As water spread across the floor of Janett Holcomb’s home, she clutched a Bible and rosary, asking God to spare her family.
In the pitch-black of the early morning hours on July 16, all they could do was wait upstairs in the darkness, away from the water, and pray for relief.
“We all sat down together and prayed the biggest and the prettiest prayer ever,” Holcomb said. “My son was just praying to make sure that this will not hit us, that will not get into the house, that nothing happens.”
They didn’t know it, but even in the midst of the flood, God was answering their prayers. Texans on Mission volunteers — who arrived in Kerrville only days after the flood — would be on Holcomb’s doorstep, ready to help.
Unlike the previous year's flood, the water overtook the inside of their home. Holcomb and her children woke to standing water covering the floor. As they tried to soak it up with towels, Holcomb slipped, fell and injured herself. Her son panicked as he desperately tried to get his mother and sister upstairs to safety.
"It was just terrifying, but you have to be strong," Holcomb said. "You have to wipe the tears and give a smile, saying ‘we're gonna be all right.’”
Her home, nestled along Camp Meeting Creek, has been the backdrop for more than a decade of family memories — fishing, kayaking and quiet afternoons with her husband and children. Three years ago, everything changed when her husband was diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia at just 47 years old.
Since then, Holcomb said her 16-year-old son has tried to shoulder responsibilities no teenager should carry, despite her pleading to relinquish those burdens.
"He’s just a little boy,” Holcomb explained. “It’s not his job to worry."
As Holcomb surveyed the soaked wreckage and furniture in her home, she was distraught. She knew she couldn’t tackle the cleanup and rebuilding on her own. So, she did the bravest thing she could and asked for help by reaching out to TXM.
The next day, help arrived in the form of yellow-shirted volunteers. They carefully covered the surviving furniture in protective plastic and got to work, ripping out wet drywall to prevent mold from growing in Holcomb’s home. Most importantly, volunteers surrounded her with love and support, showing her there is always hope in Christ.
Holcomb said the volunteers from TXM were the answer to her family’s prayer from the night of the flood.
"The volunteers were so nice, like you had always known them,” Holcomb said.
Tonya McClelland, a chaplain there to support Holcomb, said ministering to the family was essential.
Holcomb told her she was at a breaking point when volunteers showed up. Together, while other volunteers mudded out her home, they developed a camaraderie. They talked, prayed, cried and shared stories.
“Sometimes you have to just take a deep breath and grieve,” McClelland said. “I wish everyone knew no matter how overwhelming a disaster can be, they can make a difference just by showing up.”
TXM’s presence in the disaster made all the difference, Holcomb said.
“I'm so blessed that you guys are here,” Holcomb said. “It's just like angels. You're my angels.”
Learn more about our work in Kerrville, helping families recover after a second devastating flood. To help families clean out their homes and prepare for rebuilding, you can become a TXM volunteer by clicking here to register for a training.
