1 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, Luck and Load. Michael 2 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: Verie Show is on the air. July fourth of last year, 3 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: not even a year ago. My wife and I and 4 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: my boys were flying back from DC to Houston and 5 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: the flight route had us going over Carr County, and 6 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: my wife commented that there was a massive Mississippi River 7 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: looking river where there shouldn't be a river this big, 8 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: and didn't think much of it. We got home, we 9 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: got unpacked. We'd been up late that night and there's 10 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: flood We hear there's flooding central Texas. We get up 11 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: Saturday morning and our little ritual is to we get 12 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: several newspapers and we read the papers and we you know, hey, 13 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: did you see this? And did you see this? And 14 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: it's a fun little bonding time. We have our coffee 15 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 1: and that's our thing. And here was this awful flood 16 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,559 Speaker 1: that hit Kerk County. By this time, maybe the night before, 17 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: I had been hearing that at Camp missed it. Obviously 18 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: it's a girls camp. I have boys, but I know 19 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: what Camp Mystic is. It's it's almost legendary. And in 20 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: West Houston Memorial, those families especially, this is a legacy 21 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: institution I mean, this is this is, this is wow, 22 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: It's it's deep. And so we knew we would know 23 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 1: people there, and we did not not close personal friends 24 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,119 Speaker 1: or even have their phone number. But my boys went 25 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: to school with some of the girls who passed, and 26 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: so it was it was felt, it was, there was, 27 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 1: There was a deep connection between the community and what 28 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: had happened in Central Texas. It might as well have 29 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: happened in Entanglewood or Memorial for that matter. And as 30 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: this thing has developed, there is there is, as there 31 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: always is. There were a lot of raw emotions because 32 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: you've got you've got young ladies who perished, you have 33 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: cam't missed. It gets most of the attention, but Kirk 34 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: County and there were other people who passed, But I 35 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: want to focus on Camp Mystic this morning. And then 36 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: there became, as there naturally should be, questions, had Camp 37 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: Mystic prepare for a flood that had a reasonable likelihood 38 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: of happening? And then we find out, okay, well there 39 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: was a flood in eighty seven, had you know, had 40 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: they taken precautions, had they done these things? And so 41 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: a very dear friend of mine for twenty five years, 42 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: Sean Welling, who's a filmmaker, came to me and said, well, actually, 43 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: my wife was jogging at Memorial Park and Sean was 44 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: jogging at Memorial Park and my wife said, hey, this 45 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: mystic thing is really bothering me. This I don't know 46 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: why I don't have girls, but it's just really bothering me. 47 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: And he said me too, And she said, you should 48 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: make a film about it. This is a story that 49 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: should be told. These little girls, their parents sent them 50 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: to camp and they never got to see them again. 51 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: And this is as awful as I can imagine. And 52 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: you're a good storyteller. So Sean goes home and tells 53 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: his wife, hey, I met Nandy Taberry and she said, 54 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: I should make a film about it. Well, Shawn's wife, 55 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: we do. My wife did not know this when she 56 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: said it. Shawn's wife is her family is very connected 57 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: in Kirk County. That's where she grew up. My wife 58 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: had no idea of that. So Sean set out to 59 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: tell the story, which every good filmmaker should do. That's 60 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: the point of this. It's about telling the story so 61 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: that it's known and understood, and that means you've got 62 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 1: to dredge up some emotions and nobody should like. Nobody 63 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: should like every bit of your film if it's done right. 