Young brothers swam for their lives to survive Texas flooding at Camp La Junta: ‘We had one choice’
Two brave brothers recalled the harrowing moment they woke up to flood waters surging through their camp cabin in Texas in the middle of the night — forcing them to make the split-second decision to swim for their lives.
Piers and Ruffin Boyett were fast asleep at Camp La Junta in Hunt, Texas, when they awoke at 4 a.m. Friday as the fierce storm raged, causing the waters of Guadalupe River to swell to 26 feet in 45 minutes.
“The flood started getting bigger,” younger brother Piers recounted to local KSAT on Saturday.
“We had bunk beds in our cabins and [the water] was going up to the top bunk and we had one choice — and we had to swim out of our cabin.”
The brothers, both wearing Camp La Junta T-shirts, recalled a terrifying scene.
“I had a first-hand view of the flood,” Ruffin said. “The cabins were flooding and the walls, they broke down.”
“All of the campers in those cabins had to go up on the rafters and wait there until they could swim out,” Ruffin added.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 5, 2025NEW: Two brothers explain their terrifying night and how they survived the Kerr County floodwaters.
The brothers were sleeping at Camp La Junta when they started floating.
At least 24 people have lost their lives in the flood.
Authorities say more than 20 girls are… pic.twitter.com/T1yhLNmbU1
Ruffin told the outlet that he was the first person to wake up in his cabin, and that his counselor was asleep as the waters continued to rise.
“He woke up like, ‘What? We’re flooding!'” Ruffin said of his counselor.
The boys were able to find safe quarters after swimming out — sheltering in “cabins on hills” at their camp for 17 hours.
“No one died, we’re thankful for that,” Ruffin said, patting his brother on the back.
“On the way here, we saw some of the other camps destroyed. Obliterated,” the elder brother said in disbelief.
Camp La Junta is one of many youth camps in Kerr County — which experienced unprecented flooding early Friday morning. Forty-three people have died — 28 adults and 15 children, officials said in a Saturday night update.
Camp Mystic, a Christian summer retreat for girls, saw at least four campers killed and as many as 23 girls still unaccounted for, according to local officials.