1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Welcome. It is Verdict with Center, Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: with you, and it's so nice to have you with 3 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: us on the program. Today, Senator, We're going to be 4 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: covering yet again the horrific flooding in Texas and get 5 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: people up to date on the latest information that you have. 6 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 2: Right now, well five days into it, we have one 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 2: hundred and nine people who've been killed in the flooding 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 2: in the Hill Country of Texas. There are still a 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 2: significant number of people that are missing. We know of 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: at least twenty seven campers and counselors that were killed 11 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 2: at Camp Mystic. Those numbers may grow. The one hundred 12 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 2: and nine is likely to grow. And I have to say, 13 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 2: just having spent all day yesterday on the ground in 14 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 2: the Hill Country, the devastation, I got to tell you, 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: as bad as you think it is, it's worse. It 16 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: is being on the ground and Camp Mystic. And later 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: in this podcast, I'm going to walk you through exactly 18 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: what is going on in Camp Mystic, what the state is. 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 2: It is the most horrific thing I've ever seen, and 20 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 2: it is look, I got to say, the whole state 21 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 2: of Texas we are grieving we're mourning, but the whole 22 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 2: country is morning. Everyone particularly had anyone who's a parent, 23 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: the nightmare of losing your child, and losing your child 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 2: to this kind of disaster, going from joy and celebration 25 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: dropping your kid off at summer camp to have an 26 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 2: incredible experience just days later being swept away by floodwaters. 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 2: It is horrific and we're hurting. We're hurting right. 28 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: Now, no doubt about it. We're going to give you 29 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: that update on exactly where we are now in just 30 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: a moment. 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So 59 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: go to Patriot Mobile dot com slash verdict. That's Patriot 60 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: Mobile dot com slash verdict, and if you use the 61 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: promo code verdict, you're gonna get a free month of 62 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: service on US Patriot Mobile dot com slash verdict or 63 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: nine seven two Patriot. That's nine seven to Patriot and 64 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: make the switch today. So, Senator, we've had a lot 65 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: that's happened since we put out that podcast yesterday. Usually 66 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: we published a show on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I 67 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: know mini are tuning in this morning that may have 68 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: missed part of that, and we're going to talk about 69 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: and play some of that for you in a moment. 70 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: But catch us up to the latest briefings you've received 71 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: in the last twenty four hours. 72 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: Well, look, I want to read you a story that 73 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: was published in the Wall Street Journal and it was 74 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 2: entitled A Texas dad tried to kayak to his daughters. 75 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: The girls texted I love you, and the story focuses 76 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: on the Harbor family that spent holiday at a cabin 77 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: they owned at cassabidneda cabin community near Hunt, Texas. Around 78 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: three thirty a m. On Friday, R J. Harbor was 79 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 2: awakened by pounding rain, thunder and lightning. Hours earlier. He'd 80 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: received flash flood warnings for other areas, but not where 81 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 2: he was staying. R J, who was a forty five 82 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 2: year old father and Dallas lawyer who had been vacationing 83 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: and going to summer camp in this area his whole life, 84 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 2: thought the river might rise a little. He wanted to 85 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: check on his two young daughters, eleven year old Brook 86 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: and thirteen year old Blair. The girls were staying in 87 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: a borrowed cabin closer to the river with their grandparents, 88 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 2: Mike and Charlene Harbor. R J said he thought he 89 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: would also clear away a kayak and some fishing geary 90 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 2: was keeping by the river. He put his foot down 91 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: on the floor of his cabin and felt about four 92 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 2: inches of water. RJ turned to his wife, who was 93 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: laying in bed beside him, also awake. He told her Annie, 94 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 2: the cabin's flo flooding. RJ could see the water rushing 95 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: in through the front door. He tried to open the door, 96 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 2: but he couldn't. He looked out the window and saw 97 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: the water level was about two feet below the window. 98 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 2: We need to get out right now, RJ told Annie. 99 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 2: They grabbed a few items, their cell phones in a 100 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 2: bag they had no unpacked. By the time they jumped 101 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 2: out the window, about two minutes later, the water had 102 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: reached up to Annie's neck. The Harbors hurried to another 103 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: cabin nearby on slightly higher ground, then knocked on the 104 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: door and woke the family. By the time the family 105 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 2: came to the door, the water was almost at their door. 106 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: They went to another cabin and woke a third family 107 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,359 Speaker 2: as well. RJ borrowed a kayak, a life vest, and 108 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 2: a flashlight. He started to kayak to the cabin where 109 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 2: the couple's daughters and RJ's parents were standing. It was 110 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 2: about one hundred feet below and he reached about half 111 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 2: way when RJ said a swell knocked him into a post. 112 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: I shined a flashlight out there, and I could see 113 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 2: it was white water, and I've kayaked enough to know 114 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 2: that was going to be impossible. He could see an 115 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 2: entire cabin had been detached from its foundation and was 116 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 2: stuck against the side of the cabin where his daughters 117 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 2: and parents were staying. There were cars floating at me 118 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: and trees floating at me. I knew if I took 119 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 2: even one stroke further, it was going to be a 120 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 2: death sentence. RJ turned around to get his wife in 121 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: the remaining families. They went to a home nearby on 122 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 2: higher ground across Highway thirty nine, where a family left 123 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: them in about three forty five am. That was when 124 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: he checked his cell phone and he saw a text 125 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: sent at three thirty am from his daughter Brooke. Receiving 126 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 2: the text alone was a miracle in the area. Where 127 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 2: he usually couldn't get cell serviced. It said I love you. 128 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: Annie forty three, worked at Saint Rita's Catholic School, which 129 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: both girls attended, received texts from both Brook and Blair, 130 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: time stamped at three thirty a m. That said I 131 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 2: love you. Their other grandfather, lives in Michigan, received text 132 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: with love you and a photo of the girls with him. 133 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 2: The Harbors and the other families waited without power all night, 134 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: hearing horrible sounds. The next morning, they realized they had 135 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 2: been hearing the cabins being ripped off their foundations and 136 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 2: crashing apart. At sunrise, the water had finally receded enough 137 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,119 Speaker 2: for r J to go back to the site. Only 138 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 2: a half dozen of the community's twenty something cabins were 139 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: still standing. The others had been ripped from the foundations, 140 00:07:55,440 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 2: leaving only their tile floors. The cabin where Blair, brook 141 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: and their grandparents and been staying was completely washed away. 142 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: Blair and Brooks bodies were found and identified about a 143 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: dozen miles from the cabin. Their grandfather's bodies was recovered 144 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: on Monday. Their grandmother that was unaccounted for as of 145 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 2: Monday afternoon. Can you imagine ben No. The last thing 146 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 2: you hear from your child is a text I love 147 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 2: you as the cabin they're in is swept into the 148 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: river and they're on their way to their death. This 149 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 2: happened over and over and over again that night. 