Dick Eastland, the beloved co-owner and director of Camp Mystic, tragically lost his life in last week’s catastrophic flooding in Hunt, Texas, as he reportedly raced to save the lives of young campers.
Eastland, who purchased the all-girls Christian camp in 1974, is being remembered as a hero, mentor, and spiritual leader who made the ultimate sacrifice during one of the deadliest floods in Texas history.
“No Doubt Gave His Life to Save Campers”
Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) confirmed Eastland’s death in a tribute on X:
“Camp Mystic’s Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers. For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you.”
Pfluger also revealed that two of his daughters were attending Camp Mystic when the flood struck. By God’s grace, they were evacuated and safely reunited with their family.
Camp Community Mourns: “He Was the Father Figure to All of Us”
Paige Sumner, a former camper and family friend, wrote in the Kerrville Daily Times:
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic.”
Katharine Somerville, a current counselor at Camp Mystic’s Cypress Lake location, told Fox News Live:
“He was an inspiration to so, so many. He was a father figure, a comforting force in the uncertainty of everything. He guided us in our faith and our activities.”
“He always told us to make new friends and to share our love with everyone.”
750 at Camp When Wall of Water Hit
The Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in a matter of hours, wiping out riverside cabins and displacing hundreds of young campers. At the time of the disaster, Camp Mystic had over 750 attendees, according to officials.
As of Sunday afternoon:
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Over a dozen campers confirmed dead
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1 counselor and 11 campers still missing
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Total Texas flood death toll: nearly 70
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21 of the 59 confirmed dead in Kerr County are children
Sheriff Confirms Scale of Tragedy
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha held a Sunday press conference, confirming the latest numbers:
“Of the 59 confirmed dead, 38 were adults and 21 were children.”
Officials also reported:
This marks one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Texas history — with search and rescue teams still working around the clock to find survivors and victims.
My heart bleeds for the families. May GOD bring comfort to all.
Were planes seeding the clouds before and during this event? Conspiracy theories abound about this tragedy.
Was this another organized experiment?