Monday marks one month since devastating floods swept through the Texas Hill Country on July 4, claiming at least 135 lives. Two people are still missing.
In Kerrville, the Wall of Hope has become a powerful place of remembrance, a space where families and friends gather to mourn, pray, and honor those lost.
The memorial was lined with photos, teddy bears, flowers, candles, and handwritten notes.
Among those paying their respects is Peter LaBoda, a volunteer from Wisconsin with the group All Hands and Hearts. The organization is helping with cleanup and restoration efforts.
“I’ve been with the organization for about 10 years and have seen hurricanes before, but this is different,” LaBoda said. “The loss here is overwhelming. Seeing the Wall of Hope, the photos, the flowers—it’s hard to put into words. I have a 9-year-old daughter at home, so it really hits home.”
Turner also spoke to a woman from San Antonio who dropped off flowers and teddy bears.
“It’s so sad. Really sad. I just lost my son, so I know how mothers are feeling right now, losing their babies,” she said.
Wooden Crosses for each victim
People also paid their respects to the lives lost at the Guadalupe Park in Kerrville. Hundreds of wooden crosses line the river.
Kerrville resident Tracy Hilderbran reflected on the past month in the Texas Hill Country and visited the park.
“It really shows you the loss of life because each cross stands for someone that died,” she said.
The crosses were created by Robert Marquez, an artist from the Dallas area. Some of them are made from debris that washed up along the river.
It’s a symbol of hope that even in the darkest moments, there’s still light.
“Just seeing these names, the names of each person that died it breaks your heart it’s heartbreaking looking at all of them and the dolls and the stuffed animals just all of it,” Hilderbran said.
Recovery efforts continue
Cleanup crews and volunteers have been working tirelessly, but the road to recovery is long. The community’s spirit, however, remains unbroken.
Throughout Monday morning, KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner spoke with many residents who shared stories of loss, hope, and perseverance.
Comfort through Music: The Bagpipe Lullaby
While first responders rushed to rescue and recovery efforts, one DPS trooper found a different way to bring comfort through music.
Christopher Taylor, a Texas State Trooper from Hockley, wrote and performed a song called “Camp Mystic Lullaby,” inspired by a Scottish cradle tune. What began as a private moment of reflection by the river soon resonated with the entire community.
Taylor read the poem out loud and said it came from the heart.
“Calm now, you mystic waters. Rest now, my sons and daughters. The river’s roar now fades away. Peace comes with break of day. Your angels move through waters wild to guide each precious dreaming child. Reach out your hand, the dark is through, as heaven shines on you. And though the skies have wept tonight, they’ll soon be painted soft with light. Don’t cry, my love, nor fear the deep. Lie safe in peaceful sleep. Calm now, you mystic waters. Rest now, my sons and daughters. The river’s roar now fades away. Peace comes with break of day,” he said.
Neighbors who heard Taylor practicing his bagpipes didn’t complain, they came to listen, offering gratitude for the comfort his music brought. Taylor, who volunteers at the Center Point Fire Department, says he hopes his song can bring peace to anyone still grieving.
“It was overwhelmingly welcome, completely the opposite of people complaining. And I couldn’t be more pleased with how welcome I’ve... I mean, I’ve been overwhelmed by the hospitality of people making me feel welcome when I came here to try to be a help, to try to stand a post, try to do whatever I could to be a part of the recovery process,” he said.
Taylor says he wrote the lyrics with help from his family, and he hopes Camp Mystic Lullaby can be a comfort for anyone still grieving. He’s scheduled to perform at an event next week and he’s honored his song is now bringing peace during a time of pain.
Leading through crisis: Chief Diana Baccus
Chief Diana Baccus has served with the Ingram Volunteer Fire Department for 40 years, but she says nothing compares to the devastation of this flood.
“One of the images I can’t forget is seeing two people’s faces pressed against the window of an RV as it was swept down the river, screaming for help,” Baccus said. “We couldn’t reach them. I know there are people we may never find, the river has taken them.”
In the weeks since, Chief Baccus and her team have worked around the clock, organizing debris cleanup, protecting residents from scams, and supporting the mental health of first responders. Acts of kindness, like handmade thank-you cards from survivors, now line the firehouse walls, serving as reminders of the lives they’ve touched.
“Those cards mean more than I can say. The young people who took the time to thank us—it keeps us going.”
Baccus says her department is taking each day as it comes, committed to rebuilding and supporting their community.
“We live here. We’re not going anywhere.”