When disaster struck, Kerr Pets Alive! didn’t hesitate. They became a lifeline.

Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, they turned their space into a full-scale pet resource hub. In the earliest days after the flood, their team supported animal control, welcomed lost pets, treated injured animals and served as a critical command center for search and rescue.

Today, they continue to provide food, shelter and hope, helping pet owners who’ve lost everything hold on to the companions they love most.

This is what recovery looks like, with heart, care and compassion for every member of the family.

One ladder. One attic. One miracle.

Kent and Patty watched the Guadalupe River rise inch by inch until there was no choice but to climb. With nothing but a ladder and their will to survive, they escaped to the attic where they stayed—trapped—for four and a half hours as the flood swallowed everything below.

They survived. Their dogs survived. And now, they face the long road to recovery with courage, grit and a community that refuses to let them walk it alone.

This is why we give. This is why we show up. This is community.

Standing in the home he once shared with his family, Mr. O’Donnell showed us the line where the water surged. What began as a manageable trickle quickly became a life-threatening wall of water.

His daughter bent down to stop water from entering under the door. In just seconds, it was at her eye level. The door blew open with such force that it knocked her unconscious into the floodwaters.

Her son didn’t hesitate. He pulled her to safety and saved her life.

This family is now left to rebuild. The damage is staggering, but their strength is undeniable. And through your support, they’re not doing it alone.

This is why the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund exists. These are the stories behind the donations.