A young man tragically died while he tried to save his family from rising floodwaters in Ingram, Texas, early Friday morning, July 4. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Friday that the mass casualty flooding event along the Guadalupe River was totally unpredictable. No forecast was able to indicate how severe the rain would end up being.
At least 24 people have died due to the flooding, including 27-year-old Julian Ryan. His family claimed he died from injuries he sustained while trying to rescue them from the rising waters, according to CBS Austin.
Who was Julian Ryan?
Ryan lived in a mobile home in Ingram with his family, just 200 yards from the Guadalupe River. His fiance Tina Wilson said that her children, fiancé and mother-in-law were completely trapped in the home Friday morning due to the flood. When the water kept rising, Ryan made an attempt to break a window so he could help get his family and their pets to the roof. In the process, he ended up slicing open his arm on the glass, and bled out before he could get any help.
Connie Salas, Ryan’s sister who lives next door, said, “Julian, I was like, are you okay? He goes, Yes. He goes, Are you okay? I said, Yes. And then I screamed back. I was like, I’m scared. He goes, me too. And that was it. And after that, that was the last thing I heard from him.”
Both Salas and Wilson have now raised questions on why help took so long to arrive. They also expressed their disappointment in the fact that there were no evacuation notices as water rescues were already taking place along the river. Wilson claimed that Ryan’s body was left outside for seven hours before emergency crews managed to reach him, with continued risk of flooding.
Wilson and Salas want Ryan to be remembered as a hero. “I mean, extremely heroic. And the only thing he was worried about was getting us safe, making sure the kids were safe, making sure that we were okay,” Wilson said. “We were trapped by a door that wouldn’t open because it was being pushed by water.”
Talking about why evacuation notices were not given, the Kerrville city manager told CBS Austin that causing panic and sending people on the roads during a flood could be dangerous, considering there were low water crossings. He said it is often preferable to get people to those high elevation areas, where they can safely wait until they are rescued.
However, the explanation was not good enough for Salas. “He’s someone who chose to sacrifice his life for the most loving people he would ever love. He needs to be known as a person, not just some body on the ground for seven hours,” Salas said. “He’s not just a dead body. He’s somebody.”
A GoFundMe launched for Ryan’s family describes him as a “true hero.” “While his family is eternally grateful for his sacrifice, they are shattered by their loss. Julian was a beloved son, father, fiancé, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend to so many, and his sudden departure has left an unfillable void in all our lives,” the page says.
If adds, “Julian was a cherished son and devoted parent and fiancé who was dedicated to his family. He was known to have an infectious laugh and unwavering kindness. He touched countless lives with his humor and will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
The page urged people to donate, highlighting that the loss has left his family “facing not only immense emotional pain but also significant unforeseen financial burden.”