Kerrville’s superintendent carries “Tivy Fight” to the National Cathedral

Kerrville ISD Superintendent Dr. Brent Ringo stood at the pulpit of Washington National Cathedral on Friday and told nearly 900 miles’ worth of Guadalupe River story to a nation marking its 250th birthday.

Ringo was one of the featured voices at “We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident,” an interfaith service the cathedral held July 3 to commemorate the semiquincentennial. The service, produced in partnership with The Courage Project, the Freedom Together Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the McKnight Foundation, was built around profiles of everyday courage alongside readings from figures like Frederick Douglass, Abigail Adams and Martin Luther King Jr. Ringo’s remarks placed KISD’s response to last year’s flood inside that same frame.

He didn’t soften the numbers. Ringo told the cathedral that 119 lives were lost in the July 4, 2025, flooding, including almost 40 children, among them Tivy High School’s secondary teacher of the year, Coach Reese Zunker, his wife and their two young children. Then he turned to what came next: a call for help from Camp La Junta, a 15-minute mobilization, and buses — ultimately carrying nearly 900 campers and counselors out of Camp La Junta, Camp Mystic and Camp Waldemar to safety.

“Those school buses became lifelines of comfort, reassurance and hope,” Ringo said, describing drivers, coaches, teachers and staff who didn’t wait to be asked twice.

He tied the district’s response back to two phrases familiar to anyone who’s spent a Friday night at Antler Stadium. The first, Zunker’s own: “You’ll never walk alone.” The second, Tivy’s long-standing motto, which Ringo has invoked before in KISD’s darker moments — “Tivy Fight Never Dies.” At the cathedral, he offered it as a national message as much as a local one, framing Kerrville’s response as a small-scale version of the country’s larger, unfinished project.

“That is why the United States of America is the greatest nation and a model of hope for the world,” Ringo told the gathering.

Friday’s service put a Kerrville story in front of a national audience a year almost to the day after the flood reshaped the county. For a district still working through the anniversary — and a community still grieving neighbors it lost — Ringo’s remarks were also a marker of how far outward this story has traveled since last July.

Transcript: Superintendent Brent Ringo’s remarks at Washington National Cathedral “We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident” — July 3, 2026

On July 4th, 2025, as our nation celebrated America’s 249th anniversary, our town, Kerrville, Texas, faced unimaginable heartbreak as catastrophic flooding struck along the Guadalupe River in the middle of the night. 119 lives were lost, including almost 40 children. Among them were our secondary teacher of the year, Coach Reese Zunker, his wife, and their two young children, swept away as waters rose over 30 feet in 45 minutes.

In the midst of tragedy, grief, and devastation, I witnessed the best of humanity and the ideals that make America a beacon of hope: courage, unity, resilience, and love for neighbors.

When Camp La Junta called for help, saying 400 stranded campers and counselors are safe and needed a lifeline, Kerrville Independent School District answered within 15 minutes. Ten school buses were on the way, and more were coming. Our drivers, coaches, teachers, administrators, and staff did not hesitate; they simply said, “I am here to help.”

Even through our grief, the resiliency of our team members from all walks of life provided the first sense of hope on that tragic day. Through washed-away homes, vehicles wrapped around trees, missing neighbors, and extensive debris fields, our team safely moved nearly 900 children and counselors from Camp La Junta, Camp Mystic, and Camp Waldemar. Those school buses became lifelines of comfort, reassurance, and hope. Our team comforted and cared for each camper as their own, knowing anxious families were waiting to hug their children safely in their arms.

The story of Kerrville is not one of tragedy alone. It is the story of America: faith in action, neighbors serving neighbors, and living the words Coach Reese Zunker often shared: “You’ll never walk alone.”

As we honor America’s 250th anniversary, may we remember the 119 lives lost and recommit to protecting one another, serving one another, and holding fast to hope. From Kerrville to Washington, D.C., our motto, Tivy Fight Never Dies, was lived by each team member who answered the call. On America’s 250th anniversary, I know many across this nation will answer the call when needed and lead with courage. That is why the United States of America is the greatest nation and a model of hope for the world.