64 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: So he came to me and said, would you be 65 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: associate producer and I said, well. We had long conversations 66 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: and I finally I said yes. And so Lee Majors 67 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: of course is involved with the project because Lee works 68 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: with him on all his films. And Tony Busby came 69 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: in and very graciously wrote a big check. Because the production, 70 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: Sean has spent more time on site in and around 71 00:04:54,839 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: Camp Mystic than anybody since July fourth. He got aggravated 72 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: with me that I wouldn't spend more time on site, 73 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: and I said, Sean, I got a show to do, 74 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: and I can't. It's hard for me to go back 75 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: and forth because I only have the break in between 76 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 1: the two shows. But in any case, Sean has lived 77 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: on site practically since July fourth. He's been there I 78 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: forget twenty something times, and it is he has invested 79 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 1: a lot of emotion. And Sean and I get into 80 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: some very heated conversations because Sean is of the opinion 81 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: that the Eastlands did everything possible to protect those girls, 82 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: and that they love those girls and they would never 83 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: have let any harm come to them. And my point 84 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: is I don't know the Eastlands. I only hear good 85 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: things about the Eastlands. But it's very important that we 86 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 1: ask tough questions where there's simple things that could have 87 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 1: been done that weren't done, and if not, why, And 88 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: so we had a moment where we were set up 89 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: to film something else and we got into this conversation 90 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: and it got rather heated, and at the end of 91 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: it he said, hey, would you mind if I use 92 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: that in the film? And then you have to immediately 93 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: rack your brain and say, well, did I say anything 94 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: I wouldn't want because that's different. Look, we were literally 95 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: just having an argument, which I find to be very healthy. 96 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: That's not for everybody, but in any case. So then 97 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: as this thing is developing, it was amazing to me 98 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: how many families we knew that were there whose children 99 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: did survive. One day, there was a heritage film that 100 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 1: Chance McLain asked me to come because I guess my 101 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: name had come up in a conversation and the family 102 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: had hired Heritage Films to make a heritage film, a 103 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: legacy film about their daughter, and their daughter had perished 104 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: in the flood, and so I arrived and you can 105 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: imagine what There's a room which was a little girl's playroom, 106 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: and they were making this heritage film in real time, 107 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: you know, very shortly after it. So her younger daughter 108 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: would know, her younger sister would know who her older 109 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: sister was. When she gets older, she could look back 110 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: on they were capturing this moment. And I'm going to 111 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 1: tell you something. It wasn't my role to cry because 112 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: these this family has cried out and it's their home. 113 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: It's not my daughter, But my goodness, was this rough 114 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: and Chance is sitting in there and he's he's sitting 115 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: Indian style with his camera talking to these little girls. 116 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: All her classmates came in one by one. They told 117 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: who she was and what she meant to them. Wow. 118 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: So in any case, we have tried to wait a 119 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: while to go very deep into Camp Missing. But I 120 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: saw something that Glen Yankee posted yesterday. And Glenn Yankee's 121 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: a name that I knew over twenty years ago when 122 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: he was an HPD officer. In fact, we'd worked on 123 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: some projects together. Well, he was an HPD officer, and 124 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: it turns out he was working at Camp miss It 125 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: and it turns out he saved some girls who were there. 126 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: And so I saw what he wrote yesterday and I said, hey, 127 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: would you hey, long time no talk? Would you feel 128 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: comfortable coming on the show, and he said he would, 129 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: and so he will be our guest coming up. And 130 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: what I find to be a very emotionally taxing promer. 131 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: I wish we'd had to have a some I wish 132 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: little girls didn't die. I mean that would just I 133 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: know that sounds not even I wish little girls didn't die. 134 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: All right, Benyanke is our guest. He was on site 135 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: at Camp Mystic on July fourth when it all happened. 136 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: I don't know that you've Chances are you've not heard 137 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: from anybody who was. This case is very personal to 138 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: so many families, and even if you weren't there, I 139 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: don't think anybody is untouched by it. Emotionally, little girls 140 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: dying is just there's just something awful about that. Glenn, 141 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 1: I want to go in reverse. The reason I reached 142 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: out to you yesterday is that you had posted I 143 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: don't remember to one of the social media sites criticizing 144 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: Dan Patrick and Joan Huffman. John Huffman a state senator 145 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: who just ran for Attorney General Dan Patrick, the Lieutenant 146 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: Governor that they were. I don't want to put words 147 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: in your mouth that they were in some way affecting 148 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: the review of Camp Mystic from Health and Human Services. 