Camp Mystic counselor speaks out following deadly flooding
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Baylor student returned to school for the Fall semester with a heavy heart after losing fellow campers at Camp Mystic during the deadly Hill Country flooding.
Junio Annabelle Kuehl said she wasn’t there during the flooding, but lost cherished friends.
She said she has 12 years full of beautiful memories at the camp, but this one is devastating.
Kuehl explained Camp Mystic brings people out of their shells and builds bonds. She still finds it difficult to accept that fellow campers lost their lives.
“It’s truly like a slice of heaven there. You don’t have to worry about the outside world. You truly get to spend time with your friends and, also, you see so much of the Lord everywhere,” said Kuehl.
Kuehl said being a camp counselor is especially rewarding since it requires you to give more of yourself, so campers can have an unforgettable experience.
“You’re a camper with many of the girls there for nine years. So, you kind of get to pour into them from a different aspect and kind of be more of a guide and a mentor,” said Kuehl.
Unfortunately, on July 4, the campers’ safe haven turned into a safety hazard when rushing waters wiped the campgrounds and swept campers off their feet while they tried to hold on for dear life.
“It’s something you never think could happen to a place that you love so much. Or even a place that’s filled with such good memories for so many people, then it’s all of a sudden, there’s these terrible memories,” said Kuehl.
Kuehl said she was frantic trying to communicate with her fellow campers once she heard about the devastation.
“My age group was very active in our group chat and just any information we have because we’re from all over the place. I’m here in Waco then there’s people in Dallas, Austin, and Houston all getting so much information from so many different people. We were trying to communicate that the best we could,” said Kuehl.
Kuehl said she chose to be in the camp’s first term, which was from May 28 to June 28.
She said it’s difficult grasping what could have happened had she gone the following week during the July 4 flood.
“I don’t necessarily think of it like, the term that I’ve gone to my entire life saved my life, just more grateful it wasn’t a week earlier. But it’s also that feeling of grief that it happened at all,” said Kuehl.
Kuehl said she’s hopeful owners reopen the camp for next summer, if so, she said she’s more than sure organizers will try to make next year as normal as possible.
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