George Davis said he’s grateful to be alive after catastrophic flooding swept through an RV resort in Center Point over the Fourth of July holiday.
CENTER POINT, Texas — The camp manager of an RV resort in Center Point, Texas, said he’s grateful to be alive after catastrophic flooding swept through the resort over the Fourth of July holiday. While his home was washed away, his quick actions helped save more than 20 lives.
“It was a long night,” said George Davis, the campground manager of Guadalupe Keys RV Resort in Center Point. “The thunder — it was a very loud storm.”
Davis said his daughter and her family were visiting for the holiday when heavy rain began falling across the region. As the storm intensified, he monitored water levels up river, but wasn’t receiving alerts from nearby Ingram or Kerrville.
“I figured out why,” he said. “Those areas were completely destroyed by the water. The readings I was getting just didn’t make sense.”
Trusting his instincts, Davis made the call to evacuate the property. Approximately 25 people were staying at the resort at the time. He began with campers closest to the river’s edge.
“We went knocking on doors,” he said. “Grab your essentials. Get in your cars and get out. We need to evacuate.”
Just 30 minutes later, the danger was undeniable.
“Then we hear the wall of water coming,” Davis said. “It sounds kind of like a cross between a jet engine and a train rushing down the river. You can see all the debris caught in it.”
After safely ushering guests away from the river, Davis returned to his camper to retrieve a few personal items. But by the time he stepped outside, floodwaters had already surrounded his home.
“Trevor’s hollering at me, and when I came out, water was knee-deep around my camper,” he said.
The water kept rising fast — too fast to stop.
“That water rose 40 to 50 feet within a matter of 30 minutes,” Davis said. “It just moved those campers like a cork floating on water. It was like it was nothing.”
Eventually, the floodwaters washed away Davis’s home and his belongings. Still, he said he’s not focused on the loss.
“For me and my family to get out alive … we’re blessed and we’re very thankful,” he said.
As of Thursday, Davis said he’s staying with his daughter and her family as he works to recover. To aid in that recovery, his family started a GoFundMe. You can donate at this link.