Former San Francisco Giants Pitcher Tyler Walker Races Against Time Searching for Family Missing in Devastating Texas Floods
Over the weekend, former San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Walker traveled to Texas with his wife and close friends in a desperate search for his missing brother Mark, sister-in-law Sara, and 14-year-old nephew Johnny. The trio disappeared after their vacation home, known as the “River House” along the Guadalupe River, was swept away in the catastrophic Fourth of July floods.
“They’re still missing and have not been found,” shared their mother, Kathy Walker, from her home in San Rafael, California, during an interview with the Marin Independent Journal on Tuesday.
Tyler, who pitched for the Giants from 2004 to 2008, also reunited with his 16-year-old niece Ellie, who miraculously survived the flood while staying at nearby Camp Waldemar.
Kathy Walker expressed the unbearable anguish of not knowing the fate of her loved ones. “The uncertainty is absolutely dreadful,” she said, adding that her son Tyler called her on Sunday, sharing hope and determination despite the heartbreak.
As the family holds on to hope for a miracle, their story shines a light on the human toll behind the devastating Texas floods.
Praying for the family of former Giants pitcher Tyler Walker. #sfgiants pic.twitter.com/7fOdiOdSgd
— Ozark (@Ozmosis711) July 7, 2025
“They’re doing everything they can to search along the river,” Kathy Walker said. “But the devastation is overwhelming — it’s impossible to truly grasp. Debris is piled everywhere: cars, trees, broken limbs… everything is tangled up in a massive mess.”
Ellie, Tyler’s 16-year-old niece who survived the flood, is staying with some friends from summer camp while Tyler, Sara, and close family friends continue their relentless search for her missing parents and brother. Despite the support, Kathy admits it’s not nearly enough. “Ellie is heartbroken, clinging to hope through prayer,” she said. “The uncertainty of not knowing what happened to her dad, mom, and brother is an unbearable pain.”
Kathy revealed she had been in regular contact with Mark just last week, but has heard nothing since the sudden flash flooding struck early on July Fourth.
At a news conference Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed the heartbreaking reality: Mark, Sara, and Johnny remain missing. “Mark, his wife, and their 14-year-old son, who was beloved by many kids in the Marin County area — including my own son — are missing,” Newsom shared, according to the New York Post. “Thankfully, their 16-year-old daughter was found. This tragedy is a devastating reminder of the human cost, and it continues to unfold in the most excruciating ways. Anyone with children knows how deeply this hits.”
Ellie had been staying at a different camp than Camp Mystic, the girls’ summer camp in Kerr County where at least 27 campers and counselors tragically lost their lives in the floods.
Kathy Walker shared a heartbreaking image sent to her showing the remnants of her son’s vacation home. “It’s completely destroyed,” she told the New York Post.
Across Texas, the flash floods have claimed at least 120 lives. More than 170 people remain missing—most in Kerr County, where nearly 100 bodies have been recovered. As of Thursday, nearly a week after the disaster began, the death toll has stayed at 120.
Authorities, according to the Associated Press, have been painstakingly reviewing the list of missing individuals. But in the chaotic aftermath of such a catastrophic event, confirming exact numbers remains a difficult and ongoing challenge.