As floodwaters rose in Texas, camp counselors hoisted children onto rafters, carried them to dry ground and sang with them to keep them calm.

Camp Mystic has deep roots with Texas politicians, including former first lady Laura Bush, who worked as a counselor there, and former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent his daughters there.

Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight's little sister, Paisley, was at a camp on a smaller arm of the Guadalupe River. The 14-year-old was "just miles" away from Camp Mystic in Central Texas, which has been devastated by the deadly floodwaters spurred by extreme rainfall on July 4.

Frantic calls from parents are being answered at summer camps across central Texas. One camp telling KXAN investigators parents are calling and checking on their kids and asking about emergency plans in place.

Catastrophic flooding in Texas has devastated faith-based summer camps, including Camp Mystic, where at least 27 people have died.

MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION: The catastrophic flooding struck on Friday, causing a surge of 20 to 26 feet on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, causing widespread damage. President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, which is west of Austin.