blessing and mercy and grace. 547 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 2: And I will tell you everyone in Texas is standing 548 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 2: with this family, is standing with all of the parents 549 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 2: at Mystic, is standing with all the little girl girls 550 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 2: who lost friends just today I was visiting with parents 551 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 2: who had two daughters at Mystic, One survived, one did not. 552 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 2: They talked about the surviving daughter and the guilt and 553 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 2: grief that every one of the survivors feels. Survivors guilt, 554 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 2: Why did my friend? Why did my sister die and 555 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 2: I didn't? And those girls it's going to take a 556 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 2: whole lot of love and a whole lot of time 557 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 2: for them to walk through that grief. We'll do that. 558 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 2: That's who Texans are. But these are hard times. 559 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: There are so many different organizations doing amazing work helping 560 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: those in Texas. If you can help, make sure you help. 561 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: There's a lot of them. Pick the one that connects 562 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: with you and your family and your heart. But there 563 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: are people that need help, and if you can do that, 564 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 1: they'd be amazing. Sooner. I will see you back here again, 565 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: real soon