149 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 1: I guess for their license. We'll go back to why 150 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: you were there, but I want to speak to that 151 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:33,599 Speaker 1: issue first. Why were you speaking out on that? 152 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: By good morning, Michael. The reason why I smoke out 153 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 2: on that is We've been waiting eight months. I'm not 154 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: given the statement to any official at all, not the sheriff, 155 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 2: Sheriff Lisa having even stepped foot out here at Canteistic. 156 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: The reason why I spoke out is because I feel 157 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 2: like it's almost like official oppression or hindering an investigation, 158 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 2: basically meeting with the people that are going to be 159 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: doing investigationation saying things that he didn't ask any questions 160 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 2: when he was out here for his photo op early on. 161 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 2: But it just is irritating to me that there seems 162 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 2: to be no due process anymore in the state. And 163 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 2: this is a prime example of a you know, a 164 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: regulatory agency is given the rules and the laws by 165 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 2: the legislature that was signed off by the governor. They're 166 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: going to enforce those rules. Well, catastic Cypress Lake is 167 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 2: bringing to succeed and pass the inspection, because it's going 168 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 2: to be a checkbox of you know, when the inspectors 169 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 2: come out. Who knows when that's going to be. But 170 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 2: what what Dan has done is purely political, and it 171 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: has He's you know, he was here for the photo 172 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 2: op early. He was on the lower Ingram Show later 173 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: that evening calling us heroes in the one eighty and 174 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 2: you know, there's been no questions. I did give a 175 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,440 Speaker 2: story to The New York Times after Dan wanted to 176 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 2: have an investigative committee, and so I wanted to be 177 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 2: able to tell my story because no one's asked me, 178 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 2: and out of respect for the families. Early on, I 179 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 2: was like, I'm not really going to talk until the recovery. 180 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: The search and recovery is completed, and there's still out 181 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 2: here looking all over for feel and it's just became 182 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 2: very evident to me that I needed to start speaking out. 183 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 2: I went to the hearing in Austin and that was 184 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: a very tough, tough day. The judge did grant us 185 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: grant Cyprus Lake to be open this summer, assuming we're 186 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 2: going to pass our inspection, which we will. But then 187 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 2: you have the legitant governor and Joan Huffman getting involved, 188 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,959 Speaker 2: trying to meddle in an investigation that hasn't even started. 189 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 2: If it has started, I know that no one that 190 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 2: missed it has been an interviewed. I think they're coming 191 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 2: out later this week. So that's the reason why I 192 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 2: got on Facebook. Because he's putting out videos that don't 193 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 2: have facts in them. He doesn't want to hear the facts, 194 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 2: and I know that because he didn't invite any of 195 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 2: us from Camp Mystic to the hearing they had here 196 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 2: in Curvidal, but first hearing ever in the history of 197 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 2: State of Texas. They moved and had it moved from 198 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: Austin that came to Curvivial, had a big spectacle. There 199 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 2: were no hunt volunteer firemen that spoke. The boots on 200 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 2: the ground, no one spoke. I didn't get invited because 201 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 2: I have the facts and it doesn't fit their narratives. 202 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 2: It's not been a transparent process and it's been very 203 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: aggravating that we waited this long to get the truth out. 204 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 2: And that's why I'm here today. So I appreciate you 205 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: let me come on the radio this morning and talk 206 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 2: about it and. 207 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: Glenn, your role now is emergency coordinator. What is your 208 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: title now? Miss? 209 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 2: Yes, So I am now as of January one, the 210 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 2: emergency Preparedness coordinator for Camp Mystic and Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, 211 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,320 Speaker 2: and I'm working on numerous projects for the Eastland family 212 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 2: to ensure the safety and we have third party security 213 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 2: company coming in to do this security for the summer. 214 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 2: We're going to be safe. We're going to make sure 215 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 2: that the girls have a great, enjoyable time. It's going 216 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 2: to be a time for healing. So I'm wearing quite 217 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 2: a few hats, but i love being out here at 218 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 2: Camponstic Cypress Lake and I'm working with a family that 219 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:15,839 Speaker 2: I love dearly. 