HOUSTON – The sweet sounds of campers singing in unison were captured in a viral video taken by Camp Mystic nurse, Devon Williams. The group’s voices carried a mix of apprehension and hope as they got their first look at the destruction at Camp Mystic hours after the catastrophic flood swept through the Hill Country.
KPRC 2 Reporter Corley Peel spoke with sisters, 13-year-old Taylor Grigsby and 12-year-old Payton Grigsby. Taylor said she sang on the bus with her fellow campers.
“We really had no clue how to react so we just all started singing songs that reminded us of camp and reminded us to believe in God,” said Taylor Grigsby.
Another video showed Taylor’s little sister, 12-year-old Payton, being evacuated by a National Guard truck. The Houston sisters said they were looking forward to their 5th year of camp. On their 4th day at Camp Mystic, they woke up to the storm.
“It started early that morning around 1 a.m.,” Taylor recalled. “It was the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard. It just kept going the whole morning.”
The sisters were on the higher ground side of the camp, near Cypress Lake, where counselors kept them safe in their cabins. They could hear helicopters overhead but didn’t fully understand the severity of the situation.
“We could hear the helicopters going above us, but we didn’t know what it was for or what was really happening,” Payton said.
Campers were told that another part of camp, known as the flats, was flooding. Taylor said they were asked to donate clothing for campers from the flooded area who had been moved to a safer location.
It wasn’t until they saw the damage firsthand that the sisters realized how serious the flooding was.
“When we really saw it for ourselves, we realized this was a big deal — not just a power outage,” Payton said.
Even after being reunited with their parents at an elementary school, many campers didn’t grasp the full extent of the tragedy. The sisters later learned that some of their fellow campers had passed away or were still missing.
Taylor said the camp’s tradition of singing helped keep the campers united through the ordeal.
“We have a song for everything,” she said. “During breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we sing. It brings us all together and reminds us of everything.”
For Taylor, Camp Mystic is more than just a camp — it’s a second home.
“It’s like life-lasting friendships,” Payton added.
When asked if she plans to return to camp, Taylor said, “I hope to, of course. If anything, I brought my cabin together.”
The sisters’ story is a powerful reminder of the strength found in community and song, even in the face of disaster.