150 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: It is another reminder of just how quick things happen. 151 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: It's a reminder of just how unprecedented this type of 152 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: flooding was. It's a reminder, I think, to those trying 153 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: to put aside this, how much this should never have 154 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: been politicized and try to turn this into a talking 155 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: point for politics, because as I said yesterday, there is 156 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: no one that was involved in this in those moments 157 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: was thinking about if you're a Republican or Democrat or 158 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: rich orpore No. 159 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 2: Pray for Texas, Pray for these parents, Pray for these 160 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 2: moms and dads, Pray for these grandparents, Pray for these 161 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: brothers and sisters. The agony, the pain, it is, it 162 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 2: is unreal and and and we have Texans and Americans 163 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: hurting tonight. 164 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: Aim into that. We do know that President Trump is 165 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: pointing on coming down to Texas, and I think there's 166 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: a lot of people that are going to want to 167 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: see their president, their commander in chief down in Texas. 168 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:46,839 Speaker 1: That White House has said that that they're going to 169 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: be there, and that's going to help I think with 170 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: certainly some of the healing as well. 171 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I'm very glad the President is coming. It's the 172 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 2: right thing to do. 173 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: I want to go back to what many of you 174 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: may have missed yesterday. Senator Cruz was down in the center, 175 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: the epicenter of where everything happened, and for many of you, 176 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: you may have missed it what was said about that 177 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: time down there on Monday, and the time that was spent, 178 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: and the stories that were told, and the families that 179 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: were there, And if you missed it, I hope, by 180 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:20,599 Speaker 1: the way, that you'll take this show and share it 181 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 1: wherever you can so others can hear exactly what happened 182 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: in Kerrville in the surrounding area and how you can 183 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: also help as well. So if you missed that yesterday, 184 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: when we put this out on a day we normally 185 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: don't publish, we wanted to play that for you again 186 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: right now. 187 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: Well, Ben, you and I are recording this at twelve 188 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 2: thirty six am Monday night, and I spent the entire 189 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: day in the hill country starting at six am this morning, 190 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 2: and I visited with families who were grieving. I went 191 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 2: to camp missed it and saw firsthand the devastation. I 192 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 2: will tell you there are not words to describe just 193 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:08,319 Speaker 2: how much Texas is hurting. This is across the state 194 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: and across the country. People are grieving. They're grieving for 195 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 2: the moms and dads. This flooding. I'll tell you, In 196 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 2: my thirteen years in the Senate, I've seen a lot 197 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 2: of natural disasters, hurricanes and tornadoes and wildfires, and it's 198 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 2: always difficult. But this was something really different what happened 199 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 2: in the Hill Country. Right now, the fatality count it 200 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 2: is over one hundred. It is expected to keep growing. 201 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 2: They are still searching for and finding bodies right now, 202 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 2: can't mystic. We know of twenty seven kids and counselors 203 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 2: who lost their lives in the flooding. There are an 204 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 2: additional ten more girls and one more counselor who are missing, 205 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 2: and and so there are search and rescue teams that 206 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 2: are searching for them right now. Obviously, every hour, every 207 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 2: day that goes by the the the the odds of 208 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: a happy outcome go down. But but we are certainly 209 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 2: praying that that those those eleven girls are are are 210 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 2: found safe and sound. 211 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 3: You know. 212 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 2: I want to tell folks a little bit about what 213 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 2: what has happened on the ground and where this is. 214 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 2: So if you're if you're not from Texas, the Hill 215 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 2: Country is in central Texas, is the center central part 216 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 2: of the state and and it is I think the 217 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 2: most beautiful part of the state. And I think most 218 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 2: most Texans agree with that. Uh. There are rolling hills, Uh, 219 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:58,719 Speaker 2: there are beautiful rivers and and in particular Kerr County. Uh, 220 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: there are about forty summer camps. And there's a long 221 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: tradition of camps. It's an incredible tradition that goes back 222 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 2: one hundred years where people went and formed these summer 223 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 2: camps because the natural beauty was so extraordinary that it's 224 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 2: an incredible place for girls and for boys to come 225 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 2: and spend typically a month at a time. And Camp 226 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: Mystic is it's one hundred years old. It is a 227 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 2: Christian girls camp. And I will tell you Camp Mystic 228 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 2: is really an institution in Texas. It is you see 229 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 2: families from all across Texas who at the end of 230 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 2: typically the month long camp session that there's a two 231 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 2: day closing ceremony, and you'll see grandmothers and moms and daughters, 232 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 2: three generations of Texas women that are there, and and 233 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 2: and it is look for me, this is not abstract. 234 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 2: Are Our girls have have gone to camp in Hunt 235 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 2: in Kirk County, UH for a decade now. And and 236 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 2: and actually just last week Heidi was there picking up Catherine, 237 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: our youngest daughter from camp. And and and so this 238 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 2: was literally a week ago that that my daughter was there. 239 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 2: She was at camp that had been there for a month. 240 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you these camps are that they teach 241 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: girls independence and responsibility and teamwork and and the friendships 242 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: that are formed are lifelong friendships. Catherine's best friend, uh 243 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 2: is Is is a girl from UH from the Rio 244 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 2: Grand Valley who she would never have met going to 245 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 2: school and grown up in Houston if it were not 246 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 2: for that camp. And and they are absolutely inseparable. Those 247 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 2: sorts of friendships you see at the closing ceremony. You 248 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 2: see women in their seventies and eighties with those same 249 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 2: lifelong friendships. And when this flooding hit, it just devastated 250 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 2: cam't Mystic, and not just Camp Mystic, but the entire region. 