220 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: And camp Uh barring any unforeseen bureaucratic interference, which is possible, 221 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: that's obviously what Dan Patrick and John Hopeman are calling for. 222 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: It sounds like it at least more of a review whatever. 223 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: When would when would the camp start? What would be 224 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: the first round of camp in late May? And is 225 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: that typical? 226 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, it's typical. We're going to have They did 227 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 2: change the schedule of the Cypress Lake is going to 228 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 2: have six ten day sessions and there are three. Three 229 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 2: of the sessions are going to be from girls that 230 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 2: were already here at Cypress Lake in previous summers, and 231 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 2: then three of the other sessions are going to be 232 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 2: young ladies from while Luby Camp. So they're going to 233 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 2: be coming up here for the first time. 234 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: That is going to be a little girls are emotional anyway, 235 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: but they have every right to be emotional on this. 236 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: That's going to be wow. 237 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,959 Speaker 2: I've met with quite a few of the mothers and 238 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: the young daughters that I was in and wiggle In, 239 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: and most of the girls are coming back from wiggle In. 240 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 2: I've developed a good bond with them. I'm like their grandfather, 241 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 2: I guess you could say. And these kids are resilience 242 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 2: some of the things that I've stories that I've heard 243 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 2: just recently with Sean Walling doing his documentary which I 244 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: did participate in, and I'm grateful for your involvement as well. 245 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 2: So the kids are resilient, it's the parents that are, 246 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 2: you know, have they trust the east Lands, They know 247 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 2: that this camp, Cyprus Lake, there is no flooding, no damage, 248 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: no injuries. We brought all the kids over, the young 249 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: kids over from Gold Camp over to James Dining Hall, 250 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 2: which we hung out until day were airy backed out 251 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 2: of here. And I know the girls are going to 252 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: be emotional, but they're they're so grateful to be here. 253 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 2: I know that because some of them have visited me 254 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 2: here at the camp, at the new camp. 255 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: Well, it's an emotional thing. I mean, this is this 256 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: is just it's hard. I mean, I can't imagine anything 257 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: more awful. I mean in the in the hierarchy of awful, 258 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: this is there. This is precious little girls at summer camp. 259 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: There is anything more wholesome than that, singing gospel songs 260 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: and singing the songs of the camp that goes back 261 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: practically one hundred years. I mean, there's just so much 262 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: to this, and we're going to get into all that, 263 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: including Glenn's roll and the future of the camp. Most 264 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: folks know that Dick Eastland, who was sort of the 265 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: driving force, had he perry while saving little girls during 266 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: during all of that as well, his wife continues with 267 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 1: the mission. And we're going to talk about what the 268 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: camp looks like this summer and going forward and your role, 269 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: and then we're going to go back and talk about 270 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,359 Speaker 1: that day. Glenn Yankee, who is the emergency Preparedness Coordinator 271 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: at Camp Mystic, and somebody I haven't known for over twenty 272 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: years will be our guest coming up inside the disc 273 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: brow capacity equal to thirty discover Michael Berry's show the 274 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: new Compact Desk pro It simply works better. So you 275 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: know what happened on July fourth at Camp Mystic, the flood, 276 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: the lives lost. Glen Yankee was Onseen. I've known Glenn 277 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: over twenty years, back when I was in my early 278 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: days of city council. Glenn was an HPD officer. We 279 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: worked on some projects together. I had a lot of 280 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: respect for him, but as happens often, you know, we 281 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: each go on our way. And I was surprised to 282 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: read when the Camp Mystic story came out that the 283 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 1: guy who was there was Glenn Yankey. Well, it's Glenn 284 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: doing in the Hill Country. Well, it turns out he's 285 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: relocated there and that's what he's doing now as a 286 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: retired HPD officer. He is now the emergency Preparedness director 287 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: as required by law at Camp Mystic, and they're set 288 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: to open this summer. Glenn, can we go back to 289 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 1: that day and talk about to the extent you're comfortable 290 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: talking what. 291 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 2: Happened, sure, But before I do that, I just want 292 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 2: to go over something that I've been telling some folks 293 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 2: out here about this letter