Richard “Dick” Eastland, the hero director of Camp Mystic, had battled floods on the grounds for decades and even once saw his pregnant wife airlifted from the Texas property because of a deluge, prompting him to repeatedly urge better warning systems in his flood-prone Kerr County.

Central Texas witnessed catastrophic flash floods. At least 52 people died. Richard Eastland, Camp Mystic's director, died a hero. He tried to save campers from rising floodwaters. Eastland and his wife managed the camp since 1974.

In the early morning of July 4, floods ravaged the Texas Hill Country. In less than an hour, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet, taking and altering the lives of countless Americans with every inch it climbed.

THE director of Camp Mystic desperately tried to save young girls in a heartbreaking final act before the vacation spot was ... avid Texas Longhorns fanatic, my #1 fan, and above all else: a hero.

“I always felt incredibly safe at camp,” said Meggie Orgain, 39, of Dallas, who spent 15 summers at Camp Mystic as a camper, counselor and office worker. “If it rained, you stayed in your cabin.