After a July flood that killed 27 people, Texas' Camp Mystic plans to partially reopen next summer. New state safety laws for camps were signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, and $240 million was allocated for disaster relief. The Guadalupe River site remains closed due to flood damage, while the Cypress Lake site will reopen for campers, as reported by NBC News.
Camp Mystic officials sent a letter to families on Monday emphasizing their commitment to new safety measures, stating, "As we work to finalize plans, we will do so in a way that is mindful of those we have lost." Michael McCown expressed concern about the previous lack of protections for his daughter, saying, "It will hurt my family forever that, for reasons I still do not know, these protections were not in place nor thought out thoroughly for my daughter and the rest of the girls here." Cici Steward, who is still searching for her daughter Cile, said, "For my family, these months have felt like an eternity. For the camp, it seems like nothing more than a brief pause before business as usual," according to NBC News. Some families were not consulted about plans for a memorial honoring the victims.
Camp Mystic plans a memorial to honor the "Heaven's 27" campers and counselors, saying, "In the memorial’s design, we will strive to capture the beauty, kindness and grace they all shared, while focusing on the joy they carried and will always inspire in us all." The camp is also implementing new safety measures under the "Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act." Parents like Ryan DeWitt, who lost his daughter Molly, said the law "should be the bare minimum for what these camps should be looking to implement." The memorial and safety measures are being put in place as the camp moves forward, as mentioned by CW39 and NBC News.
