A Texas father left emotional farewell voicemails to his children moments before he and his wife were swept away by deadly floodwaters in Kerrville. Jeff Ramsey, 61, an insurance salesman from Lewisville, remains missing after their Airstream camper was engulfed by a sudden flash flood at the HTR RV Park. His wife, Tanya, 46, was later found dead.
A final message of love
The couple’s son, Jake, recounted the harrowing moments to The New York Post, revealing that his father called him and his sister, Rachel, just before disaster struck. “He said, ‘Buddy, I love you so much. It doesn’t look like we are going to make it. Tell Rachey I love her,’” Jake said. He described the fear in his father’s voice, something he had never heard before. In a voicemail to Rachel, the sound of rushing water is audible, with Tanya screaming in the background, “We’re dying, we’re dying!” Despite the looming danger, Jeff used his final moments to warn Tanya’s mother and brother, who were staying in a cabin just 150 yards from the river. His early morning call at 4:30 AM helped them escape just in time. The cabin was later found completely submerged. “He saved their lives,” Jake said.
Jeff was involved with the Adaptive Training Foundation, a gym for amputees and those in wheelchairs. His son said the gym was his father’s “calling,” and he was often there with their dog, Chloe. Tanya, a breast cancer survivor, worked as a wig shop manager in Dallas and embraced Jake and Rachel as her own. In the midst of overwhelming loss, the family found a sliver of hope: Chloe, the couple’s whippet, was discovered alive at a local animal shelter thanks to her microchip. “That was the only good news we’ve gotten all weekend,” Jake said. “She was such a big part of both their lives.”
Ongoing search
Jake later discovered that an evacuation alert from the RV park was sent far too late. As he checked his father’s computer, he found a message timestamped at nearly the same time as the final voicemail. “It said, ‘Gather your belongings and head out as soon as possible.’ It was ridiculous,” Jake said, calling the timing “your worst nightmare.” Authorities continue to search for Jeff Ramsey as his loved ones grapple with the devastating loss. The tragedy has sparked renewed scrutiny of emergency alert systems and safety protocols at RV parks across the state.