Local heroes step up after deadly Hill Country flooding

After devastating floods swept through the Hill Country, local heroes stepped up in powerful, unforgettable ways.

Restaurant owners fed thousands, and pilots coordinated rescue flights. TheTXLoop’s 30-minute special, hosted by David Elder, tells real stories of courage, compassion and community.

Texas Strong: Heroes after the flood

This past month, devastating floods ripped through the Texas Hill Country, leaving behind unimaginable damage and heartbreaking loss. And yet, in the middle of this tragedy, something remarkable has happened — people are showing up for one another in powerful, selfless ways.

In a new 30-minute TheTXLoop 12 special, “Texas Strong: Heroes After the Flood,” we follow the individuals and communities who immediately stepped in to help — and continue to lead recovery efforts across the region. The special aired on Sunday, July 20, on TheTXLoop 12, and is available anytime on TheTXLoop+.

The Grape Juice team stands together outside their restaurant in Kerrville, where they’ve prepared thousands of hot meals and first responder energy bags for flood victims and recovery crews across the Hill Country. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

Our team traveled to Kerrville to witness the incredible work being done on the ground. One of our first stops was Grape Juice, where Daric and Heidi Easton have transformed their restaurant into a full-blown relief center.

Since the floods, they’ve served over 8,000 hot meals to families in need and packed more than 500 energy bags for first responders working around the clock. Working with local partners, they’ve helped coordinate donations, supplies and equipment for cleanup efforts that will likely continue for years.

David Elder speaks with Joe Kennedy, owner of Kerrville Aviation, about coordinating emergency aircraft during the Hill Country flood relief efforts at the Kerrville airport. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

At Kerrville Aviation, Joe Kennedy quickly turned his airfield into a critical hub for emergency response. From coordinating search and rescue helicopters to staging medical evacuation flights, his hangar became the front line for air support.

The Kerrville Aviation team stands alongside members of the U.S. Coast Guard, united in their efforts to support ongoing rescue and relief missions following the devastating Hill Country floods. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

It also played a supporting role in one of the most heroic efforts yet — backing the Coast Guard swimmer who rescued 165 people from the floodwaters.

Ricky Ortiz (El Camino) and Josh Palacios (El Remedio) unload cases of water at a NAPA Auto Parts store in Kerrville, part of a rapid supply run organized from San Antonio to support flood relief efforts. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

The response didn’t stop in the Hill Country. In San Antonio, restaurateurs Ricky Ortiz, owner of El Camino, and Joshua Palacios, owner of El Remedio, dropped everything to help. Within hours of the flood, they turned their food truck parks into collection sites. Thanks to a surge of donations from the San Antonio community, they packed up their trucks and drove straight to NAPA Auto Parts in Kerrville, where supplies were being staged and distributed.

David Elder speaks with Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, about how millions in relief funds are being distributed to help Kerrville recover after the historic flood. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

Behind the scenes, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, led by CEO Austin Dickson, has been working non-stop to support long-term recovery. In just one week, the foundation raised over $30 million for the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, and has already distributed $5 million in emergency grants to families, small businesses, first responders, and crisis teams.

A community advisory committee is now being formed to help guide the next phase of support for Kerrville and surrounding areas.

After devastating floods swept through the Hill Country, local heroes stepped up in powerful, unforgettable ways. From restaurant owners feeding thousands to pilots coordinating rescue flights, this 30-minute special tells the real stories of courage, compassion, and community. (Copyright 2025 by TheTXLoop – All rights reserved.)

The TheTXLoop special isn’t just about loss — it’s about what happens after. It’s about the people who stepped forward without being asked. The ones who gave their time, their energy, their resources and their hearts.

“Texas Strong: Heroes After the Flood” is a tribute to the resilience of the Hill Country and a reminder that when disaster strikes, Texans don’t wait. We act. We help. We rebuild together.

Keep following TheTXLoop on social media and online for important updates and remember to always stay weather aware with the TheTXLoop 12 Weather Authority team.