Mexican Counselors Silvana Garza Valdez and Maria Paula Zárate Hailed as Heroes after Rescuing Camp Mystic Girls during Texas Flooding

Channel 2 Now Staff : Jul 7, 2025
Channel 2 Now

(Kerr County Texas) — [Channel2Now.com] Amid the catastrophic flooding that devastated Central Texas and swept through Camp Mystic, two young Mexican women—Silvana Garza Valdez and Maria Paula Zárate, both 19—are being hailed as heroes after risking their lives to protect and rescue young campers under their care. According to firsthand accounts and family confirmations, the counselors were responsible for saving at least 20 young girls—calming them, sheltering them, and keeping them safe until emergency crews could arrive. During the flooding, the camp lost power and communications. Garza, recounting the experience to Channel2 NOW, said, "We went to sleep, and around midnight, it started to rain like nothing I'd ever experienced. The thunder rattled the windows, and lightning lit up the cabins. No one could sleep. The little girls were crying, saying, 'We're going to die.' I had to stay strong, even though I was scared, too."... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here Click Here to read and watch the video. (Screengrab image: via Channel 2 Now News)