A Father’s Desperate Search for Missing Son in Texas Floods
Kerr County, TX — As the floodwaters slowly recede in central Texas, revealing the full scope of the devastation, a father’s anguished search continues through the wreckage—a search driven by hope, heartbreak, and the unbearable silence of the unknown.
James Callahan, a resident of Kerr County, has spent the past three days combing through debris-choked neighborhoods, riverbanks, and makeshift shelters, searching for any sign of his 12-year-old son, Eli, who was swept away during Saturday’s catastrophic flooding.
“We were trying to get out of the house,” James said, his voice cracking as he spoke to reporters on Monday. “The water came so fast. One minute we were grabbing bags, and the next, we were knee-deep in it. I held on to him as long as I could, but the current—” He paused, visibly shaken. “He slipped from my grip. I’ve been searching ever since.”
The flash flood that struck their neighborhood was part of a larger storm system that has so far claimed more than 100 lives across Texas, with over 150 still missing. Emergency crews and volunteers continue round-the-clock search and rescue efforts, assisted by helicopters, boats, and trained search dogs. But for many families like the Callahans, the wait for answers is a nightmare that stretches on with each passing hour.
James, a single father, says he has refused to leave the area, sleeping in his truck and returning each morning to the banks of the Guadalupe River, where he last saw his son. Volunteers have joined his efforts, offering water, phone chargers, and quiet companionship as he retraces every step.
“He’s not giving up,” said Maria Lopez, a neighbor who has known the family for years. “Every time a name is released, you can see him hold his breath. But Eli’s name hasn’t come yet.”
Officials have not confirmed Eli’s status, only that he remains among the unaccounted for. As rescue crews work their way through submerged neighborhoods, the community rallies around James, hoping that Eli will still be found alive.
Until then, James Callahan continues to walk the river’s edge—calling his son’s name into the stillness, hoping that somewhere, somehow, Eli will answer.