Mom of 6-Year-Old Learns of Texas Floods—Then Has To Break Devastating News

A heartbroken mom has revealed how she coped with telling her 6-year-old daughter that one of her friends had been killed by the devastating Texas flood.

On the morning of July 5, mom-of-two Alicia Duff discovered that one of the girls from Camp Mystic who had gone missing was a friend of her youngest daughter, Amelia. She told Newsweek that she “audibly gasped” when she saw her picture on the list of missing children, and immediately went to pray that she, and the other children, would be found alive.

On July 7, Duff, of Houston, Texas, broke the news to Amelia that her friend was among those missing. The 6-year-old expressed her sadness and hoped she wasn’t dead, but noted that “if she is, at least she’s in Heaven with Jesus.”

Unfortunately, the following day, Duff, 40, learned that her daughter’s friend, whom she knew from gymnastics camp, had passed away.

The death toll of the flash floods in Texas has risen to 132 lives, with the majority from Kerr County. Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp situated along the Guadalupe River, was severely affected, losing 27 campers and counselors.

When the flooding occurred on July 4, the Guadalupe River surged to 26 feet in less than an hour. This heavy rainfall was compounded by already-saturated rivers from several days of persistent thunderstorms.

“I wasn’t sure how she was going to handle the news, mostly because many 6-year-olds are just starting to learn empathy and compassion,” Duff said. “I was in the parking lot, and I pulled her into my lap from the back seat and stroked her hair and rubbed her back as we cried together.

“Her face was red and her eyes swollen after a few minutes of crying, but once she stopped crying, she became a bit angry and said, ‘I just want someone to kill me so I can be with the people I love in Heaven’.”

Duff interpreted this as her daughter longing for heaven in her grief, and “expressing her frustration” at being separated from people she loved dearly.

Having already spent days crying, Duff said that her daughter’s reaction completely broke her. They cried together and let their feelings out.

“She pushed herself off my chest and saw that I was crying, gently grabbed my face, and wiped the tears from my eyes, just like I do for her,” Duff said. “My dad passed away unexpectedly in October 2022, so our family is no stranger to loss. However, this one hit differently because it’s her young friend we are grieving.”

Duff’s oldest daughter, Elliana, 8, was leaving for a week at a Christian camp when the girls of Camp Mystic were declared missing. Duff knew that, if she told Elliana before, she wouldn’t go because she “worries a lot.” So, she made the decision to wait until her return to tell her. Duff is grateful to help each of her daughters through the grief individually and allow them the time to process.

“Amelia has had a few days to process it by the time we pick up Elliana, so then Amelia and I can both console Elliana together,” Duff said.

After having to tell her youngest daughter that her friend had passed away, Duff shared a video on TikTok (@recoveringbossbabe3.0) to open up about the experience as a mother. The heartbreaking clip went viral with over 6.7 million views and more than 772,000 likes at the time of writing.

As a single mom, Duff said she knows how isolating parenting can feel at times, and how difficult it can be to speak about difficult situations. For her, it is important to share it all and to connect with other parents, especially moms.

Duff continued: “I pride myself on making authentic content and talking openly about my experiences, struggles, and wins. A large majority of the responses are positive, uplifting, encouraging. I love seeing how many people are praying for everyone affected by this flood. That gives me hope and helps me remember there is more good than bad in this world.

“My heart is broken for all the families who have lost loved ones from this terrible disaster, and for those who are still looking. I know we are not the only family having to face talking to our kids about a loved one who died. I pray that anyone who is hurting realizes they are not alone.”

Amelia is said to be coping with the loss, as Duff said that she will often burst into tears, but then reminds herself that her friend is happy and in Heaven.

The viral TikTok video has generated over 6,200 comments in a matter of days, as many people praised how Duff handled the situation, while others shared their condolences.

One comment reads: “I cried during this … I’m so sorry for her family and your poor daughter.”

Another TikTok user wrote: “What beautiful, empathic, sweet girls you have raised Alicia! I am praying so hard for all family’s involved.”

A third person commented: “I’m so sorry mama, these times are brutal.”