A MOM who lost her daughter in the floods that swept through Texas’ Camp Mystic has shared details of a letter she wrote before her death.
Notes that children had written to their parents while at the summer camp had started arriving – days after the July 4 floods.
Blakely McCrory, eight, was among 27 campers and staffers that perished in the Texas floods.
She died days after arriving at Camp Mystic, and months after she lost her dad.
Devastated mom, Lindsey McCrory, shared details of the note Blakely had written to her family, per People.
Blakely had filled in the blanks to sentences on a piece of paper.
The letter started with the phrase: “Dear mom.”
In the note, Blakely revealed she was feeling “good” and described Camp Mystic as amazing.
She told her mom that she would be playing tennis as well as horseback riding.
She revealed that she was in the “tonk” group.
Blakely rated the sleep and food at the camp as the best.
Children were given the option to score food and how they slept from best to worst.
Lindsey revealed that she took comfort in receiving the letter as it conveyed her daughter was enjoying herself at Camp Mystic.
She described Blakely as “very resilient.”
“She was a live wire, just had a fun, spirited attitude, the type of child that doesn’t stay down for long,” Lindsey told People.
Lindsey told the Today program that she received two letters from Blakely.
In the second note, Blakely begged her mom not to sell her Barbie house.
Lindsey recalled how her daughter appeared to change in her mind.
That’s because Blakely had initially allowed her mom to sell the dolls house.
Blakely departed for Camp Mystic on June 29, but her family was rocked by tragedy months previously.
Lindsey’s husband and Blakely’s dad, Blake, died in March after a battle with stage two cancer.
And, Lindsey’s brother also died.
Camp Mystic had been a constant on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas for almost 100 years.
And, 750 children were at the Christian campsite when the floods hit over the Independence Day weekend.
The Guadalupe River rose around 26 feet in 45 minutes as it burst its banks.
Around a foot of rain hit Kerr County in central Texas when caused the river to overflow.
Janie Hunt, nine, was also killed in the floods. It was her first year at Camp Mystic.
Her family identified her via a necklace that had been given to her by her grandma, Margaret.
Stacy Stevens’ daughter Mary, eight, was identified as one of the victims, as per the New York Post.
FAMILIES GRIEF
Tragic details emerged after it was reported that sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, 13 and 11, didn’t survive the floods.
The sisters were holding hands when their bodies were found.
And, Ellen Getten, nine, had recently celebrated her birthday at Walt Disney World in Florida before heading to Camp Mystic.
Her time spent at the camp’s Bubble Inn was filled with joy, and her family fondly recalls the delightful dance parties that counselors organized, according to an online obituary.
“Ellen woke up happy, went to sleep happy, and made everyone around her happy,” her family said.
“Though her nine years on earth was brief, she will always be remembered for her love of others and her sweet smile.
“Ellen would want everyone to give more hugs.”
Dick Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, was killed and he was credited for his heroism in trying to evacuate campers.
He and his wife Tweety had been associated with the camp for more than 50 years.
He was given a directive to evacuate the campers at 1:14 am but didn’t begin relocating the girls to safer, elevated areas until 45 minutes later, according to a report by The New York Post.
“They had no information that indicated the magnitude of what was coming,” Jeff Carr, the Eastland’s family spokesperson, said.
Eastland’s body was found in his Tahoe car that had been swept away.
Officials confirmed that at least 134 people died from the flooding, with 100 still remaining missing.
But, another summer camp, Camp CAMP, which is located 30 miles downriver has since reopened.
