In a gut-wrenching update that has left Texas and the nation in tears, the parents of Clie Steward, the final missing girl from the catastrophic July 2025 floods in Central Texas, released details of their last phone call with their 9-year-old daughter just 20 minutes ago on August 7, 2025. Speaking through sobs at a press conference in Amy, Clie’s mother, Maria Ramirez, recounted how the call lasted mere seconds amid the raging waters: “Mom, the water’s coming, I love you.” Those six haunting words, now echoing across the devastated community, were the last they heard from Emily before the line went dead, as flash floods swept through Camp Mystic, claiming at least 135 lives, including dozens of children.
The Steward family, from Dallas, had sent Clie to the all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River for what was supposed to be a fun-filled July 4 weekend. But torrential rains—up to 10 inches in hours—turned the area into “Flash Flood Alley,” with the river rising 26 feet in 45 minutes, washing away cabins and trailers. Emily was one of 27 girls initially missing from Camp Mystic; as of today, she was the last unaccounted for, with rescuers recovering her body earlier this morning near Ingram, per Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.
Amy and her husband, Rob, described the call’s terror: “It was 3:15 a.m. We were asleep when the phone rang. Emily sounded scared but brave. She said those words so fast, like she knew time was short.” The transcript, shared in the comments of Amy’s Facebook post, reads: “Mom? The water’s coming. I love you.” Then silence. “We replay it in our minds every second,” Rob added, breaking down. The family, who lost their “joyful spark” in Clie—a budding artist who loved drawing comics and playing soccer—hopes sharing this will highlight the floods’ human cost and urge better warnings.
The disaster, the deadliest for children in recent U.S. history, killed at least 15 kids from Camp Mystic alone, with stories of heroism and loss emerging daily. Rescuers used helicopters and drones, but topography and debris hindered efforts. Governor Greg Abbott expanded disaster declarations, but scrutiny mounts over NWS cuts and response delays. Families like the Ramirezes attended vigils, clinging to hope until confirmation came.
Social media erupts with #ClieSteward over 2 million posts sharing the transcript and prayers. “Those six words break my heart—rest in peace, little one,” tweeted @TexasStrong. Camp Mystic counselors, who saved many, are hailed as heroes, but grief lingers. The Steward family plans a memorial on August 10, vowing to advocate for flood safety. As Amy said, “Clie’s words remind us love endures, even in darkness.” This final chapter closes a month of agony, but for Texas, healing is just beginning.
