Texas Flood Victim Receives Heartwarming Gift Amid Tragedy
In the midst of devastation, a powerful symbol of hope emerged.
Volunteers traveled three hours to return an ultrasound picture lost in the catastrophic Texas floods to a mother from Kerrville. The ultrasound photo, which captured her daughter Willow while still in the womb, was believed irretrievably lost when their garage was swept away during severe flooding early on July 4.
“She’s a remarkable child—strong, intelligent, and kind,” Frondorf reflected on her now 9-year-old daughter. “When I cleaned the photo, I was overwhelmed with emotions and broke down in the kitchen.”
“During such a crisis, you focus on salvaging what seems most crucial,” she explained. “You don’t think to grab photographs, but rather items readily available, like documents, while those memories may slip away.”
The muddy photograph was discovered around 10 miles away in Center Point by 22-year-old Roger Flores, who was volunteering with his mother, Marlena, in cleanup operations.
“As a mother, I understood how much it meant to her,” said Marlena, part of the Berclair Volunteer Fire Department. “I felt compelled to ensure it was returned.”
Marlena shared the ultrasound photo in a Facebook group created for Kerrville flood victims, requesting assistance and mentioning the name “Lacy Ndorf,” which was partly visible.
“If anyone recognizes her, please let her know we have it and will return it!” the post requested.
A vigilant Facebook user identified the rightful owner, enabling Marlena and Roger to arrange a three-hour drive from Berclair to Kerrville.
Frondorf, a registered nurse with an 11-year-old son, recounted the loss of cherished memories, saying they were taken by the floods.
“Finding an ultrasound photo brings a sense of hope, peace, and love,” Frondorf said. “It serves as a reminder to persevere amidst hardship.”
The historic floods in Texas Hill Country resulted in the tragic deaths of 134 individuals, with 107 reported in Kerr County alone. Dozens remain unaccounted for.
Although Frondorf’s house, situated on elevated ground, escaped flooding, their car and garage were lost. She has temporarily sent Willow, who enjoys river activities, to stay with her grandparents until recovery efforts stabilize.
“We’ve discovered several bodies on our property, so finding personal items is quite challenging,” Frondorf described, referring to her home as a “war zone.”
Meanwhile, Flores, engaged in recovery work, expressed her emotions as she sifted through the devastation with her family, often fighting tears.
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“We’ve uncovered life jackets, including baby ones. That was heart-wrenching, knowing a child may have worn it and didn’t survive, found far from the tragedy,” Flores shared.
Initially, the Frondorfs feared their pet pig, Mohawk, was also lost in the flood, as his pen was submerged.
“He’s a beloved member of our family, a rescue pig we’ve had for three years. It was heartbreaking to think he was gone,” Frondorf recounted.
To their surprise, hours after evacuating, Mohawk was spotted walking along the roadside.
“It seems pigs are good swimmers,” Frondorf remarked.
For Frondorf, the resilience of the Texas community has been a source of strength, and she expressed gratitude for the dedicated volunteers.
“The kindness shown by search and rescue volunteers has been remarkable, and their efforts led to the recovery of that ultrasound,” Frondorf stated.
Flores remains committed to her role until the recovery process is complete.
“If this were to happen in our area of Texas, I know others would come to our aid,” Flores expressed. “That’s the spirit of Texas; when one suffers, we all feel the pain.”
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