A Missouri family is mourning the loss of 23-year-old Faith Gregory, whose body was discovered days after she was carried away by powerful floodwaters.
Volunteers found Gregory on Saturday morning in the Huzzah Creek area, about 1.8 miles from her home, after severe flooding swept through the region on Friday.
‘This is not the outcome that any of us were hoping for,’ the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Faith’s family, friends and all those affected by this tragic loss.’
Gregory had been the last person still unaccounted for in Crawford County after a round of destructive thunderstorms brought intense rainfall and dangerous flash flooding.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency on Friday. He later said hundreds of people had been rescued from floodwaters, fallen trees, rooftops and stranded vehicles, The Guardian reported.
The storms unleashed between six and 12 inches of rain near the Black River in southeastern Missouri, swamping roads, campgrounds and nearby communities.
As the floodwaters surged, the walls of the home Gregory shared with her boyfriend, Logan Ousley, collapsed under the force of the water.
Faith Gregory’s body was found by volunteers just 1.8 miles from her home in Huzzah Creek on Saturday morning following severe flooding that hit the area on Friday (pictured with Logan Ousley)
In midst of the flooding, the wall’s of Gregory’s home, where she and Logan lived, had collapsed from the forces of the waters
She and Ousley, as well as their four dogs, managed to find their way into a kayak before Gregory and the dogs were swept away in the currents, KSDK reported.
Ousley was able to make his way out of the waters while one of the four dogs was discovered alive around eight miles from their home.
Nearby, two others had been rescued from the waters, the outlet reported.
Upon the discovery of Gregory’s body, her sister Kayla Dawn wrote: ‘She isn’t just my sister, she’s my person, the person I call for everything.’
Dawn described Gregory as her ‘best friend’ and the ‘best Aunt Faye to every kid she knows.’
‘I can’t believe this is our reality, my heart hurts. I’m so lost and confused on what to do. All I know is I want to see my sister again…This hurts. I want to hug my sister. I love you,’ the heartbroken sister continued.
Days earlier Dawn turned to social media petitioning for help to find her sister.
‘The flood was bad, storm was intense. Please everyone that lives down in Cherryville/Davisville, check the creeks, yell her name. Please help me find my sister,’ she wrote.
Upon the discovery of Gregory’s body, her sister Kayla Dawn wrote: ‘She isn’t just my sister, she’s my person, the person I call for everything’
Ousley was able to make his way out of the waters while one of the four dogs was discovered alive around eight miles from their home
In a later post, Dawn said that no GoFundMe would be made by her family and anyone looking to donate should send funds to the Wilson Mortuary for Gregory’s funeral arrangements.
On Friday morning, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency as between eight and 12 inches of rain fell in the area.
‘Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,’ NWS said.
‘Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under evacuation order.’
The rainfall and flash flooding followed a warning from Governor Kehoe who wrote: ‘With additional heavy rain expected through the weekend, the threat is not over. If you’re camping, floating or spending time near rivers and streams, move to higher ground and stay alert of weather conditions.’
‘Missourians should continue to monitor local forecasts and follow the guidance of local authorities,’ he added.
Roads were left underwater, including around Camp Taum Sauk where children and staff were trapped by the floods before they were rescued by National Guard helicopters, according to the state’s highway patrol.
‘We are beyond thankful for your help keeping our camp community safe,’ Camp Taum Sauk officials posted on Instagram following the rescue.
Roads were completely deluged by the rising floodwaters making many routes impassable
Heavy flooding swamps campsites and equipment after overnight rainfall sent rivers surging across central and eastern Missouri
The campground at Twin Rivers Landing Campground in Lesterville, Missouri is unrecognizable as flood water takes over
Kahoe wrote on Facebook: ‘Missouri’s first responders once again answered the call with extraordinary bravery, professionalism and compassion.’
Four people were pronounced missing by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, one of which being Gregory. The remaining three were rescued, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said five people were rescued from Bearcat Getaway campground when the flooding hit the area near Lesterville.
A building later collapsed at the same campground, causing around ten to 17 people to fall into the water before they were later rescued, KSDK reported.
In Reynold’s County, Eddie Young of the highway patrol’s Troop G announced that five people were still missing on Friday. Around an hour later, all persons were accounted for in the county, according to the outlet.
The extreme weather also endangered first responders. During one rescue mission, a Missouri State Highway Patrol boat became entangled in a submerged line.
The two troopers aboard were forced to abandon the vessel and enter the floodwaters before both safely made it ashore without injury.
The floods came after several inches of rain fell overnight on Thursday and into the morning across a long swath of central and eastern Missouri.
Campers at Franklin Floats Campgrounds in Lesterville were forced to scramble onto the roof of parked SUVs in order to avoid being swept away by historic floods in Missouri on Friday
Route 21 at Paynes Branch in Reynolds County was partially washed away by the currents
Stephanie Blechle Tooley of the Black River Rats saw this motor home floating down the river
The Missouri State Highway Patrol shared pictures of homes after the floodwaters subsided
Several major roads became impassable, and authorities established a family reunification center as rescue operations continued.
Joe Holt took video of flooding in Lesterville. Footage from the air saw several major roads made impassable due to flooding and damage.
Houses were also flooded in Annapolis, Missouri as rising waters from the creek washed over roads and bridges.
Meteorologists described the deluge as a ‘once-in-a-millennium’ rainfall event, warning that swollen rivers would continue rising even after the rain eased, raising fears that the worst flooding may still be ahead.
