U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., said his twin granddaughters survived last week’s catastrophic flooding at a Texas summer camp that killed their 9-year-old cousin.
Carter, who represents Georgia’s 1st Congressional District — including Bryan County — shared on social media Sunday that his granddaughters had been rescued. “They are safe, and I thank you for your well-wishes and prayers during this time,” he posted on X. “Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky. My granddaughters lost their cousin, Janie, and many other families are grieving loved ones.”
According to Atlanta News First, the 11-year-old girls were attending Camp Mystic, a private all-girls Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, located along the banks of the Guadalupe River. The historic camp, founded more than a century ago, is known for attracting families from across the South — including those of political leaders. People magazine reported that former first lady Laura Bush once worked there as a counselor, and relatives of President Lyndon B. Johnson have attended.
Carter said his granddaughters were in a cabin farther from the river and survived by climbing onto the roof, where they waited for hours to be rescued. Janie Hunt, their cousin, was in a riverside cabin called “The Bubble Inn,” which was swept away in the flood. That cabin housed 21 girls.
In a video posted to his official Facebook page, Carter addressed the tragedy during an appearance on Fox News.
“Let me just say that all of those who are impacted by this are in our thoughts and prayers,” he said. “My granddaughters were there. This is about the third year they have been at Camp Mystic. They were with four of their cousins. One of their cousins, Janie Hunt — this was her first year — she was in the Bubble Inn. That was the one with the younger kids. It happened to be closer to the water. And Janie is now in heaven.”
Carter told CNN that the heartbreak deepened after the family learned Janie’s body had been recovered on her mother’s birthday. “It gets worse,” Carter said. “The day Janie’s body was found was her mother’s birthday. So you can only imagine. It’s awful.”
“You drop your children off at summer camp and they’re so excited — horseback riding, games, making new friendships,” Carter told Atlanta News First. “And then just to have this tragedy. It’s just awful.”
As of Tuesday, more than 100 people have been confirmed dead from the flooding, and recovery efforts are ongoing.
— From Effingham Herald Staff reports with contributions from Atlanta News First, Fox News, CNN, and People Magazine.
