Texas mom Lindsey McLeod McCrory has endured more tragedy in five months than most people face in a lifetime.
In March, she lost her husband, Blake, to cancer. In June, her only brother, Chanse McLeod, died from illness. Then, on July 4, her 8-year-old daughter, Blakely, was among the dozens killed from Camp Mystic when catastrophic floods swept through central Texas- turning what was meant to be a joyful summer camp experience into a scene of heartbreak.
Blakely had just begun her stay at Camp Mystic, a storied Christian girls’ camp nestled in the Hill Country. She was wearing a green-and-white beaded Camp Mystic necklace that her mother had given her before she left- a symbol of faith, family tradition, and joy. That necklace would later help identify her body.
“She had the best time at camp. She went out on a happy note,” McCrory said. “She was always a leader, encouraging others.”
In the days following the tragedy, Lindsey McCrory received a bundle of handwritten letters that Blakely had penned during her brief but joyful stay at Camp Mystic. The notes, written in colorful pens and embellished with stickers, brimmed with a child’s excitement and wonder—offering a lasting glimpse into her final days.
“She described Camp Mystic as ‘amazing’ in all caps,” McCrory recalled. “You could feel her joy in every sentence.”
In one of her letters, Blakely wrote about being selected for the Tonkawa tribe—something she had hoped for long before arriving at camp. “I finally got Tonk!!!” she exclaimed, underlining the word several times- “I’m a Tonk now—I wanted it so bad!”
She also listed the many activities she was eager to try: horseback riding, tennis, swimming, and especially crafts. Blakely mentioned building a Barbie house during art class, de scribing it in vivid detail—complete with painted walls and a hand-made miniature bed. “It’s pink and purple and has a real roof!” she wrote. “She was so proud of that little house,” McCrory said. “She was going to give it to her cousin when she got back.”
The July 4 flooding came suddenly, with torrential rain and a deadly 30-foot river surge that destroyed cabins and swept away lives. Blakely’s cabin was among the closest to the Guadalupe River. Twenty-seven Camp Mystic campers and counselors, including Blakely, perished.
When McCrory, who was on a long-planned trip to Europe with her sister and nieces, first heard of flooding at Camp Mystic, she thought it might be similar to a 1987 event she remembered as a former camper herself—minor disruptions, but no danger.
“We were on a boat, and when we docked for lunch, we received some text messages,” she recalled. “I didn’t have any idea how bad it was.” Soon after, she lost phone service. Once reconnected, she heard the chilling voicemail: Blakely was missing.
“I just dropped the phone on the table, shaking,” McCrory said. “I was frozen when I heard that voicemail.”
She rushed home to Houston as family members searched local shelters and evacuation centers. On July 7, McCrory received confirmation- her daughter had been found. She was still wearing the Camp Mystic necklace.
Despite the magnitude of her loss, McCrory radiated calm. She credits her faith, her family, and the Camp Mystic community.
“My faith is so strong. Actually, I was a camper at Camp Mystic, and I felt so close to my faith attending there,” she said, as quote by CNN. “We had lovely devotionals on the waterfront… And just the sisterhood, the faith – it just really brought me closer.”
Her friends have now adjusted the necklace so that she can wear it herself, keeping Blakely close to her heart. “She was so excited [about camp], and it came at such a good time since she lost her daddy,” McCrory said. “It was a way for her to just heal with that sisterhood and her faith and just all of the fun activities.”
Even in her final moments, Blakely’s spirit shone through. “As the water started to rise, a counselor made a keen observation: Blakely was encouraging her cabinmates to not be afraid,” McCrory said. “She was always a leader, encouraging others.”
In March, she lost her husband, Blake, to cancer. In June, her only brother, Chanse McLeod, died from illness. Then, on July 4, her 8-year-old daughter, Blakely, was among the dozens killed from Camp Mystic when catastrophic floods swept through central Texas- turning what was meant to be a joyful summer camp experience into a scene of heartbreak.
Blakely had just begun her stay at Camp Mystic, a storied Christian girls’ camp nestled in the Hill Country. She was wearing a green-and-white beaded Camp Mystic necklace that her mother had given her before she left- a symbol of faith, family tradition, and joy. That necklace would later help identify her body.
“She had the best time at camp. She went out on a happy note,” McCrory said. “She was always a leader, encouraging others.”
In the days following the tragedy, Lindsey McCrory received a bundle of handwritten letters that Blakely had penned during her brief but joyful stay at Camp Mystic. The notes, written in colorful pens and embellished with stickers, brimmed with a child’s excitement and wonder—offering a lasting glimpse into her final days.
“She described Camp Mystic as ‘amazing’ in all caps,” McCrory recalled. “You could feel her joy in every sentence.”
In one of her letters, Blakely wrote about being selected for the Tonkawa tribe—something she had hoped for long before arriving at camp. “I finally got Tonk!!!” she exclaimed, underlining the word several times- “I’m a Tonk now—I wanted it so bad!”
She also listed the many activities she was eager to try: horseback riding, tennis, swimming, and especially crafts. Blakely mentioned building a Barbie house during art class, de scribing it in vivid detail—complete with painted walls and a hand-made miniature bed. “It’s pink and purple and has a real roof!” she wrote. “She was so proud of that little house,” McCrory said. “She was going to give it to her cousin when she got back.”
The July 4 flooding came suddenly, with torrential rain and a deadly 30-foot river surge that destroyed cabins and swept away lives. Blakely’s cabin was among the closest to the Guadalupe River. Twenty-seven Camp Mystic campers and counselors, including Blakely, perished.
When McCrory, who was on a long-planned trip to Europe with her sister and nieces, first heard of flooding at Camp Mystic, she thought it might be similar to a 1987 event she remembered as a former camper herself—minor disruptions, but no danger.
“We were on a boat, and when we docked for lunch, we received some text messages,” she recalled. “I didn’t have any idea how bad it was.” Soon after, she lost phone service. Once reconnected, she heard the chilling voicemail: Blakely was missing.
“I just dropped the phone on the table, shaking,” McCrory said. “I was frozen when I heard that voicemail.”
She rushed home to Houston as family members searched local shelters and evacuation centers. On July 7, McCrory received confirmation- her daughter had been found. She was still wearing the Camp Mystic necklace.
Despite the magnitude of her loss, McCrory radiated calm. She credits her faith, her family, and the Camp Mystic community.
“My faith is so strong. Actually, I was a camper at Camp Mystic, and I felt so close to my faith attending there,” she said, as quote by CNN. “We had lovely devotionals on the waterfront… And just the sisterhood, the faith – it just really brought me closer.”
Her friends have now adjusted the necklace so that she can wear it herself, keeping Blakely close to her heart. “She was so excited [about camp], and it came at such a good time since she lost her daddy,” McCrory said. “It was a way for her to just heal with that sisterhood and her faith and just all of the fun activities.”
Even in her final moments, Blakely’s spirit shone through. “As the water started to rise, a counselor made a keen observation: Blakely was encouraging her cabinmates to not be afraid,” McCrory said. “She was always a leader, encouraging others.”
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