campaign, you know, writing the 294 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 2: regulatory agencies about don't let campistic Cypress Lake open. So 295 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 2: the analogy I it telling is very good and Dan 296 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 2: Patrick needs to listen to this. So riding at Texas 297 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 2: Regulatory Agency to prevent camponstic Cypress Lake from opening because 298 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: it's safety practices were exemplary, it remains fully effective even 299 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 2: during a thousand year flood is the administrative equivalent of 300 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: file filing a sworn complaint with Houston PD about a 301 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 2: suspicious vehicle that is perfectly parked, legally registered, and driven 302 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 2: by someone who actually uses a turn signal. So you know, 303 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 2: it contorts the purpose of oversight into something that's unrecognizable. 304 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 2: And Camp mystic Cypress Lake again, no injury, is no 305 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 2: flooding because we're in a different body of water. But 306 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 2: I will go back to July fourth. I've worked on 307 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 2: July third. I showed up about nine forty five in 308 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 2: the morning, I mean nine holiday. I'm oh it sure, 309 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 2: because if I didn't catch as it. So you keep 310 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: saying Cypress Lake. Is this a different campus, yes, sir, 311 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 2: is it completely this is this doesn't fit Dan's narratives. 312 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: Well, I don't know how many people knew this. I 313 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: kept wondering why you kept saying, please explain this to me. 314 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 2: Okay, So Camp Mystic Cypress Lake was built. Think they 315 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 2: started in twenty eighteen and maybe open than twenty nineteen. 316 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 2: It's a separate, separate business, separate it's about, you know, 317 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 2: twelve hundred yards away from the boundary of Camp Mystic. 318 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 2: So this is called Camps Cypress Lake and it's the 319 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 2: directors are Britt and Katie Eastland. They live on site 320 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: with their children and Tweety Eastland, the matriarch, lives on 321 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 2: site as well. And it's a completely separate camp that 322 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 2: was full of campers that were safe. They were staying 323 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 2: inside because it rained all day and we're then told 324 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 2: where evacuated out later that day just because we had 325 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 2: no power, no water, and it was probably the safest 326 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 2: thing to do was to reunite them with their parents. 327 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 2: But yeah, there's two camps that operate independently. There is 328 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 2: you know, staff, campers and counselors are different than at 329 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 2: Cypress Lake than it Camp Mystic so again, and that's 330 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 2: an issue that really isn't being told we were safe. 331 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 2: We brought the girls over on July fourth from guad Camp. 332 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 2: Can't Mystic It has a couple of different names. Can't 333 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 2: Mystic has only been around ninety nine years. This year 334 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 2: would have been one hundredth year with and I've had 335 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: the Grand Flood of thirty two which no water got 336 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 2: in any buildings. You know, there's so much misinformation out there. 337 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 2: Not one building, our cabin at cant Mystic is in 338 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 2: the Floodplaine. But that's not what the media wants to 339 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 2: tell you. So as the facts start coming out, Richard 340 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 2: Eastland did an excellent video that was put up on 341 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 2: the website on Friday discussing the flood plan, Floodplaine and 342 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 2: a little bit of history about the floodplane. No at all, 343 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,959 Speaker 2: No cabins were affected. We're in the flood plan, That's 344 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to say. Sorry, And if you google 345 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 2: it or look it up, you see the exact opposite. 346 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,120 Speaker 2: So the truth is going to come out and prevail 347 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:09,239 Speaker 2: on what was going on. And again, you know, no 348 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 2: one's asked me a question to share. No one's asked 349 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 2: me any questions. I find that very odd. I was 350 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 2: a police officer for a long time and the sheriff 351 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 2: completely disregarded forty nine point oh five of the Code 352 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 2: of Criminal Procedure. He didn't secure the scene we had. 353 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 2: You know, on July fifth, there are people on camp 354 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 2: at Campnistic that shouldn't even step foot there, but there 355 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 2: is no no protection from the Sheriff's office at that point. 356 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 2: So I have a lot of opinions that I can 357 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 2: go back to the July fourth, are showing up at 358 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 2: work on July third if. 359 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 1: You'd like, Yeah, hold on before you do that. So, 360 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: as a former law enforcement officer, you have a pretty 361 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: good understanding how an investigation should occur, at least the basics, 362 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: even if you weren't a daily invent together, but you 363 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: were literally part of You were there, you were rescuing girls, 364 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: and nobody's talking to you, and they're supposedly they supposedly investigated. 