251 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 2: It was the fourth of July weekend, and so you 252 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 2: had thousands of thousands of people there celebrating by the 253 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 2: river banks. And the Guadalupe River is this beautiful river 254 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 2: that I have have floated on and swam in dozens 255 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: of times. It's a gorgeous river. It's wonderful. People love 256 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: to swim in it, vacation in it, canoe in it, and. 257 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: No, it's it's it's part of just the summers in Texas. 258 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: That and for people I mentioned that are outside Texas, 259 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: floating the river is just so much fun because you 260 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: get I mean these basically they used to be back 261 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: in the day, the inner tubes of tires. You get 262 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: these floats now and you float with your best friends. 263 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: I have a friend that act actually met his future 264 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: wife floating the Guadalupe River. I mean, it's just a community. 265 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: It's a slow float, it's very safe. It is something 266 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: that you do. We've stayed on that river before we 267 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: floated it, as you mentioned countless times. And on the 268 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 1: fourth of July, a lot of people go down there camping. 269 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: You camp close the river, you bring your RV and 270 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: you do that. And that's what people were doing. As 271 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: you mentioned, it was a fourth of July weekend. 272 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 2: Well, and you mentioned r vs the flooding. There were 273 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 2: many RVs that were just swept into the river, and 274 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: we don't have a count. So I started this morning 275 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 2: by meeting with the mayor and the county judge and 276 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: the county commissioners and Texas DPS and the sheriff, and 277 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 2: just getting a report from on the ground. And one 278 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 2: of the challenging things. We have over one hundred confirmed fatalities. 279 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 2: There are a number of bodies that have been discovered, 280 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 2: both adults and kids, that have not been identified yet, 281 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: and bodies that have been in the water for an 282 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 2: extended period of time be difficult to identify visually, and 283 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 2: so they're doing DNA swabs. You know, when this started happening, 284 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 2: it was early in the morning on the fourth of July. 285 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 2: The National Weather Service put out an emergency warning just 286 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 2: after one am. They put out another emergency warning just 287 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 2: after four am, and the waters rose about thirty feet 288 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: in less than an hour. Thirty feet is a lot 289 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 2: for an ordinary calm river to rise suddenly. The flash 290 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 2: flood was absolutely devastating. That now, when this was happening. 291 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 2: Within hours of the flooding, occurring. I was on the 292 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 2: phone speaking with Governor Greg Abbott. I spoke with Lieutenant 293 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 2: Governor Dan Patrick. I spoke with Nim Kidd, who is 294 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 2: head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, and I 295 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 2: called President Trump and I talked to President Trump on 296 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:03,919 Speaker 2: that first day and I said, mister President, what is 297 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 2: happening in Texas. This is bad. It is all indications 298 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 2: are this is really really serious. There could be a 299 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 2: lot of fatalities. Information was just starting to come in, 300 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 2: so it was hazy, but I said, this could be 301 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 2: really really bad. And President Trump, to his credit, he said, ted, 302 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 2: whatever Texas needs, the answer is yes. Whatever federal assets 303 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 2: you need, the answer is yes. And that I passed 304 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: on to the state officials, to the local officials, and 305 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 2: I'll tell you Ben, within hours, I was hearing from families. 306 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 2: I was hearing from parents whose daughters weren't mystic and 307 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 2: whose daughters were missing, and they were panicked, and they 308 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 2: were saying, can you tell us anything? Can you do 309 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 2: you have any information? And I was connecting them with 310 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 2: the local sheriff, with emergency management, and look, you and 311 00:18:55,160 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 2: I are both dads. It is difficult to imagine the panic. 312 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 2: The fear, the bewilderment, everything those moms and dads were 313 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 2: feeling as you get the news that your daughter is missing, 314 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 2: and and and many of those parents just drove to 315 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 2: Central Texas immediately got in the car and drove. As 316 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 2: I told you, we picked up our daughter last week 317 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:21,959 Speaker 2: from right there. 318 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 319 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 2: And Catherine said to me, said, well, why would the 320 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 2: dads drive there? And I said, sweetheart, that's just what 321 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 2: you do. If you're if your child has lost, you 322 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 2: just go. You you'll move heaven and Earth. 323 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: Just do whatever you can. I mean, it's the same 324 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: conversation I have with my boys. And in the ages here, 325 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,719 Speaker 1: you know, you see these little girls that are missing, 326 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: and what if my wife's high school friend's daughter is 327 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: one of those that lost your life, and and having 328 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 1: that conversation with your kids or the same age. My 329 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: twins are six, they could have been at camp, and 330 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: my oldest is eight, could have been at camp. And 331 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 1: you put yourself in that situation of just what would 332 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: you do, and it's exactly what you just said. You 333 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: just go. And there's been I also want people to 334 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: understand flooding in this region, because I think there's been 335 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: a lot of misinformation nationwide on this so that people 336 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: understand the Hill Country and kind of how it works. 337 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: There's a lot of rock in the Hill Country, and 338 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,440 Speaker 1: so when it rains, the water doesn't absorb into the 339 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: land like it does in most places in the country, 340 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: like when we get rain in Houston or when I 341 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 1: lived in in Dallas, like it rains and a lot 342 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: of the water goes into the earth, and you don't 343 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: have this flash flooding, this massive, quick flooding in the 344 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: Hill country. That's what you get when you get rain. 345 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,959 Speaker 1: But to be clear, in this part of the Hill Country, 346 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 1: they don't get a lot of rain. They can go 347 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:54,159 Speaker 1: hundreds of days without rain in this area. And so 348 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: when it you know, there's there's a reality of like 349 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,919 Speaker 1: when it rains, the locals know that you're gonna have 350 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: some flooding and the low lying areas and you kind 351 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 1: of know where those areas are and where the bridges 352 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: are and where the low areas are in the roadways. 353 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: This is something that no one had seen in their lifetime. 354 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: There had never been flooding like this in Kerrville or 355 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: in Comfort the way that we are witnessing it now. 356 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: And so there's some people I think out there acting like, 357 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: well they should, you know, this is something that happened 358 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 1: so common. I've seen comments like that this was catastrophic. 359 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: You witness it today. 