(Center Point, Texas) Looking out by the minibus window of his mother on Monday, Kenny Hudnall could see the stigmata caused by the Guadalupe river flood on July 4: large cypress broken like twigs, kayaks suspended with lots of debris 10 m from the ground.
Volunteers were busy clearing the debris to the sound of chainsaws. But Kenny Hudnall, a 21 -year -old student, could not join them. When he was 5 years old, a car accident partially paralyzed him; He moves in a wheelchair and breathes thanks to a support.
Infographic the press
The camp camp is located near the Mystic camp, which was flooded on July 4.
But it had its role in the rebirth of the Texan region of Hill Country after the floods which left at least 134 dead and nearly 100 missing.
The young man went to the camp camp (Children’s Association for Maxi Potential), which welcomes campers suffering from too serious physical and cognitive disabilities for other camps. Against all expectations, barely 10 days after the murderous flood, Camp welcomed new campers. “Seeing these volunteers on the road reminds me of the atmosphere of the camp,” he said. “For me, a person who does not always feel normal, it gives a certain normality. »»
Photo Carter Johnson, The New York Times
Béa Kested, an 18 -year -old instructor, on the local camp of the camp camp, after its cleaning by volunteers
A first sign of recovery
The reopening of a summer camp in this disaster region is one of the first signs of recovery after the disaster. It is an event that is both moving and a little frightening. How not to think of the drama of the Mystic Camp, 50 km upstream, where at least 26 camper and monitors and the director of the camp lost their lives?
Photo Carter Johnson, The New York Times
Campers arriving at Camp Camp (Children’s Association for Maxi Potential), after a storm delayed the recordings, at Center Point, in Texas, on July 14, 2025. Hundreds of volunteers took four days to clear the whole bank of the camp, on which the flood of the Guadalupe river had thrown tons of tangled debris.
Camp was not open on July 4. Its chalets and other buildings are perched on a hill 25 meters above the river, well above the recent flood brand, notes Brandon Briery, director of operations. The unpleasant part of the land, on the shore, is only used for fishing, launching canoes and camp fires.
For years, we have talked about building here (on the shore); I have always said no. There are always floods.
Ken Kaiser, Director of Camp Camp facilities
On Monday, July 7, the debris vomited by the flood on the beach prohibited access. The camp itself was intact, but the officials wanted to spare the sight of this desolation scene to the vulnerable campers supposed to arrive a week later. In particular the work of a team that searched the shore in search of human remains.
“It is their house here, we didn’t want them to see it as a victimized area,” says Mr. Briery.
Photo Carter Johnson, The New York Times
Campers and instructors play on the basketball field after a thunderstorm at the camp camp (Children’s Association for Maxi Potential), at Center Point, in Texas, on July 14, 2025. Camp, which welcomes disabled campers, is 50 km from the Mystic camp, which was devastated by the floods of July 4.
Then, Tuesday, Providence manifested itself in the person of Cord Shiflet, a real estate agent of Austin having the emergency experience (he was volunteer in 2017 in Houston after the Hurricane passage Harvey). He had gone to the disaster region, seeking where to make himself useful. Someone directed it to Camp. He discovered the shore on top of the side and the special mission of the camp with heavily disabled children.
“I need money, arms and machinery,” he wrote on social networks. “Not the genre in sport shorts that stands with its leafy rake: you need big equipment and tough world ready to split behind in the work. »»
On Wednesday morning, 250 volunteers arrived at the camp camp. On Friday, 500, equipped with bulldozers, mechanical shovels, dump trucks and dozens of chainsaws. The clusters of debris were cut into pieces, then quickly swept away. On Saturday at 5 p.m., the shore was completely cleared.
Photos Carter Johnson, The New York Times
“I need money, arms and machinery,” wrote Cord Shiflet, an experienced volunteer rescuer on social networks. Hundreds of volunteers answered his call, at the wheel of heavy machinery and handling chainsaws.
“I can’t believe it. We thought it would take a year, said Kaiser. It took them four days. »»
Camp management informed the parents of campers that their children were expected on Monday noon, as planned before the flood.
“At the time, I said to myself:” Really? It will be sure? ” “Said Gigi Hudnall, Kenny’s mother. “It worried that they reopen so quickly. »»
But Kenny was determined: he wanted to go.
Photo Carter Johnson, The New York Times
Against all expectations, the camp camp was able to reopen its doors and accommodate campers on July 14, just 10 days after the devastating flood of the Guadalupe river.
“It looks like a dumping ground, compared to the beautiful forest before,” he noted. “But it is rare that I have this type of link with people other than my kinship, or who are neither doctors nor nurses. »»
The ripple part remained closed, but all other activities were ready. There are three swimming pools at the camp, including two with soft sloping edges to facilitate access to camper in wheelchair. Crossbowcas and paintball pistols have easier to use changed triggers.
“Here, any camper can participate in all activities,” said Briery. “For many of them, the camp is the only place where they feel at home. »»
Kenny Hudnall was looking forward to riding a horse. It is a logistically demanding activity. Two monitors must lift each rider and put it in the saddle. Then three other monitors (one behind and one on each side) walk with the horse (in the case of Kenny, another monitor carries its respirator). “It is by acting together that we weave links,” explains the young man, who has been going to camp camp since 2016. “In my situation, this is what is the most difficult to find. Here, having someone always by my side helps a lot. »»
Photo Carter Johnson, The New York Times
Monitors help a camper to go up in the saddle. This activity involves supervision by many monitors.
Tuesday afternoon, a violent thunderstorm interrupted the activities. Then the sky emerged and the recording of the campers resumed. At 3:15 p.m., the Walkie-Talkie hung on Mr. Briery’s belt issued a more banal call.
“Please bring the campers to the stable,” asked the voice of a young woman. “It’s riding time. »»
This article was published in the New York Times.
Read the original version (in English; subscription required)
