Well, the water, which you can still hear, came in extremely quickly, and trees were snapped like toothpicks. Families saying they really didn't have much time to realize what was going on. That includes Christina Wilson and her fiance Julian Ryan. They were at their home in Ingram about 15 minutes from Kerrville when they say everything happened all at once. He's not *** hero. And that will never gone unnoticed. Through tears and shock, the family of 27 year old Julian Ryan tells us the father, brother, and fiance died *** hero in the early Friday morning hours. Floodwaters suddenly swelled into the home he shared with his fiancee and mother and Ingram close to the Guadalupe River. And it just started pouring in. We had to fight the door to get it closed just so that too much didn't come in. And we ran back to the room and we started calling 911. Julian's fiancee Christina Wilson says after 20 minutes, the water was up to their knees, Julian punching open *** window to try and get her, their children, and his mother to the roof. It severed his artery, and his arm, almost cut it clean off. Christina says they kept calling 911, but no one came in time to save him. By 6 o'clock, my husband was dead. He had lost all of it, all his blood. He looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and he was like, Sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love you all. Christina says she found her fiance after the water receded, but his body wasn't recovered for hours. Now loved ones remember the man they call *** hero. He was the hero out of this story, especially when they told him my brother is dying. It should have went to him first. I mean that's how I see it. He's just the kindest person I've ever met in my life, and I will forever love him no matter what. The four stand together saying more needs to be implemented to never let this happen again. All 4 of you, do you guys think? That flood sirens would have saved lives in this situation. Most likely yes, yes. They would have been, everybody been worried what's that noise? What's that noise? We would have left. We wouldn't went anywhere else. We have so many places we could have gone that were safe. In Kerrville, I'm Amanda Henderson, KHOU 11 News.
'He died a hero': Man dies helping his family escape Texas flooding
![CNN logo]()
Updated: 10:59 AM CDT Jul 6, 2025
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Crews in Central Texas are in a desperate search for people missing in devastating flood waters.Families of those who have died in the flooding are in anguish, including the family of a man who died trying to save them as floodwaters rose.Christina Wilson and her fiancé, Julian Ryan, were at their home in Ingram, about 15 minutes from Kerrville, when they say everything happened all at once.In the early Friday morning hours, floodwaters suddenly swelled into the home Ryan, 27, shared with his fiancée and mother close to the Guadalupe River.“It just started pouring in, and we had to fight the door to get it closed to make sure not too much got in. We went back to the room and started calling 911," Wilson said.Wilson says after 20 minutes, the water was up to their knees. Ryan punched open a window to try to get her, their children and his mother to the roof."It severed his artery in his arm and almost cut it clean off," Wilson said.She says they kept calling 911, but no one came in time to save him.“By 6, my husband was dead. He had lost all of his blood. He looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said, ‘I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.'" Christina says she found her fiancé after the water receded, but his body wasn't recovered for hours.Connie Salas, Ryan’s sister, said, "He died a hero, and that will never go unnoticed."Wilson and family said they believe flood sirens could have saved lives.“We would have left,” Wilson said. “We would have gone anywhere else. We had so many places that were safe."
INGRAM, Texas — Crews in Central Texas are in a desperate search for people missing in devastating flood waters.
Families of those who have died in the flooding are in anguish, including the family of a man who died trying to save them as floodwaters rose.
Christina Wilson and her fiancé, Julian Ryan, were at their home in Ingram, about 15 minutes from Kerrville, when they say everything happened all at once.
In the early Friday morning hours, floodwaters suddenly swelled into the home Ryan, 27, shared with his fiancée and mother close to the Guadalupe River.
“It just started pouring in, and we had to fight the door to get it closed to make sure not too much got in. We went back to the room and started calling 911," Wilson said.
Wilson says after 20 minutes, the water was up to their knees.
Ryan punched open a window to try to get her, their children and his mother to the roof.
"It severed his artery in his arm and almost cut it clean off," Wilson said.
She says they kept calling 911, but no one came in time to save him.
“By 6, my husband was dead. He had lost all of his blood. He looked at me and the kids and my mother-in-law and said, ‘I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all.'"
Christina says she found her fiancé after the water receded, but his body wasn't recovered for hours.
Connie Salas, Ryan’s sister, said, "He died a hero, and that will never go unnoticed."
Wilson and family said they believe flood sirens could have saved lives.
“We would have left,” Wilson said. “We would have gone anywhere else. We had so many places that were safe."
