As floodwaters tore through Camp Mystic, sweeping away cabins and dreams, chaos could have ruled. But what happened instead left rescue workers and onlookers in tears—and now, thanks to one haunting video, the world is witnessing it too.
In footage now spreading rapidly online, a busload of young girls—soaked, barefoot, and visibly shaken—weren’t panicking. They weren’t screaming. They were singing.
Voices Over the Water
Posted to TikTok by Houston nurse Devon Paige (@dpaige323), the clip shows a group of campers being evacuated from the century-old Christian girls’ camp in Hunt, Texas, which was devastated by historic flash floods earlier this week.
As the bus navigates past rivers of rushing floodwater and piles of broken wood, the girls’ voices rise above the destruction. They sing “Reckless Love of God” and other hymns—an act not orchestrated by adults, but born from instinct, unity, and unshakable faith.
“The girls are singing to try and calm everyone,” Paige wrote in the caption. “No one told them to. They just… started.”
Inside that bus, worship became a lifeline. It wasn’t just about comfort—it was survival of the spirit. And for a trembling moment, in the middle of unthinkable tragedy, something sacred broke through the storm.
Camp Mystic in Ruins
The tragedy at Camp Mystic is one of the darkest chapters in Texas Hill Country history. The Guadalupe River surged more than 25 feet in under two hours, engulfing parts of the beloved summer camp that had stood for over a century. At least 27 campers and counselors have been confirmed dead, with 10 children and one staff member still unaccounted for.
Officials say the camp’s youngest residents were housed in low-lying riverside cabins—the first to be overwhelmed by the torrent.
Search crews have worked around the clock. Helicopters, boats, drones, and hundreds of first responders are scouring the region. Governor Greg Abbott visited the site himself, visibly shaken.
“The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking,” Abbott said during a press conference. “We won’t stop until every girl is found.”
National Mourning, Local Faith
At least 84 people have been confirmed dead in Kerr County alone, including 28 children. More than 850 high-water rescues have been carried out across the region. President Donald Trump, during a weekend press briefing, pledged federal support and confirmed that FEMA was coordinating with state and local officials to accelerate relief efforts.
But amid the devastation, it is the girls’ song that’s touching millions.
“They sang to Jesus while the water tried to take everything,” one TikTok user commented.
“This isn’t just courage. This is what faith looks like,” wrote another.
The Sound That Wouldn’t Break
For a nation reeling from images of destruction, the quiet bravery of these girls—singing as the world around them crumbled—has become a symbol of hope.
It’s not a headline anyone ever wanted to write. But it’s one no one will forget.
Because sometimes, when the river rises and the world falls apart, it’s not the buildings that hold us together. It’s the voices.
And those voices didn’t scream. They sang.
