For decades, Betty Matteson’s riverside home in Hunt, Texas, was a haven for generations of her family. Built in 1968 along the serene banks of the Guadalupe River, the house known as Casa Del Rio welcomed four children, nine grandchildren, and more great-grandchildren than she can count.
They spent summers tubing past Camp Mystic, hiking the nearby cliffs, fishing under the Texas sun — even hosting a wedding beneath a flowered arch just last spring. But this Fourth of July, the tradition turned into a nightmare.
As floodwaters surged through the Hill Country, Matteson — now 94 years old — huddled in the attic with seven family members, two dogs, and two cats as water filled the three-story home.
“I’ve just been holding on for dear life,” she said.
A Family’s Escape, A Home Destroyed
The rising Guadalupe River reached nearly 30 feet, sweeping through neighborhoods and summer camps. At least 120 people died, including 27 from Camp Mystic, and over 150 are still missing.
After agonizing hours trapped above the flooding, first responders rescued Matteson and her family. She emerged in a floral dress and quilted white jacket, helped into the back of a car — safe, but heartbroken.
The house where she once looked out from her bedroom window to a peaceful green landscape is now a mud-soaked ruin, gutted by floodwater and piled high with debris.
“The land didn’t just flood,” said granddaughter Shannon Swindle, 53. “It became a collection point for destruction from every direction.”
Swindle launched a GoFundMe to help cover the estimated $500,000 in rebuilding costs. The home had no flood insurance — premiums would have cost $6,000 to $8,000 a year, which Matteson, already renting out a cottage to manage expenses, simply couldn’t afford.
A Century of Connection to the River
Matteson’s ties to this place run deep. Her late husband’s family bought the house next door in 1929. Relatives are buried nearby. For nearly a century, the family has called this corner of the Hill Country home.
Only 2% of Kerr County residents have flood insurance, according to FEMA, despite an increase in flash floods along the Guadalupe River Basin over the past two decades. Experts call the July flood a “1-in-100-year” event, though such disasters are becoming more common in a warming world.
Matteson knows the risks of living near the water — and the odds of another flood. But her family says they can’t imagine walking away.
“If it’s something you love so dearly, saying goodbye almost isn’t an option,” Swindle said through tears. “It’s like suspending your disbelief.”
‘Love Is Blind’
Her grandson Barry Adelman, who was with the family during the flood, agrees.
“It’s part of who I am,” he said. “I want the younger generation to experience what I did. Even if it doesn’t make sense to rebuild — love is blind.”
The family is hoping for FEMA aid, but they know it won’t cover anywhere near the full cost. For now, Matteson is staying with her daughter, still unsure of how — or if — they can fund the repairs.
But her daughter, Sherry Matteson, is confident her mother won’t give up.
“You can’t live your life afraid of what might happen,” she said. “You have to live your life the best you can.”
And for this family, that means rebuilding, no matter the risk.
