“Our Hearts Are Broken”: NFL Family Mourns 9-Year-Old Girl Lost in Texas Floods
Tragedy Strikes the Hunt Family as Texas Disaster Claims Dozens of Lives
A wave of sorrow has swept through the NFL community after Janie Hunt, the 9-year-old cousin of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, was confirmed among the victims of the catastrophic floods in Central Texas.
Her aunt, Tavia Hunt, shared the heartbreaking news in an emotional Instagram post, revealing that the vibrant young girl lost her life while attending Camp Mystic, a beloved all-girls Christian summer camp nestled along the Guadalupe River in Wimberley.
“Our hearts are broken by the devastation from the floods in Wimberley and the tragic loss of so many lives — including a precious little Hunt cousin,” Tavia wrote. “How do we trust a God who is supposed to be good… but who allows such terrible things to happen — even to children?”
A Young Life Cut Short
Janie Hunt, described as “bright-eyed and impossibly sweet,” was the great-granddaughter of Texas oil magnate William Herbert Hunt. She was one of 28 children who perished in the unprecedented flooding, which has now claimed at least 82 lives across the state.
Camp Mystic, known for its traditions, faith-based community, and joy-filled summers, became the site of a nightmare as flash floods surged over 30 feet above normal, overwhelming riverside cabins in the dark early hours of Friday morning.
A Beloved Director Lost
Also among the dead was Richard “Dick” Eastland, the camp’s 70-year-old director and a father figure to generations of girls. According to multiple reports, Eastland died while trying to rescue campers from the rising water. Just days earlier, he had been seen dancing joyfully with the children during evening assemblies.
Texas in Mourning
The loss has triggered an outpouring of grief across Texas and beyond. Governor Greg Abbott has declared Sunday a statewide day of prayer, calling on citizens to remember the victims, support the families, and honor the courage of first responders.
“We ask Texans to join us in prayer,” Abbott said. “We will uncover the causes — and we will honor the lives lost by ensuring this never happens again.”
Desperate Search Continues as Grief Deepens Across Texas
Heroes in the Water, Hope in the Skies
Rescue teams are still racing against time in flood-ravaged Central Texas, where more than 850 people have been saved — some pulled from treetops where they clung for hours, soaked and terrified.
The search is far from over. Eight helicopters and an MQ-9 Reaper drone are sweeping the swollen Guadalupe River and surrounding wilderness, scanning for the dozens still unaccounted for.
But as the rescue continues, so does the outcry.
Too Little, Too Late?
Questions are intensifying over the timing of the emergency alerts. Though the National Weather Service issued a flood watch Thursday and a flash flood warning in the early hours of Friday, local officials in Kerr County say the alerts came too late to save lives.
“This wasn’t a forecasting failure,” meteorologist Matt Lanza told The Texas Tribune.
“It was a breakdown in communication. The warnings didn’t get to people in time.”
Staffing Shortages Under Fire
That communication breakdown may trace back to deep, systemic cracks. Investigations have uncovered that the local NWS office was severely understaffed, with key roles left vacant following federal job cuts under the Trump administration. Notably, the warning coordination meteorologist position has remained empty since April — a crucial absence during one of Texas’s most deadly natural disasters in decades.
Asked if the staffing shortages were a result of his administration’s decisions, former President Donald Trump initially deflected:
“That was really the Biden setup,” he said.
Then, in a rare moment of pause, added:
“But I wouldn’t blame Biden either. This is a 100-year catastrophe.”
Grief Amid the Rubble
As the confirmed death toll climbs past 82 and may surpass 100, families like the Hunts are left to mourn in the shadow of so many unanswered questions.
Tavia Hunt, still reeling from the loss of her 9-year-old niece Janie, posted a final message to friends and followers:
“We are clinging to memories… and to faith.”