Kerr County, Texas, experienced a terrifying flash flood on July 4, waking residents with alarming intensity. Among those affected was Taylor Bergmann, whose night took an unexpected turn due to the chaotic events that unfolded. The flickering lights jolted him from his slumber, but it was the urgent screams of Erin Burgess, 42, that propelled him out of bed. "It's flooding! It's flooding! It's flooding!" were the frantic calls that echoed in his ears, a stark warning that would soon become a reality.
Erin Burgess had a special bond with Bergmann, having taken him into her home as a teenager. Now at 19, he regards her as a maternal figure. As he awoke to her cries, it failed to register that she was referring to the Guadalupe River, which flows perilously close to their home. Flash flood warnings are a common occurrence in this area, a fact Bergmann had noted before settling into bed that night. However, the situation escalated swiftly; the river breached the glass doors at the back of the house, flooding their living space.
As the floodwaters surged, Bergmann described a scene of utter devastation. "We had a really big kitchen island with granite countertops; it flipped upside down," he recounted. The floodwaters rearranged appliances like a game of Jenga, creating barriers in the home. The refrigerator, caught in the chaos, blocked the entrance to the bedroom shared by Burgess and her boyfriend, effectively trapping her inside. "She just sat there screaming for help, but we couldn't do anything because the water was so high," Bergmann explained.
After a tense struggle, Bergmann and Burgess's boyfriend managed to push the refrigerator aside, but the situation was dire. Bergmann believed the best course of action was to get everyone to the roof, but he hesitated, worried that Burgess might not be able to make it. "I was not going to leave her behind," he stated. Before they could implement their escape plan, the powerful current of the Guadalupe River swept them away, carrying them across the backyard and into a nearby tree.
In a moment of sheer panic, Bergmann clung to the tree while ensuring Burgess remained safe. "I was just standing up with my broad shoulders trying to make sure that nothing swept her away," he recalled, emphasizing the urgency of their situation. The river's current was relentless, eventually pulling away both Burgess's boyfriend and their family dog. Bergmann feared the worst, believing they were likely lost to the flood.
Bergmann and Burgess held onto the tree, their survival hanging in the balance. "I thought my mom was going to die in front of me," Bergmann said, reflecting on the darkness that surrounded them. With visibility low and the fear palpable, they could hear their neighbor and his family crying out for help. In those harrowing moments, they turned to prayer, seeking solace amid the chaos.
After what felt like an eternity, the floodwaters began to recede with the dawn of a new day. To their relief, it became clear that Burgess's boyfriend and the dog had found refuge on a roof just four or five houses away. Miraculously, all family members, including their cat, were accounted for. However, the physical toll of the ordeal was evident. "Nobody realized how many cuts we had on us until the next day," Bergmann noted, revealing the many microcuts that marred his foot and the extensive bruises on Burgess's body.
Despite their injuries, Bergmann expressed a profound sense of disbelief. "None of this sits right with me. None of this sits right with anybody who lives here at all," he concluded, encapsulating the emotional turmoil that followed the terrifying flash flood event. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by natural disasters and underscores the resilience of those who endure such harrowing experiences.
