North Texas family recalls daughter lost in Central Texas floods: "She was loud. Our house is really quiet now"

One year after devastating flash flooding at Camp Mystic killed 27 girls and counselors, families are still living in the aftermath of a tragedy that changed their lives in an instant and continues to shape every day since.

For Carrie Hanna of North Texas, grief is not something measured in time. It is something present in the quiet of her home, in the details of memories she cannot forget, and in the life she and her husband, Doug Hanna, are now trying to rebuild around the absence of their daughter.

Their 8-year-old, Hadley Hanna, was among those who died when floodwaters surged through the camp along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville in the early morning hours.

Carrie and Doug say Hadley was the kind of child who filled every space she entered. She was the middle child of Harper and Hunter Hanna, a role her parents say she embraced fully, moving between protector, comedian, and constant companion.

"She was loud. Our house is really quiet now," Carrie said. "She always made her presence known. She was just really special. One of a kind."

Known for nonstop energy and affection

In the Hanna home, Hadley was known for nonstop energy and affection, the kind of child who turned ordinary moments into performances and routine days into something memorable.

"She was Harper's best friend and Hunter's best friend," Carrie said. "She was a great middle sister. They still love each other so much."

Even a short home video captures that spirit. Hadley's voice comes through clearly as she says, "I'll always be a baby, even when I'm a teenager."

Camp Mystic was not just a summer tradition for Hadley. It was part of a family legacy. Carrie had attended camps along the Guadalupe River growing up, and she and Doug say they trusted the experience — a place where generations of families sent daughters to grow in independence, faith, and friendship.

So when they dropped Hadley off last summer, Carrie remembers joy, not hesitation.

"The last memory I have of her was her running away from me at camp drop-off," she said. "She threw her hands in the air and was so happy. I'm glad that is the last thing I saw."

Five days later, that moment of joy was replaced by a tragedy that unfolded before sunrise.

Historic floodwaters rushed through Camp Mystic, overwhelming cabins and sweeping across the grounds while campers slept.

Harper Hanna survived. Hadley was among those reported missing.

Carrie says the hours that followed are still difficult to fully process, marked by confusion, phone calls, and the growing fear that something irreversible had happened.

"I woke up to my phone just blowing up," she said. "People asking if I had heard anything about flooding or girls being found downriver. I did not know anything."

Days later, Hadley's body was recovered.

Carrie said the moment of identification is something she carries with her in a deeply personal way.

"Her nails were how we identified her," she said. "She had painted them alternating green and yellow before camp."

She said that was the moment the hope she had been holding onto ended.

"I just told her how sorry I was, that I loved her, and begged her to forgive me," Carrie said.

Honoring "Heaven's 27"

In total, 27 girls and counselors died in the flooding. Nine were from North Texas. Families now refer to them as "Heaven's 27."

In the year since, Carrie says she has found an unexpected connection with other grieving families who understand a loss that cannot be explained or contained.

"We wish we did not know each other because we wish none of us were in this position," she said. "But thank goodness we are together."

That shared grief eventually became action.

Carrie and Doug Hanna traveled to Austin, where they testified before lawmakers, calling for stronger flood preparedness and emergency warning systems after what they describe as systemic failures.

"Our precious, hilarious, kind, silly, loving little girl died because there was no plan," Carrie said during testimony. "There was no backup system or sirens."

Lawmakers later passed multiple bills, expanding flood warning requirements and strengthening preparedness standards in flood-prone areas.

For Carrie, that work is part of Hadley's legacy, but not the only part.

That legacy also lives on through Hugs From Hadley, a nonprofit founded by Doug Hanna to honor their daughter's unhesitating love for people.

"She would just come up and get you from behind and give you a big hug," Carrie said. "I would give anything for a hug now."

The organization supports efforts and communities that reflect Hadley's spirit of kindness and connection, turning personal loss into ongoing service.

"If she could see all the good that is being done in her name, she would say thank you," Carrie said.

Across the Park Cities and North Texas, green ribbons, yard signs, and small memorials remain part of the landscape -- quiet reminders of nine young lives lost in the region and a tragedy that still feels present.

Carrie says the grief has not faded. It has simply become part of how life moves forward.

"We thought Hadley was destined for greatness," she said. "And she still is. It is just not how we expected it to be."

She added, "I hate that it took our 27 angels to change things, but they are making a difference."