More than 100 people died in Central Texas after historic flooding over the July Fourth weekend.
Most of the deaths were in Kerr County, two hours west of Austin. That includes roughly two dozen campers attending an all-girls’ Christian camp along the Guadalupe River. At least two of these girls were from Austin.
The Austin area also experienced catastrophic flooding, claiming at least 14 lives. Here's what we know about the flood victims from Austin and the surrounding towns:
Braxton Jarmon
Braxton Jarmon, 15, was a rising sophomore at Glenn High School in Leander, just north of Austin. The school principal confirmed his death in an email to students and families.
“The void he leaves behind is immense, and he will be deeply missed,” reads an Instagram post on the school’s marching band account.
Linnie McCown
Linnie McCown, 8, was among the 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic who died in the Kerrville floods. Her father, Michael McCown, confirmed her death to the Austin American-Statesman. According to the Statesman, he wrote on Instagram that Linnie “filled our hearts with so much joy we cannot begin to explain.”
Linnie had been a student at Casis Elementary. Hundreds of people attended a vigil at the Austin ISD campus Sunday to pray for the flood victims and their families.
Mary Stevens
Eight-year-old Mary Stevens, a camper at Camp Mystic, attended Highland Park Elementary, according to KXAN.
The station reported that Mary's mother confirmed her death in a social media post.
“Our world is shattered, but I have peace getting your letters and knowing you were having the time of your life at camp and had a dance party with all of your friends before the Lord decided to take you from us,” Stacy Stevens wrote.
Sherry Richardson
Sherry Richardson, 64, was the office manager and human resources director for Hope House, a long-term residential home for children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities in Liberty Hill.
David Gould, the executive director of Hope House, said Richardson “was the glue that kind of held everybody together.” He described her as the “office mom.”
“She was lit up with being able to work on this mission of taking care of kids and giving them the best life ever,” he said.
Gould said Richardson was living in a cabin on the property when it flooded. He said first responders were able to evacuate 12 children and two staff members on the main campus, which is farther from the creek.
He said Richardson’s death is a huge loss for the organization.
“She was the one that set the tone as far as how we’re going to take care of each other and how we are going to be kind and how collectively we’re going to take care of this mission together by taking care of each other,” he said.
Betty West
Betty West, 84, was “hilarious and blunt," two of her children said by phone Tuesday. Sherry McCutcheon said it often took her mom hours just to leave the grocery store because the Austin-area native had friends constantly stopping to chat.
West was living in Sandy Creek, a neighborhood in northwest Travis County that was ravaged by floodwaters early Saturday morning. She was living with her sons, Doug West and Gary Traugott, both of whom are still missing. West did not survive the floods and was found early Saturday, her daughters said.
West had been retired from Texas Instruments for 20 years.
Malaya Hammond
Malaya Hammond was a student at One Day Academy in Marble Falls. Her school confirmed her death in an Instagram post on Monday.
William Venus
William "Govani" Venus, 57, was a 33-year Army veteran and father of four who was swept away in flooding in Burnet County. William Venus Jr. told NPR his dad, a former Army mechanic, would always help someone with car trouble on the side of the road — day or night.
"He doesn't think twice about helping people. I'm hoping that's the situation that happened. If there's a line of people that are in need of services, he's going to put himself last," he said. "That's what he's always done."
This story will be updated.
