It has been one year since the devastating floods in Central Texas, and for RJ and Annie Harber, the pain of losing their daughters remains a struggle. The Harbers lost 11-year-old Brooke, 13-year-old Blair, and RJ’s parents, Mike and Charlene Harber, during the July 4, 2025, flooding of the Guadalupe River. Per PEOPLE, they get out of bed “because that’s what we taught them.” As the river was flooding, their daughters sent them an ‘I love you’ text. The family was vacationing at Casa Bonita, a community of cabins in Hunt, Texas, when the disaster unfolded. RJ, a 45-year-old attorney, recalls checking his phone at 12:30 a.m. to see a flash flood warning for a neighboring county. He was awakened by heavy rain and thunderstorms at around 3:20 a.m, when his wife asked him to check on the girls in case they were scared. When he stepped onto the cabin floor, he realized the area was flooding. The couple escaped through a window. While RJ grabbed a kayak, Annie tried to swim to their daughters, who were staying with their grandparents a few doors down. The current proved too strong for them both. RJ remembers fighting the water, noting, “I made it about a football field, and I was about 25 feet from the girls and that’s when a swell pushed me about 10 feet into a cabin that was on stilts.” The water brought other dangers Per the outlet, he also describes that a car nearly capsized him, and that debris, including a tree, came toward him. Although he could see his daughters above the waterline, he could not reach them. He does not remember how he eventually made it to safety, but he believes he and his wife survived for a reason. They are now committed to keeping the joy of their daughters’ lives alive and supporting others through a fund they launched to help flood victims. One year after devastating floods swept through Texas Hill Country, communities along the Guadalupe River are still rebuilding as residents recover from a disaster that killed more than 100 people. https://t.co/Sh1BX6YgZL pic.twitter.com/RCvoa4zeGL— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 5, 2026 The flooding across Texas claimed 137 lives and carved a path of destruction, causing between $18 to 22 billion in damage. According to CBS News, the flash floods rank as the second-deadliest in state history. The disaster was also fueled by unique geological conditions. The thin soil layer in the Hill Country sits atop granite and limestone, preventing the ground from absorbing heavy rainfall. Per reports, this caused water to rush across the surface, turning the region into a dangerous landscape with little time for residents to evacuate. One resident survived by climbing onto a meter box, where he then had to wait 3 hours for a rescue. The Guadalupe River reportedly rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes before daybreak on July 4. At 5:10 a.m., it crested at 37.52 feet. Among the victims were 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a long-standing private girls’ summer camp. The aftermath of the camp’s tragedy sparked intense scrutiny and legal action regarding emergency planning and safety protocols. CBS reported that investigators later identified a series of missteps, noting that the camp lacked written emergency plans that complied with state requirements. In the face of mounting litigation, Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Sam Taylor, an attorney representing families of the victims, stated, “Every step of the way, they’ve tried to avoid accountability,” calling the bankruptcy “another effort by them to avoid a trial.” Surviving every day on memories For the Harbers, the focus remains on the memories of their daughters. Per PEOPLE, RJ describes Blair, who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, as “the sweetest, kindest, gentlest soul you could possibly know,” adding that she was also a talented baker and chef. He remembers Brooke, who wanted to be a zookeeper, as a “ball of energy” who excelled at every sport she played. HILL COUNTRY FLOODING DISASTER | Residents are still searching for closure, as the one-year anniversary of the deadly Texas Hill Country Floods approaches. –> https://t.co/M84954Ax48 pic.twitter.com/UKaNmUWpND— FOX SA (@KABBFOX29) July 3, 2026 It is their last text message that reportedly provides comfort to the parents. At the very moment RJ first noticed the flooding in their cabin, the girls sent a text message saying, “I love you.” They also sent a message to Annie’s parents, along with a photo of the four of them together. “I think that’s another thing that keeps me going is that in our last moments,” RJ says, “it’s love that we’re thinking about, that love is the most important thing there is.” The couple, who have been married since 2010, continue to support each other as they navigate their new reality, holding onto their faith and the hope of one day expanding their capacity to love. They do not intend to return to the area or rebuild their cabin, choosing instead to live upright lives that honor the legacy of their children and RJ’s parents.