In the harrowing moments before their Texas riverside home was swallowed by the relentless surge of floodwaters over the July 4th weekend, 21-year-old Joyce Badon managed to send a final, chilling message to her family: “We’re being washed away.” Then, her phone went dark.
The Guadalupe River, transformed into a deadly torrent by incessant rainfall, had swollen to the height of a two-story building in less than an hour. This sudden, violent flash flood consumed homes and encampments alike, claiming the lives of at least 107 people across six counties. The devastation left dozens unaccounted for, including children and counselors from a nearby Christian girls’ camp.
Joyce was staying at a country house by the river with three college friends—Ella Cahill, Reese Manchaca, and Aiden Heartfield—when the catastrophe hit. According to Joyce’s father, the last connection they had was a phone call between Aiden and his own dad. Aiden’s desperate words echoed the unfolding horror: “I’ve got to help Ella and Reese… they just got washed away.” Moments later, the call disconnected, and the house vanished.
Joyce’s mother, Kellye, poured out her grief and hope online, sharing heartfelt prayers that her daughter and friends would be found alive. Volunteers and loved ones launched a relentless search effort. Tragically, Joyce’s body was recovered on July 7. In a later post, her mother shared a photo of a rainbow, accompanying it with the deeply moving words: “Joyce Catherine telling us from heaven ‘all is well with my soul.’”
Reese’s body was also found in the aftermath, but Ella and Aiden are still missing. The final text message sent by Joyce serves as a haunting echo for her family—a young life tragically cut short by a storm that emerged with terrifying speed and fury.
