The family of 8-year-old Blakely McCrory is holding onto faith and treasured memories after learning she was among the victims of the devastating Camp Mystic flood in Kerr County, Texas.
Blakely, described as a “third-generation Mystic camper,” was attending her first summer at the Christian girls’ camp when flash floods swept through the area in the early hours of July 4. Her mother, Lindsey McLeod McCrory, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE about receiving the heartbreaking news and the letter her daughter left behind.
A First Summer Cut Short
Blakely had been “ecstatic” to follow in the footsteps of her mom, a former Camp Mystic camper herself, as well as several other family members. From horseback riding to tennis, Blakely embraced every moment of camp life, according to Lindsey.
“She had a contagious spirit,” Lindsey said. “People wanted to be around her. She was so funny, and she was a prankster.”
When Lindsey first heard there was flooding at the camp, she was traveling in Europe. At the time, she assumed Blakely and her friends were safe indoors, just as she remembered from her own camp days decades earlier. But hours later, she received the call no parent wants to get: Blakely was missing.
“I still had hope,” Lindsey said. “Maybe she and one of those counselors are somewhere dry, but they’re just lost.”
Source: Courtesy Lindsey McLeod McCrory
That hope faded Monday night, when authorities confirmed Blakely had been found dead. Her family says the news brought both heartbreak and closure.
A Letter That Endures
In the days after the tragedy, Blakely’s family recovered a letter she had written to her mom from camp:
“Dear Mom, How are you? I am good,” Blakely wrote. “Camp is amazing.”
For Lindsey, having that message means everything.
“I’m just so grateful to keep her spirit alive,” she said. “I want to be the type of mom that honors my daughter.”
A String of Losses, and Resilience
Blakely’s death is the third tragedy her family has faced in recent months. Her father, Blake McCrory, passed away in March at 59 after a short battle with cancer. Lindsey’s brother also died shortly before Blakely.
Despite the heartbreak, Lindsey says her daughter remained a source of strength for others. One of Blakely’s counselors recalled how the young girl encouraged her cabinmates not to be afraid as the waters rose.
“She’s in heaven now with her daddy,” Lindsey said. “We strongly believe it happened quickly. She didn’t have to suffer.”
A Family Healing Together
Lindsey, her son Brady, and the rest of the family are now focusing on healing while honoring Blakely’s memory.
“It’s so tough to be without her,” Lindsey said. “But we are reassured by our faith.”
“She’s looking down on us. I know she’s watching me right now, and keeping me close.”
