Counselor praised for saving 14 campers from deadly Texas floods

KERR COUNTY, Texas (KALB/Gray News) - A camp counselor from Louisiana was praised by the state’s governor for her help in rescuing children at Camp Mystic during recent catastrophic flooding.

According to a social media post made by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, Emma Foltz has served as a counselor at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp, for three years.

Foltz was raised in Alexandria and is a senior at Louisiana Tech in Ruston.

Landry said Foltz helped evacuate 14 of her campers to safety and thanked her for her hard work and bravery.

State officials said flash floods tore through Central Texas on Friday, ripping through the camp and killing at least 79 people.

On Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said 11 people were still missing from the camp, including 10 girls and one counselor. That number is part of the at least 41 people reported missing after the flash floods, Abbott said.

Sheriff Larry Leitha said the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, have been found in Kerr County, which is where Camp Mystic and a number of other youth camps are located.

Abbott warned additional rounds of heavy rains could last into Tuesday, leading to more life-threatening flooding.

President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Texas.