365 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 2: They haven't investigated yet at all. The local law enforcement 366 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 2: has not done any investigation. When I asked the not 367 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 2: the sheriff his right hand man last week in a meeting, 368 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 2: why they haven't done Why I haven't given a statement yet, 369 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: Why has anybody called me and asked me anything. He said, Oh, 370 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,479 Speaker 2: the Texas Rangers took over. I'm like, no, the Texas. 371 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 2: You may think that, but it's Kirk County's jurisdiction. There 372 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 2: was a level of incompetency that was exhibited by Kerr 373 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,959 Speaker 2: County officials and I think a lot of folks are 374 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 2: aware of that. Wow that I think DPS eventually did 375 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 2: take over a week or two later, just because the 376 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 2: county you couldn't handle it. And you know, there's mandatory 377 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 2: duties on police officers and sheriff deputies are those to 378 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 2: secure the death scene, preserve evidence, maintain seene integrity, and 379 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 2: coordinate with the Justice of the peace. Justice of the 380 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 2: Peace never stepped foot out here either. So that's a 381 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 2: breach and that's, you know, in violation of Texas law. 382 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 2: And I don't know who's going to investigate that, but 383 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 2: these are issues that are going to come out that 384 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 2: I'm going to hopefully if they ask the right questions, 385 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 2: I want to be able to tell them otherwise I 386 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 2: might have to revisit your show. 387 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 1: So I want to make sure everybody understands what's happening you. 388 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: What was your title? If you had one and I 389 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: saw one of them was what's your night watch? Okay 390 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: you you may not want the girls are there to 391 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: weep it secure? 392 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 2: Yep, yep, I've found. So I started in twenty two 393 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 2: and right off of you Valvey shooting, and parents were 394 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 2: leary of because we're, you know, relatively close to you 395 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 2: Valvey distance wise, and I wore my Houston Police Retire 396 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 2: Association shirt and greeted every parent as they dropped off 397 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:57,440 Speaker 2: their child and just said, yeah, I'm going to be 398 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 2: the night watchman, and we have our fire chief. Lee 399 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 2: Pool was also during the night watch back then, and 400 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 2: just to let them know that I was here, I 401 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:08,880 Speaker 2: was going to be working, and that I would never 402 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 2: run into their daughters unless their daughters try to sneak out, 403 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 2: which you know, later in the session they might try 404 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 2: to do the older girls, as tradition might dictate, but. 405 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: That never did happen. 406 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 2: But that's how I started, was just as a night watchman. 407 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 2: I met Edward east Lynn at the Hunt Voluntary Fire Department, 408 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 2: which I'm also a member. 409 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: Of, and so as the now emergency preparedness director of 410 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: Camp Mystic, which intends to open at the end of May, 411 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 1: shortly the following year after obviously this horrible tragedy. As 412 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: a person who wants to keep it going, who loves 413 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: the tradition, who was there during all of it, who 414 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: has all this information and is passionate about what this 415 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: camp means, you are criticizing that they have not investigated. 416 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: I want to make sure that people understand you're not 417 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: hiding from an investigation. You are asking why there's not one. 418 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 2: I yes, And I think if you ask, if you 419 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 2: call him a classmate, the Griffith over at the Union, 420 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 2: you told him this, he wouldn't believe it. No police 421 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 2: officer that I've talked to I can even understand or 422 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 2: comprehend that none of the witnesses here at Can't Mystic 423 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: that survived the flood have been interviewed. 424 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: Wow. Ben Yankee is our guest. More Comer Show is 425 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: our guest. He's form the Houston Police Department officer. He 426 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: now lives in Kerr County and he was the night 427 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: watchman at Cam't Mystic the night of July third and 428 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: then the morning, of course of July fourth, when the 429 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 1: tragedy of the flooding occurred. In the loss of life 430 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: that ensued. He is now as required to be UH 431 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,880 Speaker 1: an appointed person to fill this role. He is now 432 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: the UH Emergency Preparedness Director of Camp Mystic Crystal Lake, 433 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: Cyprus Lake, which is a separate location under which they 434 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:12,880 Speaker 1: intend to open for camp this summer. So, Glenn, if 435 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:17,959 