360 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was utterly unprecedented. I went up in a 361 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 2: Coastguard helicopter and I flew a significant portion of the 362 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 2: Guadalupe River, and I will tell you just looking at 363 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 2: the devastation. You know water, when you have a fast 364 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 2: moving wall of water, nothing stands in its way. There 365 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 2: were cars strewn everywhere, and by the way, when a 366 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 2: car is being thrown and it crashes into a tree, 367 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 2: it destroys the car. But there were thousands and thousands 368 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 2: of trees that were just mowed over by the water 369 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: because when water hits a tree, water's a lot stronger 370 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 2: than the trees. And the volume of you saw houses 371 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 2: just taking clean off off their foundation and swept into 372 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 2: the river that we were talking about. RV's a lot 373 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 2: of people bring ur vs or in mobile homes and look, 374 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 2: if you're going to a campsidey, you know it's a 375 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 2: fourth of July weekend, it's a great weekend. And the 376 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 2: problem is urvs and mobile homes are particularly vulnerable in 377 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: a flood or tornado or other natural disaster, and so 378 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 2: you just had multiple RVs swept into the river. They 379 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 2: don't have a firm count, they don't know how many 380 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 2: people they're looking for, because many of the visitors were 381 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 2: not from Kirk County. And we're just there to celebrate 382 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 2: the Fourth of July. Going down flying that helicopter and 383 00:22:54,160 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 2: just seeing the extent of the devastation was massive. And look, 384 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 2: but but I want to say this this, there's so 385 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: much grief in Texas. Our hearts are broken right now. 386 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: And and they're families from from Houston, from Dallas, from Austin, 387 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: from San Antonio, from every community in Texas and there, 388 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 2: and they're they're campers who come from all over the 389 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 2: country to come to Camp Mystic, but many of them 390 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 2: are from cities in Texas and and many of them 391 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 2: you and I know we have multiple friends who've lost children. 392 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 2: My street at home, around the oak tree in our 393 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 2: front yard, we have a big green ribbon for the 394 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 2: girls that can't Mystic. And if you look at tree 395 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 2: after tree, just going up and down our street, they're 396 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 2: green ribbons on tree after tree after tree. But but 397 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 2: I want to I want to give some encouragement look, 398 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 2: this unbearably hard and painful for the state. But in 399 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 2: the face of unspeakable pain, there's also unbelievable courage. And 400 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 2: there were over eight hundred and fifty rescues from that river. 401 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 2: We had early on when I got on the phone 402 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 2: and I worked to make sure that there were there 403 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 2: were federal assets. There went over a dozen helicopters in 404 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 2: the air. We had Coast Guard in the air, we 405 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 2: had National guardsmen in the air, we had DPS in 406 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: the air, we had Game wardens on the ground, and 407 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 2: they were rescuing people, pulling them out of harm's way. 408 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: I met today with a Coastguard swimmer, and by the way, 409 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 2: Coastguard swimmers are incredible. You know, I have analogized Coastguard 410 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 2: swimmers before to kind of a blend of Navy seals 411 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 2: and California surfers, and I've gotten to know several of 412 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 2: these Coast Guard swimmers, and Hurricane Harvey, I got to 413 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 2: know them, and they're utterly fearless. These are guys that 414 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 2: jump out of helicopters into hurricane force winds and waters 415 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 2: and just swim and rescue people, and they kind of, 416 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 2: you know, offen O'll be just sort of dudes, like 417 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:23,360 Speaker 2: surfer dudes, who are these incredibly fearless life savers. Well, 418 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 2: I met met this one coastguardsman who landed at Camp Mystic. 419 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 2: He was on a Coastguard helicopter. They landed him there 420 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 2: and he rescued one hundred and sixty five girls, and 421 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 2: I talked with him. His name is Petty Officer Scott Ruskin. 422 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 2: He's twenty six years old. He's from New Jersey and 423 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,959 Speaker 2: it was his first mission as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. 424 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,679 Speaker 2: He's due to the Coast Guard. He did a lot 425 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 2: of training, but they put him on the ground there 426 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 2: and it was the highest part part of Camp Mystic. 427 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 2: And then they they brought in a whole series of 428 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 2: helicopters to helicopter the girls out because all the roads 429 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 2: were underwater, so you couldn't drive in and get the 430 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 2: girls because the roads were completely submerged. And so he 431 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 2: was there. He spent three and a half hours on 432 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 2: the ground at CA can't mystic understand there's torrential rains 433 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:26,199 Speaker 2: coming down. He's sitting there with girls, girls who are terrified, 434 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 2: who are crying, who are screaming, who are scared. Some 435 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,120 Speaker 2: of them were singing hymns and he's trying to comfort them. 436 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: They dropped him off and he was the one staying 437 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: with them and trying to get the girls that they 438 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 2: would come and land helicopters and they would load about 439 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 2: fifteen girls and they'd take them, take them to a 440 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 2: safe place, and they'd come back and pick up another 441 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: load and another load, another load, so for three and 442 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 2: a half hours, you know, when I visited with him, 443 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 2: and it's interesting. He's twenty six years old. He has 444 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 2: kind of short blonde hair and a mustache, and it's 445 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 2: you know, he's done some media interviews today and one 446 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 2: of them said, I'm just a dude, which is sort 447 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 2: of what what I said about like the and he 448 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 2: was saying and he was kind of laughing and saying 449 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 2: like like he talks to his commanding officer and sometimes says, hey, dude, 450 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 2: He's like, oh wait, wait, you're a commanding officer. Sorry, 451 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 2: But it's it's kind of just how swimmers are. It's 452 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 2: sort of their culture. But he said he had just 453 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,879 Speaker 2: gotten off the phone with a mom and dad and 454 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 2: a girl who he said, and he said they were 455 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 2: crying and he was crying because they said, you saved 456 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,440 Speaker 2: my daughter's life. She said that when she was terrified, 457 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 2: you held her hand and just held her hand as 458 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,159 Speaker 2: you put her in the helicopter and and made her 459 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 2: not be scared for a minute. 460 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 3: And I. 461 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: That heroism was happening over and over and over again. 462 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: It's incredible. It's the best part of the tragedy is 463 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: just seeing how quickly people came together. You know, there's 464 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: also another aspect of this, and I do want to 465 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: just take a moment and set the record straight. There 466 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: have been some people that have tried to use this 467 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: tragedy to score political points. I I it makes me 468 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: sad that that that there's people in the media and 469 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: there's people on the left that are just that vile 470 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: and partisan. We even saw, you know, a pediatrician that 471 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 1: actually worked where my kids go to, a pediatrician who 472 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: said that basically, the people deserve what they get because 473 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 1: they voted for Donald Trump in this area of the country. 