Two weeks later: Funerals, memorials and a promise to keep searching

DALLAS — In Arlington Friday night, the Texas Rangers held a moment of silence at Globe Life Field to remember the victims of the July 4th floods in the Texas Hill Country. But even as they wrapped four empty seats in green ribbons, Texas was having yet one more difficult day.

Friday morning, funeral services were held in Houston at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church for the Burgess family: John, Julia, and their sons Jack and James. Swept away from an RV park by the flood, the bodies of John and Julia were found within days, but Jack and James have not yet been recovered, so two smaller caskets at the funeral service were empty.

The couple’s 8-year-old daughter was surrounded by family members at the service.  On July 4, she was at a nearby Hill Country camp that didn’t flood. John Burgess, 39, was a businessman and the younger brother of country singer Pat Green, who raised more than $1 million at a benefit concert this week. 

Also in Houston, funeral services were held for 8-year-old Blakely McCrory. A third-generation Camp Mystic camper, she wore a beaded green and white necklace her mom made for her. Lindsey McLeod McCrory says her daughter was still wearing the necklace when her body was found. Lindsey McLeod McCrory wore that same necklace today.

“And the counselor said that Blakely was encouraging her cabin mates not to be afraid,” her mom said. “She was always a leader, encouraging others.”

In Dallas, twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence were laid to rest in a funeral their family requested remain private. “From the start, they were so very different, but they fit together perfectly,” their family wrote in the girls’ obituary. “They were best friends and partners in crime. They loved each other—and their big sister Harper—like only sisters can love.”

At this two-week mark, more than 1,000 local, state, and federal responders are still at work on land and in the Guadalupe River, still trying to find the missing.

“It’s most important why we do this, which is to find closure for families,” said Brenda Peek of Texas Equusearch.

Thousands of volunteers continue to register for work at Tivy Stadium in Kerrville. GoFundMe says more than $20 million has been raised to help those affected by the floods. The Kerr County Flood Relief Fund reports it has received $30 million so far.

In Kerr County alone, Friday’s official update confirmed 107 deaths in Kerr County limits, including 70 adults and 37 children.

The staggering numbers leave survivors like Greg Adkins thankful that even though his home was destroyed, with help from across the country, he still has a fighting chance to recover.

“And so, who am I to complain at this point in time? It’s tough, but it’s so much better than it could be. I’ve got so much to be grateful for,” he said.

Rescuers say weeks and months of work may be necessary to give others in the Hill Country a resolution to be grateful for, too.