They Were Just 8 Years Old—Twin Sisters Lost in Texas Flooding Leave Behind a Legacy of Light

The summer was supposed to be filled with laughter, late-night giggles under starlit skies, and memories made in the woods of Texas. Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, identical twins with matching hearts as big as their smiles, had just finished second grade. Their backpacks were packed with swimsuits and hopes for an unforgettable adventure at Camp Mystic—a beloved all-girls Christian summer camp tucked along the scenic Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas.

But nature had other plans.

What began as a joyful escape quickly turned tragic when heavy rains swept through the region, unleashing a flood that tore through the campgrounds. The river rose fast, mercilessly. Cabins meant for childhood dreams became scenes of chaos. In the aftermath, Hanna and Rebecca—just 8 years old—were among the lives the storm claimed.

Their parents, John and Lacy Lawrence, are now holding onto memories tighter than ever. Through unimaginable grief, they found the strength to share a few words with the world.

“Hanna and Rebecca filled our lives—and their big sister Harper’s—with a joy that’s hard to put into words,” their parents shared. “That light doesn’t end here. We’ll carry it forward, finding ways to honor them and share the happiness they gave so freely. But our hearts are shattered knowing the bond we had with them—and the unbreakable bond they had with each other—is now a beautiful moment forever paused in time.”

Their words carry the weight of loss no family should endure—yet within them also flickers a quiet promise: their daughters’ light will not fade.

Altogether, officials have confirmed that 27 lives were lost at Camp Mystic—young campers and the counselors who cared for them. Ten children and one counselor are still unaccounted for. Across Kerr County, the devastating floods have claimed 75 lives in total, among them nine innocent children.

Camp Mystic has stood since 1926, a place where thousands of girls over generations came to grow, to laugh, to build friendships that lasted lifetimes. It was never meant to be a place where lives would be cut so short.

Yet even in heartbreak, the Lawrence family is choosing to speak of joy—of the love their daughters gave freely, and how they intend to carry that forward.

Because that’s what Hanna and Rebecca would have done.

Two little girls, gone far too soon, now live on in every heart they touched. In every story told about them. In every small act of kindness, in every spark of shared joy—we keep their spirit alive.

And maybe that’s what we’re meant to do now—hold each other closer, listen longer, love harder. For Hanna. For Rebecca. For all the childhoods stolen by the storm.