474 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: You know, Thank goodness, it was exposed and she was 475 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: fired today for for that. It is it is sad 476 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: to see this happen. And I even called her pediatricians 477 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: office and I said, hey, like this, I need to 478 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: know that if there's an on call doctor. They're not 479 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: going to give my kid bad care if they know 480 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: what I do. And they said, watch our website. You'll 481 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: be getting an update soon. Thank goodness. They put out 482 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: there that this doctor had been had been fired from 483 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: from this job as a pediatrician. And you look at 484 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: these moments and it does make you sad. But I 485 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: also think we need to be clear about the record here. 486 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: There's a lot of rumors that this was all preventable, 487 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: that this was somehow Donald Trump's fault, this was the 488 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: fault of defunding of FEMA and different agencies and National 489 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: Weather Service. All that is a lie. They were staffed adequately. 490 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: There were warnings that went out. Can we learn from 491 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: this and do better? Absolutely? Can we put maybe a 492 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: warning system on the on the on the river banks. 493 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: So they've talked about seven years ago, but it was 494 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: voted down because the costs and Kirk County that these 495 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: are things that we can learn from. But the partisan 496 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: politics of this and just watching people try to somehow 497 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 1: blame Trump for this tragedy, it really makes me sad 498 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: that this is still where we are in this way 499 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: when something like this happens. I wish people could just 500 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: learn this isn't political. This storm didn't care if you're 501 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: a Republican or Democrat, or agnostic, or Christian or Jewish 502 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: or Catholic or anything else. They didn't care if you 503 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: were rich or poor, black or white. Everybody that was 504 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: in the line of this flooding life was in danger. 505 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: That's what people should focus on and the help we 506 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: can do to give them, not trying to say, all right, 507 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: how do we use this to make points? 508 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you see this unfortunately frequently after after natural disasters, 509 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 2: after hurricanes or door tornadoes or in this case, flooding, 510 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 2: that that that partisans will try to attack their political 511 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 2: opponents and and and and score cheap points. And there 512 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 2: are a bunch of folks online and both in the 513 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 2: media and and and on the left that are just 514 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 2: trying to attack Trump. And and you know, if there's 515 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 2: a hurricane, the hurricane is Trump's fault. And in this case, 516 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 2: the the sort of talking point of the left was 517 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 2: that that Doge made reductions in different areas of government 518 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 2: and the National Weather Service, they say Doge gutted it. 519 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 2: Now now we know that that is not the case. 520 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 2: How do we know that? Number One, because the National 521 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 2: Weather Service in this case put out two warnings, one, 522 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 2: as I mentioned, just after one am, one after four am. 523 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: That that was their job. We also know the National 524 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 2: Weather Service for this region was headquarters in New Bronfils, 525 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 2: which is another small town not too far away from Curville, 526 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 2: not too far away from Hunt Hunt, and the night 527 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 2: of this flood, they not only had full staffing, they 528 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 2: had three additional people. Three extra people staffed that evening 529 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 2: because they knew it was going to be a difficult 530 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 2: weather event, so they deliberately staffed up. And lookie, I 531 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 2: will say beyond that, the National Weather Service Union, which 532 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,600 Speaker 2: has been very critical of the doze reductions, as you 533 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 2: would expect the union to be, they publicly said that 534 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 2: the reductions through does had zero impact on the National 535 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 2: Weather Service's ability to predict what happened here. And given 536 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 2: that they're they're an entity that is naturally critical of 537 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 2: those cuts, I think that's that speaks volumes, now, you know. 538 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 2: I spent the day, I did a lot of a 539 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 2: lot of interviews with a lot of reporters today and 540 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 2: many of them were saying, okay, well, and they would 541 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 2: ask this question. Many of the reporters would say well, 542 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 2: isn't this all Trump's faulten? So I tried to say, look, 543 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 2: stop politicizing a crisis that has broken the heart of 544 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 2: our state. But as you noted and listen, with any disaster, 545 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 2: there's a natural order of events. The first phase is 546 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 2: is search and rescue. It is crisis saving people's lives. 547 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 2: And we have been in that phase. We're still in 548 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 2: that phase looking for these these eleven still missing girls. 549 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 2: But but that phase will soon come to an end. 550 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 2: The next phase is rebuilding. And then there are many 551 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 2: people who have who have lost their homes, who've lost everything, 552 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 2: and and the rebuilding time phase will will take It 553 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 2: will take months, it may take years for some of 554 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 2: these some of these places to be rebuilt. But that's 555 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 2: a process. That's a process that there will be local 556 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 2: assistance and state assistants and federal assistants at the same time. 557 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 2: We will when we get through the crisis period, there 558 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 2: will naturally be a retrospective examination of what happened, what 559 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 2: was the exact timeline, and what could have gone better, 560 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 2: what lessons can be learned, And we've seen that, for instance, 561 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 2: with the many hurricanes. You know, you and I both 562 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 2: live in Houston, if you live on the Gulf coast, 563 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 2: you have a lot of hurricanes. I will say, unfortunately, 564 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 2: Texas has gotten really good with dealing with hurricanes because 565 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 2: we have a lot of practice in it, and so 566 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 2: we've learned lessons. We've learned how to identify the most 567 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,160 Speaker 2: vulnerable areas, the most vulnerable populations when a hurricane is 568 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 2: in the Gulf, to get them out of there, to 569 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,720 Speaker 2: try to minimize fatalities. And I think we can certainly 570 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 2: learn lessons here, in particular the the you know, you're 571 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 2: putting out warnings at one am and four am, most 572 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 2: people are sleeping at one am and four am, and 573 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 2: and every one of us, if you and I, yeah, yeah, 574 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 2: and actually with the kids of the kids, they don't 575 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 2: have people. 576 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: Yeah. And by the way, there was people that we 577 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: knew that were in Curville that received the notices on 578 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,279 Speaker 1: their phones. They woke up to them and yeah, they 579 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 1: didn't get them because they were asleep. 