A Kingwood florist is uniting florists across Texas to create free memorial arrangements for families grieving Hill Country flood victims.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — As recovery efforts continue in the flood-ravaged Texas Hill Country, one Kingwood woman is using her business to bring comfort one flower arrangement at a time.
Kimmie Gibson, a local florist and owner of Glorious Kreations, said she was devastated after learning about the deadly flooding that tore through communities in and around Kerr County.
“It was just devastating,” Gibson said. “I really have no words. Just to read that it happened instantly , it breaks my heart.”
Over the July Fourth weekend, catastrophic flash flooding swept across parts of Texas, killing at least 102 people.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in Hunt, where a wall of water tore through the grounds Friday. The camp confirmed it is “grieving the loss” of 27 campers and counselors
Gibson said she couldn’t ignore the headlines and decided to turn her grief into action. Her idea: provide free memorial flower arrangements to families who lost loved ones.
“I just thought it might make things a little easier,” she said. “When everything hurts, something small can mean a lot.”
Realizing she couldn’t do it alone, Gibson posted a call for help on Instagram. The response was immediate. More than 17 florists across Texas have joined her cause, volunteering their time and talent to help honor the lives lost.
Local businesses also stepped up to cover the cost of supplies and flowers.
Now, when a family reaches out, Gibson plants connects them with a florist near their city to prepare an arrangement free of charge.
“With these arrangements, we want to do the best we can to honor the person who’s past and just to comfort them in this time,” she said.
In addition to this effort, Gibson said her shop also creates arrangements that help support families struggling with infertility.
Anyone impacted by the Hill Country flooding is welcome to contact her for help with a funeral arrangement.
You can find her on Instagram @gloriouskreations or visit her website at gloriouskreations.com.