“The Kerrville Flood”

* See Facebook for the Images from the Wall of Honor, located on Water Street in Kerrville.

On July 4th, 2025, the Hill Country communities of Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Centerpoint, Texas, and those downstream on the Guadalupe River experienced a devastating flood. This book of photos, “The Kerrville Flood,” is a tribute to those who were lost and the resilience of the communities affected.

The Story

“The Kerrville Flood” is a work in progress, and so is its title. This book will tell the story of the flood through powerful photos, with minimal text to let the images speak for themselves.

The sections of the book are tentative and will depend on the participation of the community and those affected by the flood. The sections include:

  • Historical Photos of People and Landmarks
  • July 3rd, the Day Before
  • Communities
  • Water and a Map
  • Weather
  • Water and Hydrology
  • Debris
  • Devastation and Damage
  • Local Heroes
    • Firefighters
    • EMS Medics
    • Law Enforcement
    • Coast Guard
    • Army National Guard
  • Lost Heroes
  • The Civil Engineers (Water & Electrical)
  • The Search
    • Texas Division of Emergency Management
    • The Immediate Responders and Volunteers
    • The FEMA Task Forces Responders
    • The International Responders
    • The Animals and their Handlers
  • The Tools
    • Fire Engines
    • Boats
    • Aircraft
    • Ambulances
    • Swift Waters
    • SCUBA
  • The Food
    • HEB
    • Operation BBQ Relief
    • Mercy Chefs
    • Individual Teams
  • The Donations and Charity
    • Corporate Supplies Donated
    • Individual Supplies Donated
    • Anonymous through Amazon
    • By Money
  • The Caregivers, for both Human and Animals
  • The Spiritual Responders
  • Mental Health
  • The Aftermath
  • The Monuments to those Lost
  • The Teams
  • The Leaders

Stories About the Victims

Throughout the book, the stories of the victims, as told by their families and friends, will fill the bottom quarter of each page, with at least one page dedicated to each victim. If a family declines to participate, their wishes will be respected.

About the Photos

The photos in the book will be collected from various sources, including and priority given in this order to:

  • The Author, Tom Olson
  • Residents and Members of the Local Community
  • Rescuers and Responders
  • Photojournalist that Reported from the Flood

How to Submit Your Photos

To contribute your photos, please send an email to the author, Tom Olson, with the following information:

  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Email Address
  • A Description of the Photos Available for the Effort
  • A Description of any Restrictions on the Photos’ Use

The Proceeds of the Book

The proceeds from the sale of the book, minus its costs, will be donated back to the community and families of the victims.

The administration of the book will be overseen by a qualified 501c3 charity and/or a Certified Public Accountant versed in charitable accounting. This is to be determined.

About the Author

Tom Olson retired to the Hill Country town of Comfort, Texas, in 2024.

Mr. Olson is a writer, reporter, and photojournalist uniquely qualified to tell these stories because of his experience as a combat veteran, US Navy hospital corpsman, nurse, paramedic, and firefighter. He is a veteran of domestic and international responses to national disasters and crimes, where he coordinated the search efforts for lost or missing victims.

Mr. Olson still works part-time as a writer, reporter, and photojournalist. His work has been published recently in The Kerrville Daily Times, The Boerne Star, and The Fredericksburg Standard, where he still works today. His career in journalism started in 1984 when, at 14, he worked at the Alvin Sun and Advertiser. Throughout the years, his works have been published via United Press International (UPI) and his freefall photography in Skydiving and Parachutist magazines.

On July 6, 2025, his professional journalism stopped, effectively embargoed, while he and Abby joined the Ingram Volunteer Fire Department in its area of operations, searching for victims of the flood on the north and south banks of the Guadalupe River in its area of operations.

Abby’s and Mr. Olson’s efforts were highly effective in the course of the search efforts, directly finding victims of the flood and supporting other canine search teams by reinforcing or ruling out false positive finds.