Kerr county residents mourn loss as relief pours in from around the country

KERRVILLE, Texas (Nexstar) — August Wolverton decided to go to the ‘Wall of Hope’ in downtown Kerrville on her lunch break. The generic chain-linked fence is now filled with pictures of the victims of the Kerr County floods, flowers, and messages reading, “Hill Country Strong.”

There was a chance Wolverton’s own grandmother’s picture could have been on that wall.

“Her house was folded completely in half and all of her stuff from inside her house is still being found all down the river. All of our pictures,” Wolverton said with tears in her eyes.

Fortunately, Wolverton’s grandmother was out of town for the holiday weekend. But in this tight-knit community, it’s more than likely a majority of people have a connection to someone who died.

“You just realize how many people have lost their lives,” Wolverton said as she scanned the many faces — both old and young — hanging on the fence.

In Kerrville and the surrounding towns in Kerr County, Independence Day is one of the busiest times of year as people travel in from around the state to celebrate the holiday. One of the destinations families pick in Kerrville is Jellystone Park on the Guadalupe River.

Kristen Cline, an employee of Jellystone, said she had never seen a flood like Friday’s before. Park staff had to jump into action as the Guadalupe River swelled.

“Our general manager did go door-to-door, knocking on doors, telling everyone, ‘You need to evacuate now,'” Cline explained. The back half of the property has become a debris field with knocked down Cypress trees, busted boats, and items of clothing washed away from people’s homes.

Thankfully, no one was injured at the camp, and it is now operational for the people who are still there. As tragic as the last week has been, Cline said the silver lining in the situation is the immense support from other community members and from strangers around the world.

“The outpouring of love and support from people from all over, it really is a blessing,” Cline said.

Jake Johnson traveled to Kerrville this week from his home in Harrison, Arkansas. He is the senior pastor at Higher Ground, an 80-member church.

“This is very devastating. I can’t imagine what these people are going through, the loss that they feel,” Johnson said. He came to Kerrville to help in any way he can. Whether it be by providing meals for the search teams, packing lunches for people who lost their homes, or praying for the more than 160 people still missing as of Thursday.

“We just need to try to love them with the love of Jesus,” Johnson explained.

Kerr County residents have also stepped up to help their own. Inside the gym of Center Point Middle School, stacks of waters and rows of supplies lined the gym floor. Ally Blanchard grew up in Center Point and said she helped unload about 400 cases of water on Monday.

“(If) anybody needs anything, they can come and get whatever,” Blanchard explained. Her house and family survived the flood. She said she started walking along the river in the days after, searching for those who were missing.

She came across washed away memories, photographs from people’s homes that were sent down stream and dispersed. She hung on to the photos and is hoping to reunite them with their owners.

“I know they’re beat up but they might mean something to somebody,” Blanchard said.