Former North Texas first responder reflects on deadly Hill Country flood: "And the things we saw and dealt with will never go away"

Brady Constantine isn't a one-man show. Crucial to carrying out his duties as Kendall County Emergency Services Director and Fire Marshal are the emergency responders within his reach. Certainly, good relationships with County officials help, too.

The Comfort native who rode ambulances in Fort Worth and worked in the fire marshal's office in Parker County was aware of his professional assets, including swiftwater technology, rescue-recovery diving, wildland firefighting, critical care paramedic, and other credentials. All of them were put to the test in July 2025.

"I feel I was as prepared as I could be," Constantine said.

The husband and father said he recalls watching a weather system on July 3, 2025, because of the Comfort Fourth of July Parade. He needed to put a plan together.

"My radar was: Is it going to hail?  How much rain are we going to get? How am I going to notify people?" he said. "Who cancels the parade and gets to pull that plug? Where are we going to move these people? And when?"

Before the sun could rise the next morning, an emergency—to say the least—was happening in neighboring Kerr County. He could listen to what was transpiring. It did not sound promising.

"Listening to their dispatch put out, 'People trapped' or 'They've got children going down the river, and they got eyes on them—and they don't have eyes anymore," Constantine recalled.

He remembered calling County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, sending him to emergency operations without explanation, and meeting the judge to tell him trouble was flowing their way.

The Guadalupe River and Cypress Creek forced evacuations. Rising waters caused rescues and threatened first responders, too. He said a Center Point fire station faced high water. In the meantime, their first rescue call was a man stranded in a tree. The man's family was still inside the house. They were rescued.

Roads became impassable. The reach of his authority was even tested in situations where lives could have been placed in harm's way.

"In the end, we didn't have anybody reported as missing or being seen as physically swept away here in Kendall County," he said.

But they did not elude death. Bodies started floating into the county. Constantine went on eight of nine recoveries, including a child.

"I don't remember where they each exactly came from, but throughout our communities of Comfort and Waring (Wearing), and  even down towards Sisterdale. We had nine fatal recoveries here in the county altogether," he said.

Constantine would meet grieving families, as duty wouldn't even let him spend much time at home. He said volunteer firefighters would continue searches into the night—checking debris, looking for children and the elderly.

"Yelling, can anybody hear me?" he said.

The Kendall County fire leader recalls finding a teddy bear they believed floated more than 50 miles into their county.

"And the things we saw and dealt with will never go away," he said. "And I remember every single one of their faces when we pulled them out."

More than 135 people were killed in the Hill Country flood. The majority of which happened in Kerr County. Through a spokesperson, the Kerr County Office of Emergency Preparedness, and even local fire leaders in Kerrville, decline to be interviewed by CBS News Texas. In part, the statement said,

"Our top priority is our community's recovery and future safety. As such, we believe our time is best spent focused on ensuring that our homes, businesses and infrastructure are rebuilt stronger and focused on making sure the needs of our local residents and visitors are well met.

As we approach what is a sensitive milestone, it is admittedly a tough time for all of us who experienced the flood and its aftermath. We grieve the devastating loss of the 119 souls who perished in Kerr County, and their families and friends continue to be in the forefront of our minds and in our hearts.

Together, we are persistent in our search for the missing, we are working hard to rebuild homes and businesses that were destroyed and, with much optimism, we are determined to find our way forward to a better future."

Constantine is talking, though. In fact, he is sharing how his perspective of disaster has changed with first responders across the country. He was in Fort Worth speaking in May.

"I have never believed in seconds count, time matters more than I do today—-uh specifically talking about the flood," he said. "Watching how fast the water came up. Watching houses go from sitting on foundations to floating down the river to RVs being picked up and carried away. Until you see that live—-and people in trees and families in couches standing on couches just trying to stay out of water. It's hard to explain."