Texas is reeling after flash floods during the July 4 weekend unleashed devastation across the Hill Country, killing at least 104 people and leaving dozens still missing.
Among the dead are 28 children, many swept away from cabins at the beloved Camp Mystic, now the site of national mourning.
As emergency crews and volunteers comb through debris in Kerr County, celebrities are using their platforms to amplify the crisis and mobilize support.
Texas native Matthew McConaughey shared an emotional video on Instagram, saying, “If you’re able, please lend a helping hand where and how you can. It’s gonna be a long road ahead, but right now the shock, the pain, and the chaos need the steady hand of a neighbor.”
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) July 6, 2025
Khloé Kardashian, who recently launched a disaster-relief initiative with Good American, posted a link to a verified donation fund on her Instagram story, writing, “As a mother, this kind of tragedy hits in a place words can’t reach. The loss of those sweet, innocent children is something I can’t fully process. There are just no words for this.”
Hilary Duff, who spent her childhood summers at similar camps in the region, delivered one of the most visceral responses.
In a powerful Instagram statement, Duff wrote:
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“Heartbroken doesn’t begin to cover it. Consumed. Obsessed. Praying for even a shred of a miracle—to find a child alive in the wake of this boundless disaster.”
“Tears fall every time I imagine one of these families receiving bad news… waiting… or entire families lost. Just gone. It’s too much to comprehend.”
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Country star Miranda Lambert, who hails from Lindale, Texas, posted photos of flooded communities with the caption, “I can’t even come up with any words for the loss that everybody’s suffering.” She also shared how her nonprofit is working with Kerrville Pets Alive to support displaced Texans and their pets.
Shakira pledged a portion of her July 5 San Antonio concert proceeds to support Hill Country flood relief. Dedicating her performance to the victims, she announced that funds would go to Catholic Charities of San Antonio.
“I just landed in San Antonio, devastated by the floods, the deaths, and the missing girls,” she wrote on X July 4. “My prayers are with their families on this heartbreaking day.”
Acabo de aterrizar en San Antonio, devastada al escuchar las noticias de las inundaciones, las muertes y las niñas aún desaparecidas. No puedo más que pensar en sus familias y en su inmenso dolor. Mis oraciones están con ustedes en este triste día.
— Shakira (@shakira) July 5, 2025
The public outcry has also reignited conversations about climate change, emergency preparedness, and disaster funding, especially following reports that Camp Mystic and nearby summer sites received limited alerts due to poor cell coverage.
Critics have pointed to recent cuts to FEMA and the National Weather Service under the Trump administration. “There will be time for those questions,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, but many Texans online are already asking them.
“Why weren’t there evacuation plans for camps in Flash Flood Alley?” wrote one viral X user, whose thread has been reposted over 50,000 times.
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Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed that more than three dozen people remain unaccounted for across affected counties, with torrential rain forecast to continue.
A growing army of over 1,000 volunteers—alongside firefighters from Mexico—is helping comb through wreckage, searching for survivors and honoring the lost.
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