His optimism was fading. He paused along a Texas 39 grape orchard as friends searched across the highway in a massive field spanning half a mile. Trees once blocked the roadside view. Now, the still-swollen river, a mess of uprooted trees and scattering of volunteer searchers were visible from the road.

At least 70 people are dead, including more than 20 children, after heavy rainfall led to flash flooding in Texas Hill Country during the early hours of Friday, July 4, 2025. The intense rain