TEXAS: Two little sisters killed in flood, found holding hands with Rosaries

Two Catholic sisters showed the world what love looks like, as they were found with their hands locked tightly together.

People all over the world are watching Texas and following the news with heartbreak. We are praying for every soul affected by this devastating tragedy.

From Rome:

The horrific flooding of the Guadalupe River in South Central Texas engulfed a Christian Girls summer camp. Many people assumed that this was a protestant camp. But this sad news shows that some of the 22 girls who drowned to death were Catholics.  These two girls, who could not save their mortal lives, were prepared to save their immortal souls. The testimony they have given to these great truths is without doubt a salvific work of justice. May they rest in peace with Jesus and Mary.

They died when their wooden cabin, in which they were staying, was born on the flood waters. They were in it with their grandparents, whose remains have not yet been found.

Most Catholics do not know, that for the works of righteousness done in faith we can merit the graces to die friends of God and thus get to Heaven. Saint Bonaventure numbers among these saving works of faith, the works of mercy, spiritual and corporal.

These two sisters have taught the world a great lesson, and their voices go out to the ends of the earth, preferring to trust in God first and above all, and reach out to our Lady, not abandoning one another out of self-interest (

From Christina Aguayo News on Monday:

Two sisters, Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were found dead with their hands locked together and clutching rosary beads after the Texas flash flood tore through their riverside cabin.

The girls, from Dallas, were staying with their grandparents, Charlene and Mike Harber, when the Guadalupe River surged.

Their parents, RJ and Annie Harber, who were in a nearby cabin, survived but were unable to reach their daughters. The grandparents are still missing.

It happened when torrential rains dumped up to a foot of water on Kerr County, causing the Guadalupe River to rise over 20 feet in less than two hours.

The family was staying in cabins along the river, a popular spot for holiday weekend getaways.

Around 3:30 a.m., Brooke texted her father and grandparents, “I love you,” as the floodwaters started to rise, according to a GoFundMe set up by the family.

RJ and Annie awoke to rushing water and tried to break a window to get to their daughters’ cabin, but the force of the flood prevented them from getting there.

Search teams recovered the sisters’ bodies 15 miles away in Kerrville,

“When they were found, their hands were locked together,” the family shared in their GoFundMe, describing the loss as a “nightmare.”

The girls, students at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas, were remembered as vibrant and kind.

“Blair was a gifted student with a generous heart, Brooke was like a light in any room, making people laugh.”

The Rev. Joshua J. Whitfield, pastor at St. Rita Catholic Community, wrote to parishioners,

“We are reminded of life’s fragility and the lasting power of faith.”

The community has rallied around the Harbers, with vigils held in Dallas.

The family’s GoFundMe noted that Annie, a teacher at St. Rita’s, and RJ are grappling with unimaginable grief.

From Aleteia:

A father's desperate fight

Their parents were safe in a separate cabin, but when the waters began rising, their father, RJ, borrowed a kayak and desperately tried to reach his girls. But the waters were too dangerous and he couldn’t make it to them.

Blair and Brooke were trapped in the cabin with their grandparents, who remain unaccounted for and are still in our prayers.

But in the hours before they died, both girls managed to text their parents: “I love you.”
 
Their school described them turning to God and Our Lady in their final moments:

Blair and Brooke were young women of deep faith, and religion was one of their favorite subjects. On the night they died, they went to the loft of their cabin with their rosaries. 
 
Blair and Brooke held tight until the end
When Blair and Brooke were found the next day, 15 miles downriver, they were together with their hands locked tight. Even in their last moments, they held tightly to each other, which their school called “a powerful symbol of their lasting bond.”

That image will stay with us forever, of the two sisters who refused to let go. Nothing could tear them apart. 
 
You just know those sisters would not lose each other for anything on earth. Whatever happened, they were going to face it together. 

Love this strong doesn't end

The sisters’ mom, Annie, is a teacher at St. Rita’s, and the whole parish is holding this family close, saying:

In this time of deep sorrow, we stay grounded in our faith and united in love. 

We will stand with the Harber family in the days to come, surrounding them with our prayers, compassion, and unwavering support. 

As a community of faith, we hold onto the hope and promise that Christ has defeated death, and that eternal life is waiting for those who love Him.
 
We pray that Christ’s hope and healing will sustain the Harber family. May their girls’ memories always be a blessing. 

They will not be forgotten — not only by those who knew and loved them, but also by all of us as we honor their witness of sisterly love to the end.