Local News
Mexican Counselors Silvana Garza Valdez and Maria Paula Zárate Hailed as Heroes After Rescuing Camp Mystic Girls During Texas Flooding
KERR COUNTY, TEXAS — Amid the catastrophic flooding that devastated Central Texas and swept through Camp Mystic, two young Mexican women—Silvana Garza Valdez and Maria Paula Zárate, both 19—are being hailed as heroes after risking their lives to protect and rescue young campers under their care.
The two women, serving as counselors at Camp Mystic near the Guadalupe River, sprang into action as flash floods overwhelmed the campgrounds early on July 4.
According to firsthand accounts and family confirmations, the counselors were responsible for saving at least 20 young girls—calming them, sheltering them, and keeping them safe until emergency crews could arrive.
During the flooding, the camp lost power and communications. Garza, recounting the experience to Channel2 NOW, said, “We went to sleep, and around midnight, it started to rain like nothing I’d ever experienced. The thunder rattled the windows, and lightning lit up the cabins. No one could sleep. The little girls were crying, saying, ‘We’re going to die.’ I had to stay strong, even though I was scared, too.”
By early morning, the Guadalupe River had surged violently, rising over 15 feet and sweeping away parts of the camp.
Entire cabins disappeared under water and debris. Garza and Zárate gathered the girls, reassured them, and even wrote each child’s name on her arm in case they became separated.
They sang songs, distracted the girls from the chaos, and waited in the highest cabin area for help to arrive.
Eventually, food and other rescued girls began arriving at their cabin from other parts of the camp that had been destroyed. Garza said, “We were told 25 girls were missing.
They had found two survivors who had floated downstream, but 23 were still unaccounted for.” Conditions quickly worsened, prompting an urgent evacuation as helicopters and military personnel arrived to extract the remaining children.
The emotional toll was evident as Garza described seeing mattresses in trees, children’s clothes hanging from branches, and wreckage scattered across the floodplain. “It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” she said tearfully. “Two days before the flood, we were scheduled to be in one of the cabins that was washed away.”
The bravery of Garza and Zárate has resonated widely across social media, where they’ve been described as “guardian angels” and praised for their extraordinary courage and quick thinking during the deadliest U.S. weather disaster of 2025.
As of July 7, the Central Texas flooding has claimed at least 83 lives, with fatalities reported across multiple counties:
- Kerr County: 68
- Travis County: 6
- Burnet County: 4
- Williamson County: 2
- Kendall County: 2
- Tom Green County: 1
The Texas Military Department confirmed that 520 individuals have been rescued during the flooding, including 361 air evacuations via UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and 159 ground rescues.
Search and rescue operations remain active, with dozens still missing—many of them children.
The devastation at Camp Mystic, a beloved all-girls Christian summer camp preparing to celebrate its centennial, has shaken families across the country.
The heroism displayed by Silvana Garza Valdez and Maria Paula Zárate stands out as a beacon of light amid unimaginable tragedy.
Authorities continue to urge the public to respect the privacy of victims’ families and refrain from reaching out using previously circulated contact information.
Emergency services remain focused on reunification, recovery, and support for survivors.
Local News
Jasmine Henson and her four children died following a devastating residential fire near Canton in Van Zandt County, Texas
CANTON, Texas — Jasmine Henson and her four children have reportedly died following a devastating residential fire near Canton in Van Zandt County, Texas.
The children were trapped inside the burning home early Wednesday morning, October 21, 2026, and a fourth child who was rescued alive later died at a hospital, according to Van Zandt County Fire Marshal Kevin Palmer.
Henson was also hospitalized after the fire and reportedly later died.
The tragedy has devastated the family and shaken the surrounding community, with neighbors, school officials and local residents mourning the loss of the children and expressing support for surviving relatives.
According to the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal’s Office, multiple fire departments responded at approximately 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to a reported structure fire near County Road 4127 and County Road 4128.
Three occupants reportedly managed to escape the burning structure, but four children remained trapped inside.
The fire was so intense that firefighters reportedly had to breach an exterior wall to enter the home. Once inside, crews found the children, but three had already died from their injuries.
The children were described as a 3-year-old girl, a 5-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy.
A fourth child, a 10-year-old boy, was found alive and airlifted to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for emergency treatment. Despite medical efforts, the child later died, Fire Marshal Kevin Palmer confirmed, bringing the number of child fatalities to four.
The children’s mother, Jasmine Henson, was also transported by medical helicopter to Parkland Hospital after the fire.
According to the supplied account, a family member said Henson suffered extensive burns and was placed on life support. The later update states that she subsequently died, although an official confirmation of her death and the timing of that update should be verified before publication.
The initial reports also indicated that two other occupants were taken to a hospital as a precaution. Their identities and current medical conditions have not been fully detailed in the information provided.
The reported deaths of Henson and all four children have turned the incident into an especially devastating loss for the family and the Canton community.
The Van Zandt County Peace Officer’s Association reportedly identified the family as the Hensons. The children’s grandfather reportedly serves with the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office.
Neighbors described being awakened by screams and the smell of smoke as the fire unfolded. One neighbor, speaking to CBS19, recalled seeing the children riding their bicycles outside regularly and described them as sweet, well-liked youngsters who had become familiar faces in the neighborhood.
Those memories have added to the heartbreak felt by residents as they come to terms with the loss of four young children and their mother.
Canton Independent School District issued a statement expressing profound sadness over the deaths of students connected to Canton Elementary and Canton Intermediate Schools.
The district extended its condolences to the Henson family, friends, classmates, teachers and everyone affected by the tragedy.
Canton ISD also announced that counselors and support staff would be available on campus in the coming days to help students and employees cope with the loss.
School officials emphasized the importance of compassion, kindness and community support during the difficult period.
A prayer vigil was reportedly held Wednesday at the Van Zandt County Courthouse in Canton, allowing community members to gather, pray and remember those affected by the fire.
The cause of the blaze has not been publicly released. The Van Zandt County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the incident, and officials may provide additional details as the investigation continues.
As the community mourns, attention remains focused on the surviving occupants, the grieving family and the firefighters who entered the burning structure in an effort to save the children.
The deaths of Jasmine Henson and her four children represent an unimaginable loss. Residents are being encouraged to support those affected and keep the family, survivors and first responders in their thoughts as investigators work to determine what caused the fire.