Nearly three months after deadly flooding swept through Texas’ Hill Country this summer, hard-hit girls’ summer camp Camp Mystic has announced plans to move forward in 2026.
But CiCi and Will Steward — whose 8-year-old daughter Cile is still missing after being swept away in the floods — issued an open letter asking camp organizers to “halt all discussions” until Cile’s body is found.
27 campers and counselors lost their lives in the flood, which occurred when the nearby Guadalupe River swelled and surged in the early hours of July 4, 2025.
Read More: July 2025: Catastrophic Flooding Hits Central Texas
Cile Steward is the only remaining camper who has not been recovered.
“We call on Camp Mystic to to halt all discussion of reopening and memorials,” the Stewards said in their letter, according to local ABC affiliate KATV.
“Instead, Cile must be recovered,” the letter continues, “and you most fully confront and account for your role in the events and failures that caused the deaths of our daughters.”
“Anything less dishonors the children who were killed while in your care — at a time when their safety was your primary responsibility,” it concludes.
What Has Camp Mystic Said About Their Reopening Plans?
On Tuesday (Sept. 23), KHOU 11 News reported that Camp Mystic sent out a message to its campers’ families sharing reopening plans.
They explained that while the location impacted by the flooding will not reopen, they are planning to hold camps at another location, Camp Mystic Cypress Lake, in the summer of 2026.
That location was not hit by the floods.
The announcement also included plans for a memorial to the 27 people whose lives were lost during the tragedy.
“We hope this space will serve as a place of reflection and remembrance of those beautiful girls,” the letter reads. “We continue to pray for the grieving families and all those who lost loved ones.”
The camp also explained that new safety legislation was been enacted, and the camp planned for 2026 will adhere to those protocols.
What Have Grieving Families Said About Camp Mystic’s Plans to Reopen?
In their open letter, the Steward family said that Camp Mystic made their announcement without consulting the families whose children died in the floods.
They also said that the announcement failed to mention that their daughter is still missing.
“To promote reopening less than three months after the tragedy — while one camper remains missing — is unthinkable,” they wrote.
“Our family remains trapped in the deepest throes of grief, yet your communications treat our never-ending nightmare as little more than a brief pause before resuming business as usual,” the letter continues.
Though the reopening location may not be the same cabins where campers were sleeping as they were swept away by the floods, the Stewards point out that the location is still very close to where recovery teams are still searching for Cile.
“You are preparing to invite children to swim in the very river that may still hold our daughter’s body when you plan to ‘open your gates,'” their letter reads.
How Was the Country Music Community Impacted by the Texas Floods?
Many country stars had connections to Camp Mystic, the floods and the area that was impacted.
Robert Earl Keen held a benefit show to support those impacted by the floods. In a social media message, he explained that Camp Mystic was close to his heart: His daughters attended summer camp there.
Pat Green is another singer with a personal connection to the tragedy. His younger brother John Burgess died in the floods, along with his wife Julia Anderson Burgess and two of their children.
Read More: Pat Green Breaks Down As He Sings For His Brother Who Died in Texas Floods
Miranda Lambert and George Strait both held benefit concerts to support those impacted by the flooding, and Chris Stapleton donated a staggering $1 million toward flood relief via his Outlaw State of Kind foundation.
How Many People Died in the Texas Floods?
At least 135 people, including over 35 children, died in the flooding, according to CNN.
Homes, buildings and roads throughout the region were damaged or destroyed, and many are still waiting on federal disaster aid as they struggle to rebuild.
Country Stars Who Suffered Unthinkable Tragedy
Not all country stars came by their storytelling ability naturally. Sadly, many singers have encountered great tragedies in their lives, or have overcome sharp odds to get where they are today. Many have battled unbearable, unimaginable pain.
