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Camp Mystic victims: Sarah Marsh's family says 8-year-old was a ‘beautiful spunky ray of light’

Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook has been identified as one of the children who died after Guadalupe River floods hit Camp Mystic on Friday

Published on: Jul 6, 2025, 01:14:19 IST
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Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook has been identified as one of the children who died after Guadalupe River floods hit Camp Mystic on Friday. The eight-year-old's family issued a statement, saying she was a ‘spunky ray of light’ and will continue to ‘live in our hearts’. This comes as several campers went missing from Camp Mystic after floodwater swayed away cabins. So far, authorities said, at least 27 people have died in the floods and dozens are unaccounted for.

Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook died in the Camp Mystic tragedy on Saturday (X)
Sarah Marsh of Mountain Brook died in the Camp Mystic tragedy on Saturday (X)

Renee Smajstrla, Sarah Marsh, Janie Hunt, and Lila Bonner were identified as the four children who lost their lives after floods hit Camp Mystic.

Read More: San Gabriel River evacuation map: Here's where severe floods have hit and what officials are saying

A family member of Sarah, Debbie Ford Marsh, wrote a sweet message on Facebook.

“We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives,” Marsh, who was identified as the eight-year-old's grandmother, said. “She will live on in our hearts forever!”

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance wrote a message for the flood victims.

“Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy. I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans,” he wrote on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Read More: Canyon Lake water level: Will the dam on Guadalupe River flood? Here's the latest

Helicopters, boats and drones were used in the search operations to look for victims and to rescue stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.

“People need to know today will be a hard day,” said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. “Please pray for our community.”

“We don’t even want to begin to estimate at this time,” said City Manager Dalton Rice said on Saturday morning. Among those confirmed dead was the director of a camp just up the road from Camp Mystic.

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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