KINGWOOD, Texas – Hundreds of people gathered in Kingwood to welcome 12-year-old Shiloh Wilson home after his tragic passing in the Hill Country floods.
Wilson, a two-time rodeo champion known as “Stingray,” was in the Texas Hill Country with his parents during the Fourth of July weekend when deadly floodwaters swept through the area.
The family spent the evening dancing at a restaurant before the floodwaters struck, and all three went missing.
Jeff and Amber Wilson were found earlier this week. Shiloh’s body was recovered Thursday night.
KPRC2’s Joy Addison spent the day at the funeral home, where mourners gathered to pay their respects.
“The support here feels never-ending,” Addison said. “Hundreds of people from Kingwood, Humble ISD — where Jeff worked for more than 30 years — the rodeo community and many others came together to reunite Shiloh ‘Stingray’ Wilson with his parents.”
Shiloh Wilson was a decorated rodeo competitor who had a special gift for riding broncs, friends said.
“The past two shows that I’ve done in New Caney, Shiloh actually came out and he was one of my kid judges,” Nathan Doyle, who runs a car show for kids, recalled. “So he’s picked out a Lambo for one of the awards, old school F-100. They’re amazing people.”
David Bender, a longtime friend of Jeff Wilson, said, “They were in town over there for a rodeo with a two-time champion, Shiloh Stingray, he’s just a little stud. God gave him a gift, and he had the gift and the ability to ride broncs.”
Jeff and Amber Wilson were beloved members of the Humble and Kingwood communities. Jeff taught in Humble ISD for more than three decades, and Amber was described as the glue holding their family together.
“He was like a father, like a brother to me,” Bender, who was once Jeff’s student, said. “Any problem I had I was able to pick the phone up, call him.”
“Shiloh was [Amber’s] life,” he added.
The three went missing after being swept away by the deadly Kerrville floodwaters. Jeff and Amber’s bodies were recovered days before Shiloh’s.
Along with friends and family, the Harris County fire marshal, local rodeo associations, and law enforcement from multiple cities escorted Shiloh’s body from Kerrville to the Kingwood funeral home.
State leaders, school and rodeo friends, and hundreds from the Kingwood community welcomed Shiloh back home, expressing relief and a sense of peace knowing the Wilson family has been reunited after such a tragic ordeal.
“I can’t express how amazing it is to see the long line of support just right here,” Congressman Dan Crenshaw said.
Misty Worrell of Humble BBQ and Rodeo shared, “When he was loaded into the hearse and we got into the procession and we drove away from the funeral home, all I could keep saying was, ‘Okay, we’re taking him home. He’s with us now. We’ve got him.’”
Bender added, “I’m thankful that God was able to put all three of them back together and be the Wilson Three again.”
Family and friends say they have just one request as Shiloh is laid to rest: that the community remember the Wilsons will need support for years to come.
