A son’s desperate search for his parents after flood washed away their RV

Robert Brake walked the River Trail between G Street and Schreiner University on Monday, searching for any sign of his parents who vanished from the HTX RV Park during Friday’s catastrophic flooding.

Robert and Joni Brake of Abilene were last seen at 4:45 a.m. Friday morning at their cabin in the HTR campgrounds before floodwaters swept through the Guadalupe River corridor, killing 84 people and leaving dozens still missing.

“Last time we talked to them, last time we…” Robert Brake said, his voice trailing off as he described the final contact with his parents before the disaster struck.

Relentless Search Effort

Brake has spent the days since the flood spreading word about his missing parents through every available channel. He has provided information to authorities conducting the massive search operation and reached out to “all authorities, the local news and in the media.”

The son has also been checking regularly with local funeral homes as bodies continue to be recovered from the disaster zone. “We check the morgue quite often at the funeral home and they’ve been great. Grimes Funeral Home’s been great,” he said. “Show up, want some answers.”

His personal search along the River Trail represents the agonizing reality for families whose loved ones remain missing four days after the historic flood devastated the Hill Country community.

Community Support Sustains Hope

Despite the heartbreak, Brake expressed profound gratitude for the community response he has witnessed. He called the support “fantastic” and praised the “amazing amount of resources” being deployed in search operations.

“When we look at the helicopters, when we look at the command station, it just gives us just an ounce of hope,” Brake said, referring to the massive rescue operation involving 19 agencies, hundreds of personnel and aircraft searching along a 100-mile corridor.

Local residents and organizations have provided crucial assistance during his search. “Jason and Adam at Ingram Elementary, we went over there and they’ve been fantastic,” he said. “Everybody in the community we’ve dealt with here” has been helpful.

Brake described Kerrville as “probably the friendliest community we would have been part of, and we’re grateful and thankful for everybody.”

Holding onto Hope

The HTR TX RV Park sits in the heart of the flood zone along the Guadalupe River, where unprecedented water levels swept away vehicles, structures and people with devastating force. The campground was among the hardest-hit areas when the river rose more than 20 feet in less than two hours Friday morning.

Despite the grim circumstances, Brake continues his search with determination. “Hopefully, hopefully we’ll get the word out,” he said, expressing gratitude while maintaining “just a little bit more hope.”

His parents join 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor who remain missing as search teams work around the clock to locate victims of one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.

Ongoing search operations

More than 400 first responders continue searching the disaster zone using boats, ground teams, search dogs, drones and helicopters. The search extends from Hunt in North Kerr County to Canyon Lake in Comal County, covering areas where floodwaters reached unprecedented levels.

Officials have recovered 84 bodies, with identification pending for 22 adults and 10 children. The death toll makes this one of the most devastating floods in state history.

Families seeking information about missing loved ones can call 830-258-1111. Officials stressed that all reports require careful verification as search operations continue.

The River Trail where Brake searched runs along the Guadalupe River through downtown Kerrville, connecting parks and recreational areas that were inundated by Friday’s historic flood. The trail represents both the community’s connection to the river and the devastating path the floodwaters took through the heart of the city.