A devastating tragedy unfolded in Kerr County, Texas, over the July 4th weekend when rising floodwaters claimed the life of 21-year-old Joyce Badon and several others. Joyce, who had been staying at a riverside home with friends, sent a final message to her family just moments before disaster struck: “We’re being washed away.”
The area had been hit by intense storms the night before the holiday, causing the Guadalupe River to rise at an alarming rate. Within an hour, the water surged to dangerous levels, flooding homes, camps, and roadways across Central Texas.
Joyce was visiting a vacation home near the river with three friends: Ella Cahill, Reese Manchaca, and Aiden Heartfield. The property, like many others along the riverbank, was overwhelmed by fast-moving water during the early morning hours. Family members say it all happened so quickly that there was no time to reach safety.
Joyce’s parents, Ty and Kellye Badon, spoke to media outlets about the desperate hours after the flood. In a call placed by Aiden to his father, he was reportedly heard saying, “I have to go, I have to help Ella and Reese,” before the line went silent. Shortly after, the house was gone.
Kellye Badon took to social media to ask for prayers and share updates as rescue teams began their search. “They were hit by a flash flood,” she wrote. “Everything happened so fast.” Joyce’s message, sent in the final moments, became the last contact the family would have with her.
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