{"id":30375,"date":"2025-07-09T19:50:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T19:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=30375"},"modified":"2025-07-09T19:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T19:50:07","slug":"brave-counselors-at-all-boys-camp-saved-hundreds-of-kids-from-texas-floodwaters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=30375","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Brave&#8217; Counselors at All-Boys Camp Saved Hundreds of Kids from Texas Floodwaters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"article-subheading text-utility-300\">&#8220;They\u2019re leaders\u201d said one mom whose son attended Camp La Junta<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-article-meta-dynamic_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-article-meta-dynamic mntl-article-meta mntl-block pre-content\" data-tracking-container=\"true\">\n<div id=\"people-bylines_1-0\" class=\"comp people-bylines mntl-bylines text-utility-200\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Family grateful for rescuers at all-boys camp hit by flood waters | NBCDFW\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MKddCxo0ODE\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block people-sc-block-callout mntl-sc-block-universal-callout theme-needtoknow\" data-tracking-id=\"mntl-sc-block-callout\" data-tracking-container=\"true\">\n<h3 class=\"mntl-sc-block-universal-callout__heading\">NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n<div class=\"mntl-sc-block-universal-callout__body\">\n<ul>\n<li>About 400 campers and counselors from Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, were safely evacuated during the flooding disaster<\/li>\n<li>Parents of boys who attended the camp hailed the bravery of the counselors<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;If it hadn&#8217;t of been for them, it would have been a very different scenario with our boys,&#8221; said one grateful mom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Parents are praising counselors for saving hundreds of lives as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/texas-floods-live-updates-11767178\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">Texas floodwaters<\/a>\u00a0inundated Camp La Junta, which is located just miles away from\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/teen-camper-recalls-escaping-camp-mystic-amid-texas-flooding-11767138\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"2\">Camp Mystic<\/a>, where at least 27 campers and counselors died.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_5-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Tucker Hope, 13, said that when he woke up early in the morning on Friday, July 4, there was water all around his cabin, NBC affiliate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcdfw.com\/news\/local\/dallas-camper-parents-actions-teen-counselors-camp-la-junta\/3881004\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">KXAS<\/a>\u00a0reported.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_7-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_8-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Counselors urged him and other campers to get their belongings and move to the second story.\u00a0\u201cI heard Cabin 15 right next to us \u2014 their counselors were shouting at them \u2014 \u2018Get your shoes on, we have to leave,&#8217; \u201d Tucker told the outlet.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_9-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_10-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Keli Rabon \u2014 the mom of fellow cambers Braeden Davis, 9, and his brother, Brock Davis, 7 \u2014 previously told PEOPLE that Brock was as in his cabin with about 11 other boys and two counselors when the water came in. He had to<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/7-year-old-boy-climbed-rafters-in-cabin-to-avoid-texas-flood-waters-11767482\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">\u00a0climb up the bunk bed to the rafters<\/a>\u00a0to escape the rushing water.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_11-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block collapsed\">\n<div id=\"mm-ads-native-fluid_1-0\" class=\"comp mm-ads-native-fluid mm-ads-native \" data-right-rail-index=\"2\">\n<div id=\"mm-ads-native__adunit_1-0\" class=\"comp mm-ads-native__adunit mm-ads-gpt-dynamic-adunit mm-ads-gpt-adunit scads-to-load gpt native dynamic js-immediate-ad js-immediate-ad-loaded\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_12-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cHe made it out with just the shorts on his body,\u201d said Rabon, a 40-year-old content creator. He still doesn\u2019t recall how he was removed from the flooded building. \u201cHe didn&#8217;t have a shirt on. He didn&#8217;t have socks or shoes on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_16-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">ABC affiliate\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/kqNA1aPyFRQ\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">KSAT<\/a>\u00a0posted video footage of a cabin housing Camp La Junta counselors floating in the Guadalupe River. According to the outlet, the cabin continued floating until a tree stopped its path. Fortunately, the counselors were uninjured.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_18-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Eventually, about 400 Camp La Junta campers and counselors were all safely accounted for,\u00a0<em>USA Today\u00a0<\/em>reported, thanks to staffers who brought the kids into cabins up in the hill and away from the floodwaters.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_19-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_20-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\u201cThey\u2019re leaders,\u201d Lindsay Pope, Tucker\u2019s mother, told KXAS about the camp\u2019s counselors. \u201cThe boys look up to them. The greatest part is that [Tucker] didn\u2019t feel that nervous.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_21-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_22-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">Speaking with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/nation\/2025\/07\/09\/texas-flood-summer-camp-survivors\/84502670007\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><em>USA Today<\/em><\/a>, the mom of another camper also praised the counselors. &#8220;If it hadn&#8217;t of been for them, it would have been a very different scenario with our boys,&#8221; said Georgie Brown, mom of 11-year-old son Beau. &#8220;They didn&#8217;t have anyone telling them what to do, they just did it and saved a lot of our boys.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_23-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_24-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">According to its\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lajunta.com\/the-experience\/history\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">website<\/a>, Camp La Junta\u2019s story goes back to 1928\u00a0 \u201cwith four campers and a program for camping excellence which has continued to date. Third generation campers are now enjoying La Junta for themselves, discovering their capabilities and growing in confidence as young men.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_25-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_26-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">PEOPLE contacted Camp La Junta for comment on Wednesday, July 9.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_27-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_28-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"><strong>Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/people-news-daily-newsletter-sign-up-8692701\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">PEOPLE&#8217;s free daily newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_29-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_30-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">In a separate interview with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mother-sons-describe-deadly-texas-flooding\/\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\"><em>CBS Mornings<\/em><\/a>, Rabon spoke about her relief at being reunited with her sons, but said that it&#8217;s bittersweet, knowing so many other families haven&#8217;t been as fortunate.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_31-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_32-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">&#8220;It&#8217;s almost like you have this sense of survivor&#8217;s guilt because you feel so much joy to see your children, but you still know that so many people are hurting and desperately looking for theirs,&#8221; Rabon said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_33-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_34-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">As of Wednesday, July 9, at least\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/09\/us\/texas-floods-missing-search.html\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"externalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">119 people have died<\/a>\u00a0and 173 remain missing, according to\u00a0<em>The New York Times.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-block_35-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-adslot mntl-block\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_36-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"><em>To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/how-to-help-victims-of-the-texas-floods-11767154\" data-component=\"link\" data-source=\"inlineLink\" data-type=\"internalLink\" data-ordinal=\"1\">click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &#8220;They\u2019re leaders\u201d said one mom whose son attended Camp La Junta NEED TO KNOW About 400 campers and counselors from Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, were safely evacuated &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30375"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30377,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30375\/revisions\/30377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}