Two sisters who lost their lives in the Texas floods over the weekend were found with their hands joined together.
Brooke and Blair Harber, aged 11 and 13, were on a family trip and were staying with their grandparents, Charlene and Mike, in the gated community of Casa Bonita in Hunt when flooding hit early Saturday.
Their parents, RJ and Annie, were just five homes up, but by the time they woke and tried to reach the other cabin, it was too late.
HighlightsTwo sisters, Brooke and Blair Harber, were found with their hands locked together after Texas floods.The girls were found 15 miles away in Kerrville, while their grandparents Charlene and Mike remain missing.Parents RJ and Annie escaped their flooding cabin by breaking a window; RJ attempted a rescue with a neighbor’s kayak but waters were too rough.Brooke and Blair were described as kind, gifted believers carrying rosary beads; their favorite class was religion.RELATED:Brooke and Blair Harber lost their lives in the Texas flooding
The girls were found 15 miles away in Kerrville on Saturday afternoon, and “their hands were locked together.”
Charlene and Mike have not yet been found.
Jennifer Harber, the girl’s auntie, said Brooke had texted her father and her maternal grandparents, “I love you” at 3:30 a.m.
When the storm woke RJ and Annie, their cabin had already begun to flood, and they managed to break a window to escape.
With the water too high to reach his family by foot, RJ borrowed a neighbor’s kayak and tried to make it to them.
“He woke two neighbors up for help, saved their lives and borrowed a kayak,” Jennifer said on a GoFundMe page.
“But the water had risen too high to reach the neighbor’s house that my parents and nieces and their two dogs were at.
“He attempted by kayak and the house was only five houses down closest to the river, but the waters were too rough.
“He knew he would be swept away. There were white caps on the waves so he kayaked back to where the other six survivors were.”
Brooke and Blair were described as “believers” who had their rosary beads with them on the trip and their favorite class was religion.
Charlene and Mike have not yet been found
“[Blair] was a gifted student and had a generous kind heart,” RJ told CNN.
“[Brooke] was like a light in any room, people gravitated to her and she made them laugh and enjoy the moment.”
The family was staying in separate cabins as they owned a one-bedroom, and neighbors had offered their home for more space while they were out of town.
The girls will be laid to rest in a joint funeral back home in Dallas when their grandparents are found.
“RJ, Annie, and the other five they woke somehow made it to a house on the other side of the flooded highway and strangers let all seven in,” Jennifer said.
“Somehow their lab made it out of the window and I don’t know how but found them across the flooded highway up the hill at that house. Their other dog did not make it.
“Shortly after they crossed the highway the houses in their gated community were swept away, as were cars. Trees uprooted.
Flooding happened unexpectedly in the early hours of Saturday
“Very shortly after they crossed the flooded highway, houses started falling apart and floating away and I believe only four or six are left standing out of 20 houses in that community.”
“We are beyond devastated and so heartbroken. Prayers are much appreciated and what we needed at this time,” Jennifer added.
An unexpected and heavy downpour caused catastrophic flooding in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Guadalupe River burst its banks.
It washed out an all-girls Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic, sweeping away cabins, and rescue efforts remain ongoing.
So far, at least 82 people have lost their lives in the flooding and around 41 are still missing as a flash flood warning remains in place.
Social media users sent their condolences to the family online
