Table of Contents
- The Night the Skies Opened
- Glenn Juenke’s Heroic Actions
- Chaos at Camp Mystic
- Why Early Warnings Were Ignored
- Community Responds
- Sources
The Night the Skies Opened
On a sweltering July night in central Texas, the skies unleashed a torrential downpour that would soon become one of the deadliest flash floods in the state’s recent history. At Camp Mystic—a beloved Christian youth retreat nestled along the Llano River—staff and campers were caught completely off guard.
Within minutes, roads vanished under churning brown water, cabins flooded, and panic set in. But amid the chaos, one man’s calm resolve made all the difference.
Glenn Juenke’s Heroic Actions
Glenn Juenke, a 58-year-old retired firefighter turned security guard, was on duty that night. In his first detailed interview with The New York Times, Juenke recounted how he spotted rising water around 11 p.m. and immediately sprang into action.
“I knew we didn’t have much time,” he said. “The river doesn’t warn you twice.”
Armed only with a flashlight, a bullhorn, and his decades of emergency response experience, Juenke began evacuating cabins one by one. He waded through waist-deep water, carried younger campers to safety, and directed staff to higher ground using pre-established emergency routes—many of which hadn’t been used in decades.
Thanks largely to his efforts, more than 60 people—mostly teenagers—were rescued before the main access road was completely submerged.
Chaos at Camp Mystic
Camp Mystic, which has operated since the 1940s, sits in a known floodplain. Yet, according to multiple staff members, no formal flood evacuation drill had been conducted in over five years.
“We had weather alerts, but nobody thought it would be this bad,” said one counselor who asked not to be named. “Glenn was the only one who treated it like a real emergency from minute one.”
Tragically, two adult staff members who went back to retrieve belongings were swept away and later found deceased. Their deaths have sparked renewed calls for stricter safety protocols at youth camps in flood-prone areas.
Why Early Warnings Were Ignored
National Weather Service records show flash flood warnings were issued more than 90 minutes before water reached the camp. But with spotty cell service and no on-site emergency broadcast system, many never received the alert.
Juenke, however, relied on an old-school NOAA weather radio—a device he kept in his security shack “just in case.” That decision likely saved lives.
Community Responds
In the weeks since, Camp Mystic has remained closed. A GoFundMe campaign for victims’ families has raised over $200,000, and local lawmakers are pushing for new legislation requiring all youth camps in Texas to maintain updated emergency plans and conduct annual flood drills.
As for Glenn Juenke? He’s been called a hero by survivors, but he shrugs it off. “I just did what anyone with training would do,” he told reporters. “I’m glad I was there.”
Still, in a moment when seconds counted, his presence—and preparedness—made all the difference.
Sources
The New York Times: Camp Mystic Security Guard Saved Dozens Amid Deadly Flooding
National Weather Service – Austin/San Antonio
Texas State Library – Youth Camp Safety Guidelines
