Devyn Smith, Midland, Texas woman found clinging to tree after swept for 20 miles in floodwaters while camping in Ingram with family who were swept away yet to be recovered amid fears for the worse.
How did she survive? Video has captured the moment rescuers recovered a woman who was swept 20 miles down the Guadalupe River and careening into a tree during deadly flash flood waters in Kerr County, central Texas.
Devyn Smith, 32, from Midland, Texas, was found desperately clinging to the branches of a Cypress tree, several feet in the air as the roaring floodwaters rushed below her, KEN5S reported.
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A woman was found clinging to a tree branch and screaming for help after being swept away in the raging floodwaters of Texas.
She had been carried 20 miles downstream. pic.twitter.com/11TP7cCKdP— T_CAS videos (@tecas2000) July 5, 2025
Texas woman found clinging in tree had only moments to spare
A Center Point homeowner heard the 32 year old woman (who some reports had initially described as being only 22 years old) screaming for help and rushed to her aid as she desperately fought for her life as one of the tree branches she had been clinging to her had started to give away. Just moments earlier one of the tree branches Devyn Smith was grasping onto amid thrashing winds had already given away.
‘I hear you, I see you,’ the homeowner told the woman according to the outlet.
The man, who was not identified, called 911 only to receive no response from the inundated emergency hotline.
Instead, he rushed onto the street and flagged down first responders who were already conducting search and rescue missions.
The crew sent in boats to find the woman, who had already been stranded in the tree for several hours.
By the time rescuers reached her, the water had dropped about 10 feet — forcing her to take a leap of faith and drop from the tree into the boat.
Camping Texas woman miracle survival
Smith miraculously survived with just a few scraps and bruises, with the survivor telling rescuers she had been dragged 20 miles downstream, across four dams while dodging refrigerators and cars that had also been swept away in the floodwater.
She was camping with her parents and family at a campground in the Ingram, Texas area when the surging river yanked her from her tent, according to KEN5S.
Her family tried to escape in a vehicle, which was also washed away by the water.
It is unclear whether the woman’s family survived.
‘She’s lucky to be alive. 20 more minutes and she would’ve slipped,’ said one official.
A report identified the missing family members swept away by the flood as Michelle ‘Shellie’ Crossland, Cody Crossland, Tasha Ramos, Joel Ramos and Kyndall Ramos.
Jul 5, 2025
Harrowing images have emerged from Texas, where catastrophic flash floods tore through children’s summer camps, killing at least nine young girls and leaving dozens still unaccounted for. The disaster struck Camp Mystic in Hunt as the girls slept early Friday… pic.twitter.com/EfAZn0nYmT
— Fog of Unknowns (@FogOfUnknowns) July 5, 2025
Texas flash floods deaths and rescue
The rescue follows sudden downpour early Friday morning, which had led to catastrophic flash flooding causing the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in 45 minutes. It was as waters swelled adjacent sites and properties were left to peril as locals — caught off guard — desperately sought to survive raging waters.
Texas officials on Saturday said 32 people had to date died (18 adults and 14 children) along with at least 23-25 others, mostly young girls part of the Camp Mystic continuing to remain unaccountable.
At least three of the dead are young campers at Camp Mystic, a Christian sleepaway camp for girls between he ages of 7 and 17. A fourth person, since identified as Camp Mystic Camp director, Dick Eastland was reported to have also died after heroically trying to save the lives of the young girls as floodwaters begun descending on the camp site adjacent to the Guadalupe River.
The above confirmed deaths followed news of Heart o’ the Hills camp director, Jane Ragsdale, 67, drowning after having gone to locate and assist counselors who were at the site despite the school not being in session.
