Dick Eastland, known for his long tenure as owner and director of Camp Mystic, was remembered as a “father figure to all” following the confirmation of his tragic yet brave passing.
KERRVILLE, Texas — According to the Kerrville Daily Times, Dick Eastland, who was both owner and director of Camp Mystic over many years, passed away while attempting to rescue and shield campers from the swiftly moving floodwaters.
Eastland was described as a father figure to campers while they were away from their parents for six weeks during the summer.
He had four boys of his own and reportedly always put the safety of his campers first.
Eastland would reportedly keep up with his campers, attending weddings and other meaningful moments.
A former camper of Eastland shared that they learned immense life lessons from him and felt it unsurprising that he sacrificed his own safety to protect campers in the face of encroaching floodwaters.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers. He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic,” said Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Dick Eastland.
Kerr County officials say a total of 43 people, 15 of whom are children, have been confirmed dead after Friday’s devastating floods.
27 girls who were at Camp Mystic when the floods rushed through remain unaccounted for as of Saturday night.
Reunification line
Amidst the catastrophic Fourth of July Flooding, the City of Kerrville Emergency Management has established a reunification intake line for parents of campers who are unaccounted for.
If you do not know where your camper is, call 830-258-1111 and say the name of your missing person and you will be directed to a shelter. For other missing persons, call 830-257-8181.