580 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: And the cell coverage, I will say, in that region 581 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 2: is is just lousy. Like every time we go for 582 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 2: can't pick up you. It's very hard to get any 583 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 2: cell coverage at all. Just just given the topography, there's 584 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 2: not not a lot of cell towers there. And and 585 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:47,920 Speaker 2: it's also you know, the campers are not allowed to 586 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:51,400 Speaker 2: have phones, uh and and so they leave their phones 587 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 2: at home, so it's just the counselors and adults that 588 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 2: have phones. But look, Ben, if you and I could 589 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 2: step in a time machine right now and and go 590 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 2: back to two or three in the morning on the 591 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 2: fourth of July, we would run into those cabins and 592 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:08,239 Speaker 2: pull those girls out and get them out of there. 593 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 2: Every one of us. We're just like dear God, get 594 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 2: them the high ground. And so it is perfectly reasonable 595 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 2: to say, how can we improve the response from when 596 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,360 Speaker 2: an emergency warning gets out to make sure that it 597 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 2: is heard. And I'll tell you I spoke today with 598 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 2: the Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, the Texas Legislator's coming back 599 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 2: for special session shortly, and I suggested to him this 600 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,680 Speaker 2: is something that should be on the call. The governor 601 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:40,280 Speaker 2: chooses that, But Lieutenant Governor agreed that it made sense 602 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 2: to look at an emergency warning system along the guadally 603 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 2: Loopy River, much like we have up in the Texas Panhandle. 604 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 2: When there's a tornado, they have sirens that go off 605 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 2: because a tornado like a flash flood, you get very 606 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:58,239 Speaker 2: little warning, it can develop quickly, it could be devastating, 607 00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 2: and so they'll set off the alarm. I think it 608 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: makes a lot of sense to consider putting in a 609 00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 2: warning system like that, so at least if you had 610 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 2: a blaring alarm going off at one or two or 611 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 2: three in the morning, it would wake the kids up 612 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,320 Speaker 2: and wake the counselors up and put them in a 613 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:16,879 Speaker 2: position to get the kids out of harm's way. 614 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,359 Speaker 1: No, I couldn't agree with you more in that one. 615 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: How does that when you look at the response moving forward? 616 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,319 Speaker 1: Final question on this, because there are people that say, hey, 617 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:28,360 Speaker 1: we want to make sure, as you just mentioned, this 618 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 1: never happens again. Is this the cooperation within the state 619 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: of Texas with the federal government? Does the State of 620 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:36,719 Speaker 1: Texas come first? There's a lot of people that ask 621 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 1: that question. I'd love for you to answer it. Where 622 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:40,680 Speaker 1: does that start? 623 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,279 Speaker 2: So it'll be at every level of government. It'll be 624 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 2: the local level, it'll be at the state level, it'll 625 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 2: be at the federal level. And I think at every 626 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 2: level we're going to have discussions about what can we do, 627 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 2: what makes sense, how do we keep people safe? And look, 628 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 2: this level of devastation. We've never seen anything like it. 629 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 2: But I want to go back to some of the 630 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 2: signs of encouragement. I met with with one family today, 631 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 2: a mom and dad who had a young boy, a 632 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 2: fourteen year old boy, who was at Lahunta, which is 633 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:24,799 Speaker 2: another summer camp for boys. It's right right down right 634 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 2: down the river from Mystic and Lahunta also badly flooded, 635 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 2: and miraculously nobody was killed. But they said their fourteen 636 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 2: year old son was woken up about three in the 637 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 2: morning and the counselors were telling him, come come help us, 638 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:42,600 Speaker 2: Let's get the little boys out of harm's way, and 639 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:46,360 Speaker 2: and and he said they were going and getting getting 640 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 2: seven and eight year old boy, pulling them out of 641 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:51,560 Speaker 2: their cabin and having them swim through rushing water and 642 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 2: rescue them. And I got to tell you this, Mom 643 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:58,360 Speaker 2: and dad, they were there just just hugging. I was 644 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:01,239 Speaker 2: hugging them, and they had tears in their eyes, and 645 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:04,319 Speaker 2: they were just and and and first of all, their 646 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,600 Speaker 2: son was alive, so I just said, Praise God. But 647 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 2: but it was, you know, terrifying, and and and what 648 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 2: I did say to the mom and dad, I said, 649 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 2: look that this this trauma, this experience will be with 650 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 2: your son for the rest of his life. It will 651 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 2: be with with both of you for the rest of 652 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 2: your lives. But I said, your son also has the 653 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 2: experience of knowing for the rest of his life that 654 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,640 Speaker 2: that as a fourteen year old boy, he helped save 655 00:38:31,719 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 2: the lives of these younger seven, eight nine year old boys, 656 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:38,839 Speaker 2: That that that there are there are boys and soon 657 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:42,800 Speaker 2: to be men living because of his heroism in a 658 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 2: time of crisis. And that I heard another story of 659 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:48,360 Speaker 2: a counselor who was in a cabin. The cabin was 660 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 2: filled up with water. His head was just barely sticking 661 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 2: above the water where he could breathe, and with each 662 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:59,320 Speaker 2: hand he was holding up a mattress with a camper 663 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 2: on the on the ma attress, and all three of them, 664 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:06,320 Speaker 2: the counselor and both campers survived. Those sorts of acts 665 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 2: of heroism happened over and over again. There's stories of 666 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:14,880 Speaker 2: Eagle Scouts who were counselors rescuing young kids over and 667 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:19,319 Speaker 2: over and over again. That was happening repeatedly. But I'll 668 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,240 Speaker 2: tell you, Ben, the most difficult thing I did today 669 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 2: is I went to Camp Mystic, and I went and 670 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 2: walked to the grounds at Camp Mystic, and I think 671 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:33,719 Speaker 2: it may be the most horrifying thing I've ever seen 672 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:39,320 Speaker 2: in my life. You walk through and actually, as you 673 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 2: walk through, the river was calm and peaceful and beautiful, 674 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:51,879 Speaker 2: but it rose, and it rose suddenly. And I will 675 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,680 Speaker 2: say the press, I think has been less than clear 676 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:59,279 Speaker 2: and honest about how Camp Mystic is it is set up, 677 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,400 Speaker 2: because they've described it as saying, well, the camps for 678 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:04,800 Speaker 2: the cabins for the young girls were down by the 679 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:07,759 Speaker 2: river bank and all of the other cabins were up high. 680 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:13,000 Speaker 2: That's not accurate. And walking the grounds, the cabins are 681 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,759 Speaker 2: all hundreds of yards removed from the river bank. There's 682 00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:18,880 Speaker 2: a lot of distance between the river and where the 683 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,720 Speaker 2: cabin is, and the cabins are all about the same elevation. 