Speaker 1: you would talk through July third evening into July fourth 436 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: and what you saw. 437 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 2: So my shift was ten pm to two am, and 438 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 2: I ride at work about nine pint forty five and 439 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: we have a Polish staff, a work program where folks 440 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 2: from young adults from Poland come over and they work 441 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: in our kitchen and they assist Richard Uthman with the 442 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 2: cooking and all that kind of stuff. They had their 443 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 2: day off and they went to the state capital that 444 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 2: day and on their way back, the van, the van 445 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 2: that they were and broke down in Johnson City and 446 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 2: the foreman at the camp asked me if I wanted 447 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 2: to go pick them up, and I'm like, no, I'm 448 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: gonna stay here. You can send somebody else. And you know, 449 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:01,880 Speaker 2: it was very light sprinkling rain about midnight, and I started. 450 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 2: Since I was a police officer for so many years, 451 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 2: it was different for me to be a fireman, which 452 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 2: I'm a fireman now. Volunteer and flash flooding. I've come 453 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 2: out here my whole life. My dad grew up here, 454 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 2: and we have property out family property out here. I started, 455 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,120 Speaker 2: you know, we talked about flash flooding and flood warnings 456 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 2: and started monitoring the Upper Guadalupe River Authority site. But 457 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 2: I paid more attention to the Blanco Blanco Guadalupee River 458 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 2: Authority because they have several rain gages on the South 459 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 2: Fork Camp. Mystic Cypress Lake is on the Cypress Creek. 460 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 2: The camp or the catastrophic flooding occurred is on the 461 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 2: South Fork of the Guadalupe, and the North Fork and 462 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: the South Fork meet right in Hunt, Texas, and that's 463 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 2: where the big wall of water, two walls of water 464 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 2: hit and moved down through Ingram and Kerrville, Center Point 465 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,679 Speaker 2: Comfort and so on. But I will say when I 466 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 2: was my uttering the Upper Guadalupe Blanco River Authority the 467 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 2: four rain gauges, I wasn't really concerned about the flow 468 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 2: of the water. I was concerned about the rain coming 469 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,679 Speaker 2: down to the sky because if upstream from us is 470 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,120 Speaker 2: the headwaters of the South Fork of the Guadalupe and 471 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: the divide, which is if it waterfalls on one side 472 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 2: of the divide it goes to the North Fork, I believe, 473 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 2: and the other side goes to the South Fork. Well, 474 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,919 Speaker 2: the rain gauges were on were not online, and it 475 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 2: was very frustrating and about one The timeline is kind 476 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 2: of sketchy for me because it was very quick and stressful. 477 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 2: But it approximately one twenty one twenty five, I don't 478 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 2: remember the exact time time time. Dick Eastmann came over 479 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 2: and we were discussing. You know, okay, we got the 480 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 2: rain come in, and usually summer showers pass in twenty 481 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 2: five minutes. You know here in the hill country, they 482 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 2: they zoom by, just like we do in Houston sometimes. Well, 483 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 2: this storm just hunkered over us at Camp Mystic and 484 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 2: it started raining, raining, and the when the cabin counselors 485 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 2: came up and said that they had water coming in 486 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 2: the cabin not from the river at all. It was 487 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 2: coming in from the rain because it was balling sideways 488 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 2: and come in come in off the hill. So put 489 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 2: tows down there and kept monitoring. Well, events started getting 490 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: worse and I just show and tell would be so 491 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 2: much easier. 492 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: But the water that. 493 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 2: I was facing was not coming from the Guadalupe River 494 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 2: at all South Fork. It was coming from Cypress Creek, 495 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 2: which is basically at this area dry Creek. It's actually 496 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 2: called Edmonson Creek. And the water was, you know, I guess, 497 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 2: right up my feet, right up my ankles, flowing down 498 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 2: towards the river. And this was very unusual because we 499 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 2: was a significant amount of rain. Dick Dick was a 500 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 2: general that night he took charge, and he'd been living 501 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,440 Speaker 2: out here, you know, for the last fifty plus years 502 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,959 Speaker 2: and was a director and never I'm sure he had 503 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 2: never seen anything like it, because you know what, none 504 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 2: of us have. And we started to evac waiting some 505 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 2: of the kids to rec Hall, which was built by 506 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 2: the Armyers. I want to say it neither nineteen twenty 507 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 2: seven or nineteen twenty eight. 