The Hill Country Podcast – Lorena Guillen on the July 4th Flood: Part 1 – The Flood

Welcome to the award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this one of the most unique areas of Texas. Today, I begin a two-part series with Lorena Guillen, owner of Howdy’s Restaurant and Blue Oak RV Park. The July 4th flood completely inundated her RV Park. In Part 1, Guillen discusses the events of the morning of July 4. In Part 2, she will discuss the events of that tragedy through today.

She begins with the beauty of July 3rd and goes to bed early on July 4. Guillen relates being awakened by flashing lights of a swift water rescue team, putting into the river. She recounts the devastating flood event where a second wave of water caused severe damage and displacement. She describes the rapid onset of the flood, the destruction of RVs, and the harrowing survival of her husband, who was swept 30-45 feet down a river but managed to climb to safety. She relates the surreal sensation of feeling electricity in the water and the loss of animals they were trying to rescue. The fire department eventually evacuated everyone from a nearby restaurant as the water levels continued to rise.

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