684 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,880 Speaker 2: There's some differences, but not massive differences in elevation between 685 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 2: the cabins at Mystic. And I was talking with one 686 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:34,839 Speaker 2: of the longtime employees there who said there had been 687 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,719 Speaker 2: a flood decades before and it had gotten up, It 688 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 2: had gotten up and crossed a little bit of the 689 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 2: ground and had come to sort of the foundation of 690 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,040 Speaker 2: one of the buildings that was not a cabin, but 691 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:48,840 Speaker 2: one of the buildings closer to the river. But it 692 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:51,799 Speaker 2: had never gotten close to the cabins. So that's one 693 00:40:51,840 --> 00:40:54,319 Speaker 2: thing to understand. People say, well, gosh, this is prone 694 00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:59,080 Speaker 2: to floods. Yes, but in the one hundred years of 695 00:40:59,160 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 2: Camp Mystic, ever been a flood where the water had 696 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:04,479 Speaker 2: gotten to the cabins. And in this case, the water 697 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 2: was eight feet deep in the cabins. Walking through and 698 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,200 Speaker 2: every building you could see the water line, you could 699 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:17,200 Speaker 2: see the water line outside the buildings, and it was 700 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:22,400 Speaker 2: eight feet deep. And in the cabins the water shattered 701 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 2: the windows, it swept the furniture out. You looked in 702 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 2: the cabins and every one of the cabins, the furniture 703 00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:34,440 Speaker 2: had been swept out, the windows were all shattered. And 704 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:40,680 Speaker 2: I got to tell you look there there was one cabin. 705 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 2: It's called the bubble in, and it's a cabin at 706 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,280 Speaker 2: Missic where the youngest girls were. And outside the bubble 707 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:59,800 Speaker 2: in were sixteen white crosses, and on each one of 708 00:41:59,840 --> 00:42:04,080 Speaker 2: those was a name of a little girl. And their 709 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:08,320 Speaker 2: names that we've read in the paper, their names of 710 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:13,359 Speaker 2: little seven to eight year old girls, third graders who 711 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:16,560 Speaker 2: lost their lives and one of the crosses was for 712 00:42:16,719 --> 00:42:21,120 Speaker 2: Dick Eastland, the camp director who drowned trying to save 713 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 2: the girls' lives. And he had spent he graduated from 714 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:28,239 Speaker 2: ut fifty years ago and had spent fifty years of 715 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:32,360 Speaker 2: his life running this camp for girls. And he was 716 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 2: in his suburban. They showed me where he drowned. It 717 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 2: was a couple of hundred yards from where I was standing. 718 00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:38,200 Speaker 2: In the river. He was trying to save the girls, 719 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:40,600 Speaker 2: and the water swept him away and he drowned. And 720 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 2: the sixteen crosses reading those names. Two of those little 721 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:55,839 Speaker 2: girls go to school with my daughter. They are third 722 00:42:55,880 --> 00:42:59,440 Speaker 2: graders at the school. The parents of one of those 723 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:08,640 Speaker 2: little girls lives a block away from me. And I'll 724 00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:11,280 Speaker 2: tell you, I just knelt and wept. 725 00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:14,879 Speaker 3: There. 726 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:23,160 Speaker 2: There were families there. Ben There was a mom and 727 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:31,200 Speaker 2: dad who was kneeling in front of those crosses, right 728 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 2: and they were kissing, kissing the cross and I stood back. 729 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:40,919 Speaker 2: I didn't want to interrupt their grieving, but just watching them. 730 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:48,600 Speaker 2: The mom came to that cabin the bubble in and 731 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:54,319 Speaker 2: she just broke down in tears. In front of every 732 00:43:54,360 --> 00:44:01,440 Speaker 2: cabin there were the children's belongings. There were trunks. There 733 00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:09,320 Speaker 2: were electric fans. There were slippers and flip flops and crocs. 734 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:12,400 Speaker 2: There were teddy bears. There were stuffed animals everywhere. These 735 00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:16,680 Speaker 2: are little girls, and many of them have their names 736 00:44:16,719 --> 00:44:23,160 Speaker 2: on them. And there were moms and dads picking through 737 00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 2: the rubble looking for their girls belongings. And I don't 738 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:34,520 Speaker 2: know which of those moms and dads lost a daughter. 739 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:39,520 Speaker 2: We know of twenty seven who were lost, and there 740 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 2: may be more. There are eleven that are missing. And 741 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:49,840 Speaker 2: there were girls picking through the rubble. I don't know 742 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 2: if those girls were campers themselves who had survived. I 743 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:55,840 Speaker 2: don't know if they're siblings who had lost a sibling. 744 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:03,080 Speaker 2: But everyone is walking around. Shell shock doesn't begin to 745 00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:08,840 Speaker 2: describe it. They're up on the field. There was a 746 00:45:08,920 --> 00:45:11,480 Speaker 2: field that was basically a parking lot for the cars 747 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 2: of councilors, and the waters had thrown the cars on 748 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:21,040 Speaker 2: top of each other. It was like they were matchbox cars, 749 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:23,839 Speaker 2: just flipped over. You saw a car after car after 750 00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:26,200 Speaker 2: cars stacked on each other, flipped on its side, flipped 751 00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:34,080 Speaker 2: the over, tossed around the dining hall. An entire wall 752 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:37,279 Speaker 2: of the dining hall had been ripped off. They had 753 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,239 Speaker 2: heavy wooden tables that filled the dining hall. Every one 754 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:41,920 Speaker 2: of them had been pulled out in the bubble in 755 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:47,760 Speaker 2: which is where a large percentage of the fatalities occurred. 756 00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:53,319 Speaker 2: The water swept in and just pulled those girls out 757 00:45:53,400 --> 00:46:03,239 Speaker 2: the windows it seeing that, and I saw it first 758 00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:06,840 Speaker 2: from the helicopter and you could see all their belongings 759 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:14,680 Speaker 2: spread out. But then standing there and abeling it from 760 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,520 Speaker 2: the perspective of a dad. You know, I have help 761 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:25,640 Speaker 2: my daughters pack their trunks. I've you know, can't pick 762 00:46:25,760 --> 00:46:27,880 Speaker 2: up every year. You go and pick up your daughter's 763 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:36,279 Speaker 2: trunk and it's a joyful time. Our state is more 764 00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:37,680 Speaker 2: morning right now, Ben. 765 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:43,360 Speaker 1: I tell you, for everyone listening and I say this, 766 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:47,640 Speaker 1: just pray for the people that are affected. Pray for 767 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:51,520 Speaker 1: the people in Texas. Pray for the families who are 768 00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:55,680 Speaker 1: still without their their loved ones and they're still trying 769 00:46:55,719 --> 00:46:58,680 Speaker 1: to find them. Pray for the moms and the dads 770 00:46:58,719 --> 00:47:02,800 Speaker 1: who are planning the funerals. Is we know people personally 771 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:05,279 Speaker 1: that are doing that and getting ready for that this week. 772 00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:09,640 Speaker 1: Pray for the moms. God, please pray for the moms. Yes, 773 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:12,520 Speaker 1: and anything you can do to help with all of that. 774 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:15,600 Speaker 1: There's so many different groups that are helping the people, 775 00:47:15,760 --> 00:47:19,000 Speaker 1: and Comfort and and Kirk County and and and there 776 00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:21,200 Speaker 1: are people that need help. And we focus so much 777 00:47:21,239 --> 00:47:23,160 Speaker 1: on the kids, but there's a lot of elderly people 778 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:25,719 Speaker 1: that have been affected by this. There are a lot 779 00:47:25,719 --> 00:47:27,960 Speaker 1: of people that lost their lives and all their belongings, 780 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:32,880 Speaker 1: and and and help any way you can with with 781 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:35,560 Speaker 1: all of the nonprofits that are getting involved, that are 782 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,799 Speaker 1: that are doing this, and and we're going to keep 783 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:41,240 Speaker 1: you updated. But I would just say, hug your babies. 