After July’s catastrophic floods that claimed 25 campers and two teenage counselors, Camp Mystic plans a partial reopening, sparking mixed reactions among families, lawmakers, and survivors.
## The Reopening Plan
The 100-year-old all-girls Christian sleepaway retreat will begin enrolling campers in January and welcome new arrivals in May. Campers will stay on higher ground than the area where fast-rising waters on the Guadalupe River swept away two cabins.
## Family Reactions
Patrick Hotze’s three daughters returned safely, but he said, “My heart is broken for them,” when speaking of parents whose girls died, some of whom he described as close friends. He added, “I think it’s different for each kid and each family.” Other parents see the decision to let their daughters return as a vital step in healing from the disaster still under scrutiny.
## Safety Measures and Legal Scrutiny
Local leaders in Kerr County, including two who were asleep when the waters rose, remain in their jobs after defending their preparations and evacuation efforts. They are steering a slow recovery while pushing for a new flood warning system before campers return. Camp Mystic’s owners wrote, “We recognize that returning to Camp Mystic carries both hope and heartache,” and promised new safety measures such as two-way radios in every cabin and new flood-warning river monitors. Lawsuits allege the camp failed to protect children and ordered girls and counselors in cabins closest to the river to stay inside as floodwaters overwhelmed the property.
## Survivors’ Stories
Liberty Lindley’s 9-year-old daughter Evie was trapped in the Wiggle Inn cabin, adjacent to the low-lying cabins that were quickly inundated. Evie survived floating on mattresses with friends in the pitch dark before being evacuated by helicopter. Lindley said Evie didn’t hesitate when asked if she wanted to return to Camp Mystic. She recalled telling her mother, “Mom, I really hope next year at camp we do Mary Poppins again, because I still really want to be Bert,” hours after the ordeal.
## Uncertainty Among Parents
John Ball, an attorney in McAllen, Texas, whose daughter was at Camp Mystic during the flood, said he has serious reservations. He was out of town and did not learn his daughter was safe until more than 12 hours after the flooding, when she borrowed a cellphone and called him. He said, “The hardest part was not knowing,” and added, “We’re going to take this year off and see how it goes and what these changes look like that they’re implementing, and we’ll go from there.”
## Key Takeaways
– Camp Mystic plans to reopen in May on higher ground after July floods that killed 25 campers.
– Families are divided; some view reopening as healing, others see it as insensitive.
– New safety measures include two-way radios and flood-warning monitors, amid ongoing lawsuits and investigations.
The decision to reopen amid lingering grief and legal scrutiny underscores the complex balance between remembrance and moving forward for Camp Mystic and its community.