508 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 1: No water hit it. 509 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 2: During the Grand Flood of thirty two eighty seven, seventy eight, 510 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 2: two thousand and two, none of no water was anywhere 511 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 2: near this old building. They don't build them like that anymore. 512 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 2: And so we were able to get about one hundred 513 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 2: and twenty girls in the rec hall and all hell 514 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:34,080 Speaker 2: broke loose. Dick went Dick Edward and I he pointed 515 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 2: told me to go to two cabins and get take 516 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 2: care of them. And Edward went his direction, and Dick 517 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 2: went his direction, and in a matter of thirty minutes, 518 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 2: it was from my ankles to my chest, and I 519 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 2: was able to follow the evacuation plan. And I stayed 520 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 2: in a cabin with two college age girls and our heroes, 521 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 2: and then seventeen other little girls in our heroes as well, 522 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 2: and we down. I pulled them in. They were floating 523 00:31:03,040 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 2: on mattresses. There were about seven mattresses that were floating, 524 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 2: and each there was about two to three girls on 525 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 2: each each one each mattress. And you know, the fire 526 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 2: ants came in, the spiders came in, and literally a 527 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 2: wall of water was coming from what is basically a 528 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 2: dry creek, Eddison Creek. It was not from the south 529 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: fork of of Guatloupe. It was coming from this creek. 530 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 2: And when I say, well, it was over probably fourteen 531 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 2: feet if the cabin's elevated. The cabin that I was 532 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 2: in was elevated. And I had told the girls I 533 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 2: had abandoned my truck about two hundred yards up upstream 534 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 2: from the creek, parked it up by a building, and 535 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 2: I said, see that had the hazard lights from that truck. 536 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 2: That's my mom's very in new truck. I want to 537 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 2: buy it from her. In a couple of weeks, and 538 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 2: about ten minutes later, the kids are like, mister Glenn, 539 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 2: that goes your mom's truck floating down, floating by, and 540 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 2: it got hooked up on a telephone pole on its 541 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 2: side with the hazard lights flashing. Oh. I started telling 542 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 2: really bad dad jokes. I have two daughters that I 543 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 2: love tremendously and I'm very proud of them, so and 544 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 2: I raised him and I joked around with them. I'm 545 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 2: an April fool, so I started telling jokes. I started saying, Hey, 546 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 2: where where'd your dad go to college? Oh, he went 547 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 2: to Texas while I'm an aggie and just having different 548 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 2: conversations distracting the kids from getting sung by fire ants 549 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 2: like we were. And the lightning and thunder were on 550 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 2: top of each other. It was deafening and blinding at 551 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: the same time. But the way it happened so quickly 552 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 2: cannot be shown until there's a camera out here. And 553 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 2: I walked people through because no one believes it. And 554 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 2: I've had acky weather meteorologists out here, hydrologists telling the story, 555 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 2: and they've all indicated to me that had the water 556 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 2: just stopped at my knees, that would have been a 557 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 2: five hundred year flood and probably no one would have 558 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:58,240 Speaker 2: passed away. The water was way over my head in 559 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,040 Speaker 2: a cabin that's like two or three feet off the ground. 560 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 2: Once the water started receding, looked like a war zone. 561 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 2: There was furniture and debris and trees, and I've never 562 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 2: seen anything like it. You could not even see Highway 563 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 2: thirty nine because it was blocked with boulders and rocks. 564 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 2: And the rest of the day, the kids were just troopers. 565 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 2: And I was so proud of the game wardens and 566 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 2: the troopers and everyone who evacuated all the kids on 567 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 2: the camp. I was extremely proud of the law enforcement 568 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 2: on that day, on July fourth, been on July fifth, 569 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: I wasn't yeah, And I know for just. 570 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: A moment, I told you and you I was going 571 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: to ask tough questions, fair questions for tough questions, and 572 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: we will do that coming up. Glen Yankee is now 573 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: the Emergency Preparedness director at Camp Mystic, which will open 574 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: is slated to open at the end of May. He 575 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: was the night watchman the night of July third, and 576 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: in two July fourth, when the tragedy happened. If you 577 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:05,479 Speaker 1: have a question you'd like me to ask, you can 578 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: email it to the website at Michael Berreshow dot com. 579 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: And we're coming up.