Camp Mystic, the site where 27 young campers and staff tragically lost their lives in a devastating flood in Texas, is set to reopen at a new location next summer with enhanced safety measures, despite significant concerns from grieving parents.
In a message sent to the families affected by this tragedy on Monday, the Christian summer camp revealed its intention to adhere to the ârequirements of the camp safety legislation you courageously supportedâ upon its reopening.
Shortly thereafter, the camp communicated to all families its decision to resume operations.
âWe aim to rebuild not only cabins and trails but also a space where joy, camaraderie, and spiritual development can thrive,â stated the email to former campers, which was acquired by the New York Times.
âWe eagerly anticipate welcoming you back through the green gates,â the camp expressed.
Additionally, Camp Mystic will construct a memorial honoring the young campers and staff members who lost their lives when floodwaters from the Guadalupe River engulfed the camp during the Fourth of July celebrations, as confirmed by organizers.
âIn designing the memorial, we will strive to embody the beauty, kindness, and grace they all embodied, while emphasizing the joy they brought and will forever inspire in us,â the email conveyed.
The campâs reopening will be guided by the new âHeavenâs 27 Safety Act,â legislation that Camp Mystic parents played a vital role in passing during the Texas Special Session.
This new legislation aims to enhance the safety of children’s camps by banning cabin construction in hazardous flood zones and mandating that camp operators implement comprehensive emergency plans.
One aspect of the legislation allocates $240 million from the state’s rainy day fund for disaster response initiatives, which include funding for warning sirens and advanced weather forecasting.
The announcement signifies that Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, previously opened to campers in 2020, will reopen next summer. Nevertheless, its sister site, Camp Mystic Guadalupe, remains too damaged to receive guests next summer.
Camp officials are âcollaborating with engineers and specialists to determine how we will implement the necessary changesâ mandated by the recent legislation, according to the email.
Survivors have recounted how they heard the distressing cries of fellow campers as they were engulfed by the floodwaters.
Many of the 650 campers and staff members were asleep when a flash flood warning was issued at 1:14 a.m. for the county, indicating a âcatastrophicâ potential for loss of life, according to the National Weather Service.
The flood struck around 3 a.m., as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Counselors sought to maintain composure, but campers had to escape through windows and traverse rocky terrain in darkness amid the chaos.
Tragically, at least 27 individuals were claimed by the flood.
One camper, Cile Steward, 8, has yet to be found, according to information from the New York Times.
The decision to reopen has provoked outrage and frustration from some parents, who were upset by the lack of transparency regarding the plans.
âThe families of the deceased Camp Mystic campers and counselors were not consulted regarding this memorial and did not approve it,â remarked Blake Bonner, father of Lila Bonner, 9, who perished in the flood, in a statement to the media on behalf of the families.
Cici Steward, the mother of the still-missing Cile Steward, stated, âThe truth is, Camp Mystic failed our daughters,â expressing her strong sentiments to the media.
âRecovery teams continue to search the river, risking and sacrificing greatly to find her so we can finally give her a proper farewell. We are forever grateful for their efforts,â she added.
âHowever, Camp Mystic has only compounded our sorrow.â
With contributions from Post wires
