The Harber family of North Texas is enduring unimaginable heartbreak after sisters Blair (13) and Brooke (11) lost their lives in the devastating Hill Country floods.
Their bodies were found 15 miles from where they were swept away, hands still clasped together. Tragically, their grandparents, Mike and Charlene Harber, remain missing.
The family had been staying at a neighbor’s riverfront house in Hunt, Texas, when the storm struck in the early hours of July 4, 2025. Despite desperate rescue attempts by parents R.J. and Annie Harber, the raging waters kept them from reaching their daughters and loved ones.
The family’s aunt, Jennifer Harber, detailed the chaos: floodwaters quickly rose to neck level, and the couple had to break a window to escape. With no way to reach their daughters or parents, they woke neighbors and borrowed a kayak but the current was too strong. R.J. and Annie were eventually rescued along with five others, but the weight of their helplessness remains.
The girls had been asleep in a loft, their grandparents below, and the storm masked any warning signs until it was too late. Their Labrador miraculously survived; another family pet did not.
In response, friends launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the grieving family. It has raised over $169,000 of its $200,000 goal and is filled with photos showing the family’s close bond holiday gatherings, sunny afternoons, and loving moments.
A joint funeral for the girls will be held at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas, with Southwest Airlines, where Jennifer works, arranging the return of their bodies. The family’s grief is compounded by the uncertainty surrounding Mike and Charlene’s fate, and Jennifer continues to plead for help to bring them home.
As of now, over 80 lives have been confirmed lost across central Texas, with dozens still missing. Communities like Kerrville, where the Harbers stayed, were among the hardest hit. From Camp Mystic to Travis County, entire neighborhoods were swallowed in minutes.
Despite the destruction, Texans have rallied in support, and even Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims. In the face of such sorrow, the Harbers’ story has become a symbol of both profound loss and enduring love a reminder of the strength of family, and the heartbreak disasters can leave behind.
