Trauma RN Nurse Felicity Garza holds a child’s life vest found in a tree. | Photo: Christine Peña / Tejano Nation
KERRVILLE, TX — Tejano Nation journalist Christine Peña is on the front lines in Kerrville, Texas, where catastrophic floods have claimed the lives of at least 100 people, with over 160 still missing in the Central Texas Hill Country. Peña, a 13-year volunteer with a Texas-based search and rescue non-profit organization, has been on the ground since Sunday, assisting in ongoing recovery efforts.
“This isn’t what we normally do,” she said. “But with our water rescue training, how could we not be here?”
Peña describes the devastation as nearly indescribable. Trees were bent and stripped of bark by the sheer force of the water. The sounds of recovery are relentless — helicopters, chainsaws, excavators, and emergency sirens dominate the landscape, broken only by moments of silence that feel equally deafening.
“The pictures I’ve taken don’t even come close to showing the horror,” she said. “Mother Nature is strong — stronger than we ever imagined.”
Despite speculation that tourists and locals should have been more prepared, Peña was quick to push back.
“Someone said the vacationers should’ve seen this coming. But unless you were a giant, you couldn’t see above that water line,” she said, sharing images of the devastation from the flood that rose almost 30 feet in 45 minutes.
The team’s focus has now shifted from rescue to recovery. Peña stressed the difficulty of working in the oppressive Texas heat, warning that without proper hydration, exhaustion sets in quickly.
Her role on the ground has also included logistics coordination, managing an influx of heavy equipment operators and helping organize their efforts alongside local fire departments. The flood of donations in the early days — while well-intentioned — initially caused traffic bottlenecks, making it difficult for emergency crews to get where they were needed.
But the community has rallied.
“Kerrville is filled with food trucks offering meals free of charge to both residents and volunteers,” Peña shared. “These nonprofits and community members are doing everything they can — but they’ll need support for months to come.”
Among the local heroes she highlighted is Howdy’s, a business near the Guadalupe River that has served as a safe haven for displaced residents and responders. Peña also praised the efforts of local ministries providing emotional support and prayer spaces for workers after long days in the field.
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Peña’s connection to the Kerrville community runs deep. She shared that her friend and collaborator, local business owner Sarah Cedillo, is already in talks with area businesses about organizing a Red Cardinal Entertainment recovery benefit concert this fall.
“Right now, my focus isn’t music or artists — it’s reuniting families, offering hugs, listening, and helping bring closure,” Peña said. “But the answer is yes — we will do something in the fall.”
Still, the emotional toll of this tragedy weighs heavy on every responder.
“I didn’t realize how badly I needed a hug until someone gave me one,” she said. “This is hard, hot, dirty work. It takes so much patience. Sometimes, all we can do is sit and wait — even when everything in us wants to move debris and search.”
Volunteers help with search and recovery after Central Texas flood. | Photo: Christine Peña / Tejano Nation
Peña emphasized the power of prayer. “Each morning before we go out, we gather and pray,” she said. “The Prayer of St. Francis plays in my head daily — ‘Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.’”
She encourages those who want to help to donate to the organizations already working tirelessly on the ground:
- Mercy Chefs – mercychefs.com: Providing hot meals to volunteers and survivors.
- Texas EquuSearch – texasequusearch.org: A volunteer search and recovery nonprofit — never charging families a dime.
- TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue) – texsar.org: Supporting local and state emergency services.
- The Salvation Army Kerrville – Call: (830) 465-4797
- Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country – cftexhillcountry.fcsuite.com
- Williamson County – CTX Community Foundation
“Please let the recovery teams do their work,” Peña added. “And if you can, donate to the people who are already here, in the trenches, helping us heal.”
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