Woman Rescued After Being Stranded in a Tree During Texas Floods

A dramatic rescue unfolded when a woman was saved after being stranded in a Cypress tree for hours amid severe flooding caused by intense storms. The woman, 22, had been swept away by floodwaters that roared down the Guadalupe River during the deadly Fourth of July floods, which have claimed at least 43 lives and left many missing.

Rescue footage shows her clinging to the branches of the tree, several feet above rushing waters. One of the tree’s limbs had already broken away, and another was weakening when a nearby homeowner heard her screaming and went to help. The homeowner, whose identity remains undisclosed, found her just in time and called for emergency assistance. Unfortunately, the local emergency hotline was overwhelmed, so he personally flagged down first responders.

Responders arrived with boats and initiated a search. The woman was eventually rescued after her prolonged ordeal in the tree, surviving with only minor injuries. She faced a perilous trek, having been dragged across four dams, narrowly avoiding refrigerators and cars also swept away in the floodwaters.

When rescuers reached her, the floodwaters had receded about 10 feet, enabling her to leap into the rescue boat. Her survival is remarkable considering she was pulled out of her tent and carried about 20 miles downstream, past numerous obstacles and hazards.

She was camping with her family at an Ingram campground when the river suddenly surged, pulling her from her tent. Her family attempted to escape in their vehicle, but it was also washed away by the flood.

It remains uncertain whether her family survived. The flooding has severely impacted the region, with rescue operations ongoing and many victims yet to be accounted for. Two of the confirmed fatalities include young campers from Camp Mystic, a Christian sleepaway camp for girls.