The fireworks had faded.
Camp Mystic was quiet. Laughter had echoed through the hills just hours before—but beneath the calm, the Guadalupe River had other plans. In the dead of night, without warning, it rose with a fury no one was prepared for. And by morning, one of Texas’s most beloved summer camps had become the epicenter of a heartbreaking disaster.
Twin Sisters Lost in Texas Flooding: A Family—and a Nation—in Mourning
What was meant to be a summer of friendship, faith, and freedom turned tragic over the July 4th weekend, as catastrophic flash floods tore through Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas. Among the victims were 8-year-old twins Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence—sisters who had come to the camp with wide eyes and full hearts, ready to make memories. Instead, their lives were cut heartbreakingly short.
Their older sister, 14-year-old Harper, survived the flood. But the joy of survival is now tangled with unimaginable grief.
David Lawrence Jr.—a former publisher of the Miami Herald and Detroit Free Press, and a national advocate for children’s welfare—shared a raw statement of sorrow:
“This has been the darkest time of our lives. Hanna and Rebecca filled our hearts with laughter and love. That light will never fade.”
The twins’ parents, John and Lacy Lawrence, both attorneys based in Dallas, expressed their pain in a joint statement:
“Our daughters lit up every room. They were best friends, and they made every day better just by being in it. We’re devastated, but we will carry their joy with us always.”
Camp Mystic Under Water: How the Flood Unfolded
Torrential rains swelled the Guadalupe River at record speed, engulfing the campgrounds within minutes. By the time emergency crews arrived, cabins were submerged, trees torn from the roots, and lives already lost. At least 100 fatalities have been reported across the region, with 27 linked directly to Camp Mystic.
Among the dead was long-time camp director Richard “Dick” Eastland, who had spent more than three decades shaping the spirit of the camp. Search efforts continue for 10 campers and one staff member still unaccounted for.
Camp officials shared their heartbreak:
“We are grieving alongside every family. This camp is more than a place—it’s a second home. And today, that home is broken.”
A Legacy of Service, a Personal Loss
David Lawrence Jr. spent years fighting for children through education reform and policy advocacy. He helped secure free pre-kindergarten access in Florida and built a movement around child-focused change. That mission is now painfully personal.
The same causes he championed now echo in the names of his granddaughters—Hanna and Rebecca—who deserved a future shaped by the very protections he spent his life promoting.
Final Reflection
As communities gather for candlelight vigils and churches fill with quiet sobs, one truth remains: the loss is incalculable. And yet, so is the love these children brought into the world.
This tragedy isn’t just about a flood. It’s about the seconds that changed everything. The warnings not heard in time. The plans that never came to be. And the need—now more than ever—for compassion, preparedness, and policy that values every young life.
Hold your children closer tonight. Ask hard questions about safety. And remember Hanna and Rebecca not just in sorrow—but in the everyday joy they brought, and the legacy of light they leave behind.