‘Young Women of Deep Faith’: Catholic School Mourns Sisters Lost in Texas Hill Country Floods

Two sisters from St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas are among the victims of the devastating flash floods that swept through Texas Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend.

Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were vacationing with their parents and grandparents along the Guadalupe River near Hunt, Texas, when their cabin was swept away in the early morning hours of July 4. The floodwaters rose over 22 feet in just 30 minutes, according to local officials.

The girls’ bodies were discovered 15 miles away in Kerrville—with their hands still clasped together, according to reports. Their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, remain missing.

In a statement shared by their school, St. Rita remembered the girls as “young women of deep faith,” adding, “On the night they died, they went to the loft of their cabin with their rosaries. Even in their last moments, they held tightly to each other, a powerful symbol of their lasting bond and their trust in God.”

The girls’ aunt, Jennifer, shared on a GoFundMe page that “Brooke texted my brother [her father], her grandmother and grandfather on Annie’s side, saying ‘I love you’ at 3:30 a.m.” She added, “Blair and I had a conversation about God and heaven two weeks earlier. They had their rosaries with them.”

The Harber family had been staying in separate cabins. According to their aunt, the girls’ father, RJ, attempted to kayak to their cabin but was forced to turn back due to dangerous conditions.

St. Rita’s statement described Blair as “an outstanding student” who was involved in multiple sports, drama, and leadership activities. Brooke was remembered for her “joy and energy,” with a particular gift for improv that brought smiles to those around her.

“In this time of deep sorrow, we stay grounded in our faith and united in love,” the school said. “We will stand with the Harber family in the days to come, surrounding them with our prayers, compassion, and unwavering support.”

The girls will have a joint funeral at St. Rita’s, with the date pending the recovery of their grandparents’ bodies.

Flash floods overwhelmed the Texas Hill Country beginning early July 4 after intense rainfall surged through creeks feeding into the Guadalupe River. According to CNN, Camp Mystic, a nearby Christian girls’ summer camp, confirmed 27 deaths, including an entire cabin of 8- and 9-year-old girls. The flood has claimed at least 89 lives, and over 850 people have been rescued. Eleven individuals remain unaccounted for.

A memorial Mass for the victims was offered on July 6 by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville.

President Donald Trump declared Kerr County a disaster area, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott mobilized more than 500 emergency personnel to respond to the crisis, vowing rescuers “will stop at nothing” to find every victim.

As rivers continued rising through the weekend—reaching a record 47.4 feet in Bergheim on July 5—Catholics across Texas and beyond are uniting in prayer.

“As a community of faith, we hold onto the hope and promise that Christ has defeated death, and that eternal life is waiting for those who love him,” St. Rita’s concluded.

Let us keep the Harber family and all those affected in our prayers.

Prayer for the Harber Family and All Victims of the Floods
Lord Jesus, we lift up the souls of Blair and Brooke Harber, their missing grandparents, and all victims of the Texas floods. Welcome them into Your embrace, and bring peace to the hearts of their grieving families. Amen.


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