Robert and Thelma Kimbrough were not at home on the night of the July 4 flood. As they often do for the Fourth of July, they had traveled to Missouri to visit their nephew. Early on the morning of Friday, July 4, a neighbor called to ask whether they had seen the news or heard what was happening back in Kerrville. They had not. The next day, they began the trip home to see the damage for themselves.
What they found was heartbreaking. Their home along the Guadalupe had taken on an estimated 5 to 8 feet of floodwater, destroying nearly everything inside and sweeping many of their belongings downstream. Vehicles parked nearby were also lost. The force of the water had lifted their home and moved it across the yard, where it finally came to rest against a large clump of trees near the edge of the property.
In the difficult weeks that followed, the Kimbroughs were able to enter the Community Foundation’s needs assessment, where many groups came together to support their recovery. All Hands and Hearts helped build the slab for a new modular home that had been gifted to them. Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) was able to help with flooring and some appliances. Early donations through a GoFundMe account, organized by their granddaughter, allowed them to purchase a small RV, which became their home for the first few months after the flood. Their children helped to complete much of the interior work on the modular home, while partner organizations helped with exterior needs.
One especially meaningful moment came just a few weeks after the flood, when Mrs. Kimbrough received an unexpected call: someone had found her Bible in the water many miles downstream. It eventually made its way to a friend in Marble Falls, who helped return it to her. Because the Bible had been kept inside a leather zippered case, most of the mud and damage had been kept at bay. Her daughter’s handwritten notes inside remained intact—another small grace in the midst of so much loss.
“When I got the call that my Bible had been found miles downstream, I just couldn’t believe it,” Mrs. Kimbrough shared. “After losing so much, it felt like God was reminding me that some things are never truly lost.”
The Kimbroughs were especially grateful for Debbie, whose care and guidance helped them navigate the long road to recovery. They deeply appreciated the way she walked them through the intake process and the paperwork with patience and thoughtfulness, while also connecting them with the resources they needed to move forward.
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