A young father’s final words to his family have been revealed after he died trying to save them during the devastating flooding in Texas.
Julian Ryan, 27, was with his fiancée, Christinia Wilson, their two children, and his mother inside their trailer home in Ingram when surging waters from the nearby Guadalupe River began rising rapidly in the early morning hours of Friday (July 4).
“It just started pouring in, and we had to fight the door to get it closed to make sure not too much got in,” Wilson told KHOU, explaining how they placed their six-year-old son and 13-month-old daughter on a floating mattress as water filled the bedroom.
As the water continued to rise, Ryan punched through a window to help his family escape but suffered a severe injury in the process. “It severed his artery in his arm and almost cut it clean off,” Wilson said.
Trapped in the floodwaters and realizing the severity of his injuries, the late father shared a final, heartbreaking goodbye with his family: “I’m sorry, I’m not going to make it. I love y’all.”
The grieving fiancée told the outlet that despite their repeated calls to 911, help could not reach them, and her partner's body was not recovered until hours later after the waters subsided.
“He was a good man,” she told PEOPLE. “He was strong and loving and always happy. He tried to save us, and we will forever be grateful and miss him. He’s still with us, and I see him every day in our son.”
Loved ones remembered Ryan for his bravery and kindness. His sister, Connie Salas, said, “He is the hero in this story,” while best friend Kris Roberts shared: “He's the kindest person I've ever met in my life, and I'll forever love him no matter what.”
A GoFundMe was launched to support the family with "unforeseen financial burdens that come with such a sudden tragedy." As of this writing, more than $88,500 has been raised of the $130K target.
In the description, Ryan is described as “a cherished son and devoted parent, and fiancé who was dedicated to his family.”
"He was known to have an infectious laugh and unwavering kindness. He touched countless lives with his humor and will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him," the fundraiser noted.
The flash floods that claimed Ryan’s life are part of a larger disaster that has killed at least 81 people across Texas, including many children, with others still missing.
According to ABC News, the greatest number of fatalities occurred in Kerr County, where 68 people are believed to be dead, according to officials, including 28 children.
Among the hardest-hit sites was Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Kerr County, where at least 27 people have died, including campers Lila Bonner, nine, Janie Hunt, nine, Sarah Marsh, eight, Eloise Peck, eight, and Renee Smajstrla, nine, per The New York Post.
Camp Mystic director Dick Eastland and Jane Ragsdale, director of nearby Heart O' The Hills Camp, also passed away trying to protect campers as the floodwaters surged.
Families of the young girls have taken to social media to share their grief publicly. “Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach,” Smajstrla's loved ones said in a statement. “Renee has been found, and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly.”
Marsh’s grandmother, Debbie Ford Marsh, said: “Our sweet Sarah is gone! We will always feel blessed to have had this beautiful spunky ray of light in our lives. She will live on in our hearts forever," per WAKA.
Bonner’s family expressed their “unimaginable grief,” while Eloise’s mother, Missy Peck, said, “Eloise was literally friends with everyone. She loved spaghetti but not more than she loved dogs and animals," cited by Fox 4.
Governor Abbott declared Sunday (July 6) a “Day of Prayer” across Texas, stating the state “is providing all necessary resources to Kerrville, Ingram, Hunt, and the entire Texas Hill Country dealing with these devastating floods".
Ryan’s family, while honoring his sacrifice, believes more could have been done to prepare residents ahead of the disaster, including the use of flood sirens.
“Everybody would've been worried - 'What's that noise?'” Wilson told KHOU. “We would have left. We would have gone anywhere else. We had so many places that were safe.”
Our thoughts are with Ryan's family and everyone else affected by the floods.