784 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:44,640 Speaker 2: And Ben, I want to say, Ben, I want to 785 00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:50,640 Speaker 2: say three more things of encouragement. So in Hunt, there's 786 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:52,719 Speaker 2: a store that's kind of a focal point. It's called 787 00:47:52,760 --> 00:47:55,720 Speaker 2: the Hunt Store, and and it's right at the junction 788 00:47:55,880 --> 00:47:58,640 Speaker 2: of two of the highways. You go up one highway 789 00:47:58,719 --> 00:48:00,239 Speaker 2: to go to one of the big camps, go up 790 00:48:00,239 --> 00:48:02,239 Speaker 2: another highway to go up to Mystic and Lahunta, and 791 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:06,600 Speaker 2: actually Hunta's right across the street from Hunt Store. The 792 00:48:06,719 --> 00:48:10,640 Speaker 2: Hunt Store. The flooded. The flood utterly gutted it. It's 793 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:15,840 Speaker 2: just ripped out and hollow shell. I went and stopped 794 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:18,120 Speaker 2: at the Hunt Store and just just visited people who 795 00:48:18,160 --> 00:48:21,640 Speaker 2: were there gathering there and they'd actually changed the sign 796 00:48:21,719 --> 00:48:25,000 Speaker 2: where it said Hunt Store and instead of Hunt Store, 797 00:48:25,120 --> 00:48:33,560 Speaker 2: they changed the sign to read Hunt Strong. And you know, 798 00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:35,839 Speaker 2: Heidi and Catherine were at the Hunt Store last week. 799 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:43,200 Speaker 2: I mean it's I've been there dozens of times. The 800 00:48:43,520 --> 00:48:45,920 Speaker 2: owners were there. I just hugged them and they were 801 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:51,040 Speaker 2: just like residents there who were just there mourning and grieving. 802 00:48:51,120 --> 00:48:52,640 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you there was set up. There was 803 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:56,120 Speaker 2: a giant barbecue truck. All right. So this is a 804 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:58,640 Speaker 2: story that is amazing that you're going to like. It's 805 00:48:58,640 --> 00:49:02,120 Speaker 2: a barbecue truck from Rockport. Rockport is a town down 806 00:49:02,160 --> 00:49:07,759 Speaker 2: on the Gulf Coast and Rockport when Hurricane Harvey hit, 807 00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:12,040 Speaker 2: it devastated the Gulf Coast from from deep East Texas 808 00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:15,280 Speaker 2: to to south all the way really to Corpus Christie. 809 00:49:15,320 --> 00:49:17,839 Speaker 2: So that's a lot of and Rockport is right in there. 810 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:20,680 Speaker 2: It's by Port Ramsas and MS Pass and Rockport was 811 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:25,880 Speaker 2: devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Well, these guys, and these are 812 00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:28,640 Speaker 2: big old Texans with big old beards. They looked like 813 00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:33,759 Speaker 2: zz Top and they said, well, you know, when when 814 00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:37,360 Speaker 2: Hurricane Harvey hit, there was a group from Hunt, Texas, 815 00:49:37,880 --> 00:49:41,040 Speaker 2: little town in the in the Hill Country that came 816 00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:43,120 Speaker 2: down to Rockport and set up a food truck and 817 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 2: fed us when we had lost our homes. And so 818 00:49:46,239 --> 00:49:48,520 Speaker 2: they got in a truck and drove up this giant 819 00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:53,400 Speaker 2: smoker and griller and they were just giving away free barbecue. 820 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:57,880 Speaker 2: And one of the things that's really cool. I was 821 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:02,759 Speaker 2: at in Rockport several times after Hurricane Harvard. I was 822 00:50:02,800 --> 00:50:04,359 Speaker 2: in all the towns up and down the Gulf Coast, 823 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:07,959 Speaker 2: but I was at those food trucks. So I don't 824 00:50:08,040 --> 00:50:10,879 Speaker 2: recall visiting with someone and hearing that they were from 825 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:13,400 Speaker 2: Hunt down in Rockport. But you know what, in Rockport, 826 00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:19,320 Speaker 2: they remember that, and that's something we see happening, just 827 00:50:19,560 --> 00:50:23,600 Speaker 2: Texans coming together. The Cajun Navy from Louisiana came and 828 00:50:23,760 --> 00:50:28,160 Speaker 2: and we're there helping people out. That was incredible, And 829 00:50:28,320 --> 00:50:31,520 Speaker 2: I just had a chance. I visited with a family. 830 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:35,200 Speaker 2: One dad who introduced me to two little boys and 831 00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:40,200 Speaker 2: and he said both of them lost some of their 832 00:50:40,239 --> 00:50:44,359 Speaker 2: closest friends in the flood. And I just I said, 833 00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:47,080 Speaker 2: you know, little kids, and they're not much older than 834 00:50:47,120 --> 00:50:51,439 Speaker 2: your boys. They shouldn't have to deal with with death 835 00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:55,279 Speaker 2: and loss at that age. But I'll tell you. In 836 00:50:55,400 --> 00:50:59,840 Speaker 2: that same parking lot at the Hunt store, there was 837 00:50:59,840 --> 00:51:02,880 Speaker 2: a car that had written on the back of it 838 00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:05,320 Speaker 2: a Bible verse written in like shaving cream on the 839 00:51:05,360 --> 00:51:09,319 Speaker 2: back window, and it was Isaiah forty three to two 840 00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:16,879 Speaker 2: that says, when you go through deep water, I will 841 00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:17,320 Speaker 2: be with you. 842 00:51:20,520 --> 00:51:20,880 Speaker 1: Amen. 843 00:51:21,480 --> 00:51:25,360 Speaker 2: That is Look, you just asked folks to pray. Let 844 00:51:25,440 --> 00:51:29,480 Speaker 2: me just underscore that for the moms and dads who 845 00:51:29,640 --> 00:51:34,560 Speaker 2: have a yearning, gaping hole in their heart, I think 846 00:51:34,600 --> 00:51:37,560 Speaker 2: there is no pain, no agony like losing a child, 847 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:41,839 Speaker 2: and nothing will ever fill that hole. That pain will 848 00:51:41,880 --> 00:51:45,800 Speaker 2: never go away. But they need love, they need support, 849 00:51:45,920 --> 00:51:50,160 Speaker 2: they need friends, They need families to hug them, to 850 00:51:50,320 --> 00:51:52,680 Speaker 2: hold them tight, to just give them a shoulder to 851 00:51:52,760 --> 00:51:55,600 Speaker 2: cry on and to hold them up. And I got 852 00:51:55,719 --> 00:51:58,399 Speaker 2: to tell you this is a time for the church. 853 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:01,360 Speaker 2: One of the reasons Texas I think we are so 854 00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:05,719 Speaker 2: resilient when facing natural disasters is because the church is 855 00:52:05,760 --> 00:52:09,080 Speaker 2: strong in Texas and you see, you see church step. 856 00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:11,600 Speaker 2: I started the day actually by visiting with a number 857 00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:14,680 Speaker 2: of chaplains who, look, you want to talk about it 858 00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:17,239 Speaker 2: was brutal on the chaplains when you're dealing with moms 859 00:52:17,280 --> 00:52:20,440 Speaker 2: and dads who've lost their kids and they're just weeping. 860 00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:25,240 Speaker 2: Even a chaplain of a man or women of strong faith. 861 00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:28,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it rips your heart out to be with 862 00:52:28,640 --> 00:52:30,960 Speaker 2: a parent who's lost a seven or eight year old daughter. 863 00:52:31,840 --> 00:52:37,279 Speaker 2: And right down from the Hunt store there was a 864 00:52:37,360 --> 00:52:41,840 Speaker 2: church that had a big sign free barbecue, lunch, and dinner. 865 00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:44,480 Speaker 2: All are welcome. And that's what the church should be doing, 866 00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:47,840 Speaker 2: is helping and clothing and comforting and taking care of 867 00:52:47,880 --> 00:52:50,520 Speaker 2: the needy, and that the church should always be doing that, 868 00:52:51,600 --> 00:52:56,360 Speaker 2: but especially in time of crisis. And I want to 869 00:52:56,440 --> 00:53:00,080 Speaker 2: close this pod today, Ben with something I saw on 870 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:04,680 Speaker 2: the internet, and it's a video that was recorded in 871 00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:10,280 Speaker 2: a bus that was driving a bus full of campers 872 00:53:10,320 --> 00:53:15,320 Speaker 2: from cat Mystic after this flooding, and it's a video 873 00:53:15,520 --> 00:53:19,040 Speaker 2: recording and you can watch on x there's a video 874 00:53:19,120 --> 00:53:23,640 Speaker 2: of it. It's an iPhone or that is going along 875 00:53:23,800 --> 00:53:26,080 Speaker 2: and showing the video as they're driving along and you 876 00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:28,080 Speaker 2: can see the wreckage and the wreckage and the wreckage 877 00:53:28,080 --> 00:53:32,360 Speaker 2: and everything. But the girls are singing hymns and Mystic 878 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:35,360 Speaker 2: is a Christian camp and these are girls that have 879 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:39,720 Speaker 2: just been through hell and been terrified, have lost friends, 880 00:53:39,800 --> 00:53:44,000 Speaker 2: some of these girls have lost siblings. And I want 881 00:53:44,040 --> 00:53:48,560 Speaker 2: to close this podcast by just listening to the voices 882 00:53:48,600 --> 00:53:52,400 Speaker 2: of these girls singing. And I will tell you I 883 00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:56,160 Speaker 2: have a hard time listening to them singing without being 884 00:53:56,200 --> 00:54:00,160 Speaker 2: in tears. But I watch you to hear them. Take 885 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:02,400 Speaker 2: at these the hips or bound. 886 00:54:03,000 --> 00:54:07,680 Speaker 3: I'll shot it from the mountaintop, says, I want my 887 00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:12,040 Speaker 3: world to know the Lord of Love has come to me. 888 00:54:12,680 --> 00:54:17,200 Speaker 4: I want to pass it on. I'll shot it from 889 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:21,320 Speaker 4: the mountaintops, praise Scott. I want my world to know 890 00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:26,239 Speaker 4: the Lord of has come to me. I want to 891 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:31,080 Speaker 4: pass as Grand God. 892 00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:38,600 Speaker 3: Erman ho and and you. 893 00:54:40,520 --> 00:55:05,359 Speaker 4: Wednays hoby hm oh you see oh uh uh. Anyways 894 00:55:05,440 --> 00:55:12,560 Speaker 4: you know me. I know rand to be a sap 895 00:55:12,719 --> 00:55:24,239 Speaker 4: she every oh try and tru three days you I'll 896 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:40,080 Speaker 4: be sae if she oh, okay, t five and it's right, 897 00:55:40,239 --> 00:55:41,280 Speaker 4: chest man. 898 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:46,320 Speaker 3: And all these things, she'll be out of un to you, 899 00:55:47,520 --> 00:55:57,000 Speaker 3: are they all ladys? So long the fie, oh bye, 900 00:55:57,239 --> 00:56:03,200 Speaker 3: every one, the proceeds from the mountain. 901 00:56:03,680 --> 00:56:06,000 Speaker 4: Not are living