Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns must have been going on full throttle. After all, they have got their opening match against the 2025 defending Natty champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, on August 30. There has been a lot of excitement about the upcoming season. After all, Sarkisian’s boys will leave no stones unturned to chase the National Championship, breaking the drought of the two seasons drought.
They will count on their starting quarterback, Arch Manning, who has already tapped into the Heisman and the NFL buzz. But turns out that the state of Texas can hardly think about football now. After all, they are now in a survival mode. Central Texas has been struck by flash floods on July 4, Friday. And the death toll has climbed to more than 100 people, with an unknown number of others missing. It did affect the Texas Longhorns program directly. And it in turn deeply affected Arch’s brother, Heid Manning, who came up with a heartfelt post.
As per the reports, Chloe Childress, a counselor at Camp Mystic, was killed during the devastating flooding in Hunt, Texas, over the holiday weekend. She had graduated from The Kinkaid School earlier this year and was all set to start her college journey at the University of Texas in the fall. Heid re-shared RedCup Texas’ post on his IG story on July 7. The poster had a picture of Chidress with the message, “FOREVER A LONGHORN Rest in peace Chloe Childress” written on it. The caption of the IG post shared the details about what happened that claimed the Longhorns’ freshman’s life. “In the early morning hours of July 4, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, providing those staying along the river’s banks little time to react to what quickly became a dire situation.”
Going by the reports, Texas’ freshman Childress was one of the 27 victims at Camp Mystic who were campers and counselors. Being a Longhorns freshman himself, Heid could feel the pain as Childress’ dreams were left unfulfilled even before it started. The Longhorns community will remember Childress for her selfless and fierce commitment to others.
Jonathan Eades, the head of The Kincaid School, shared about her impact on the school and community. “Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone’s burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave. She understood what it meant to be part of a community, and more than that, she helped build one.” As Texas grapples with this darkest hour, the Texas Longhorns football team has shown their support.
In the wake of tragedy, the spirit of Texas shines
As Major General Thomas Suelzer, adjutant general for the state of Texas, reported, 237 people had been evacuated as of Friday. 167 of these evacuations were by helicopter. Amidst the busy July 4th weekend, the residents of the Texas Hill Country had to fight for their survival or mourn the loss of loved ones they had lost. The Longhorns football team has extended its thoughts and prayers via social media to all who have been affected.
The post read, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the communities and families of Central Texas affected by today’s devastating flooding.” Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian echoed the sentiment by reposting the statement. The Longhorns’ first lady and Steve’s wife, Loreal, also sent her support. On her IG story, she wrote, “Although you may not see everything on social media, please know that my family and I are doing everything we can behind the scenes to support. Sending my deepest prayers and love to all those impacted.”
The Big 12 Conference also stood in solidarity during Texas’ tough times. The Conference shared a powerful message of unity and compassion. “The Big 12 Conference extends its deepest condolences to all those impacted by the tragic flooding in Texas, including the heartbreaking events at Camp Mystic. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the entire community during this difficult time.” It has also reached the pro league. As the Dallas Cowboys have laid out their helping hand. “This has been devastating to see and we hold everyone impacted in our thoughts and prayers. Standing side by side with The Salvation Army’s critical response, we are also donating $500,000 to provide immediate resources for rescue, relief and long term recovery efforts,” they announced. Wishing strength, safety, and swift recovery to all Texans navigating this challenging time.
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