Texas dad got swept away while ‘holding tight to his babies,’ eyewitness says

By
Monica Pop
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The death toll reached over 100 after the devastating Texas floods.

Tragic stories from the southern state come one right after another, showing the braveness of individuals who sacrificed their own lives for the sake of those of their loved ones.

Currently, a rescue operation is ongoing as a number of people are still missing.

Inside a cabin at Camp Mystic in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas/ Reuters via Daily Beast

The floods also swept away Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp in Kerr County. According to reports, 27 children and counselors hosted by the camp at the time floods surged 26 feet in just 45 minutes lost their lives while 11 are still missing.

“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the camp wrote in a statement on their website. At the time being, they are in contact with local authorities, continuing the search for “missing girls.”

“We ask for your continued prayers, respect, and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us,” the statement ended.

First responders looking for survivors and remains at Kerr County/ EPA

Camp Mystic’s director Dick Eastland died trying to take the children to safety.

“If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,” his grandson, George Eastland, wrote on Instagram, ABC reported. “A husband, father, grandfather, and mentor to thousands of young women, he no longer walks this earth, but his impact will never leave the lives he touched.”

Another tragic story from Texas speaks of the heroic final attempt of a dad to save his family at Kerr County, the region hit hardest by the catastrophic floods.

First responders at Blue Oak RV Park in Ingram, Texas/ Shutterstock

Lorena Guillen, owner of the Blue Oak RV Park, recalled how the father, identified as John Burges of Liberty, Texas, clung to a tree while holding his children and refused to let go of them. Not long after, they were all swept away by the rising water.

“My husband was in the water trying to ask them, ‘Please throw me your baby!’ The man was holding tight to his babies, and he just got swept away,” Guillen told the NY Post.

John Burgess/Facebook John Burgess

Burges’ wife and two sons are still missing, while his daughter, who was at a camp at the time of the floods remained safe.

The family was spending the Fourth of July weekend at Guillen’s park.

“The kids were so excited to be here,” Guillen said. “We heard people screaming throughout the night. The cabins from the RV park next door came floating, and they were getting smashed against the trees. ‘Help me! Help me!’ — that was the main thing. You heard a lot of screaming, it was just too much.”

Her entire camp was completely destroyed, but it is the thought of the lives lost that haunts her.

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Melania Trump’s closest confidante isn’t a celebrity—yet you probably recognize her

By
Monica Pop
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Melania Trump is a name known world-wide. Being married to the President of the United States of America and business mogul Donald Trump, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the public is interested in her private life. She, however, tends to stay out of the spotlight, which is also true for her son Baron and another person very close to the former First Lady, her older sister Ines Knauss.

Growing up, the two sisters shared a very strong bond, and today, that hasn’t changed even a bit.

The sisters were born in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, but grew up in the small railway town of Sevnica. Their father, Viktor, who was a car mechanic and chauffeur, and their mother, Amalija, who worked as a pattern-maker at a clothing factory, were able to provide a good life for Melania and Ines.

“I grew up with a beautiful family and had a wonderful childhood,” Melania Trump said. “My mother and father taught us the importance of education, hard work and family.”

Viktor and Amalija took their daughters on vacations in France, Italy, and Germany. Today, they live in the States but they still own their home in Slovenia which they visit several times a year.

The two sisters were always dressed impeccably as their mom spent hours designing and making clothes for them. Later on, Melania designed the clothes her mother sewed for her herself.

“She was very pretty,” Tomšič, who has run a local hospital to which Melania donated $25,000 after marrying Donald Trump, told GQ in 2016. “She was always very fancy.”

Youtube/BBC

At the age of 16, Melania was scouted by fashion photographer Stane Jerko who spotted her leaning on a fence while leaving a fashion show at the Festival Hall.

“By the staircase at the entrance, I saw this girl,” Jerko recalled. “She was tall, slim, with long hair. I told her who I was, what I did, and why I would photograph her.”

It was back in 1987 when young Melania decided to drop out of the University of Ljubljana and focus on modeling instead. It took her only a year to get a contract with a modeling agency in Milan.

Once in Milan, Melania focused on her goal of making a name for herself and went home after work instead of partying.

“She kept to herself, she was a loner. After a shoot or a catwalk, she went home, not out. She didn’t want to waste time partying,” Jerko said.

Melania didn’t embark on this adventure by herself, her sister Ines, who also wanted a career in the world fashion, as a designer, accompanied her.

Speaking of Ines, Paris-based photographer Ale de Basseville who took the nude photos of Melania for the French magazine told the New York Post, “She really wanted to be in fashion but didn’t know how to break in.

“Ines wasn’t like the other girls you would meet there, who behave like queens. She was really polite and very mellow.”

When Melania met famous Italian businessman Paolo Zampolli, who helped her get a work visa to the U.S., her sister went with her.

Ines Knauss at 20. Facebook/InesKnauss

At a Kit Kat Club event during the New York Fashion Week in 1998, Zampolli brought a friend, Donald Trump. He was with a date that night, but when he saw Melania, he immediately wanted to know more about her.

One of Melania’s friends, Edit Molnar, spoke of that night and explained that Donald asked Melania for her number, but she didn’t give it to him because he wasn’t alone. “Melania said, ‘He’s here with a woman. I am absolutely not giving him my number,’” Molnar told New York Post. “She wouldn’t even consider it. Donald did all the work.”

Melania also spoke of the night she first met Donald Trump. “He wanted my number,” she told Tatler. “But he was on a date, so of course I didn’t give it to him. I said, ‘I am not giving you my number; give me yours and I will call you.’ If I give him my number, I’m just one of the women he calls.”

Well, the rest is history, and as much as Melania wants to ‘hide’ from the world, we still know a thing or two about her, which can’t be said about Ines, who isn’t only Melania’s sister but also her closest confidante.

PALM BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 4: (TABS OUT) Ines Knauss, Melania Trump, and Audrey Gruss attend the Valentino Fashion Luncheon benefitting Boy’s Club of New York at Mar-a-Lago February 4, 2005 in Palm Beach Florida. (Photo by Lucien Capehart Photography, Inc/Getty Images)

According to People, Ines was her sister’s maid-of-honor at her wedding to Donald Trump.

Ines is reported to be residing in a Trump-owned apartment – in a building on the Upper East Side in which Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump also resided before they moved into their new home. Her apartment is just four blocks away from her sister’s triplex penthouse at Trump Tower.

Palm Beach philanthropist Audrey Gruss met Ines at a fundraiser for the Boys’ Club of New York at Mar-a-Lago in 2005. She said Ines struck her “as a lovely person, and extremely creative,” adding that the two sisters are extremely close.

Twitter/Melania Trump

Ines appears to be an artist. In the past, Melania shared on the social media illustrations done by her sister.

Speaking to The Post, Milan-based fashion designer Luisa Beccaria confirmed that the two sisters are like best friends and added that when Barron was born, Melania relied on her sister the most. “Melania had all the professional help she needed at that point,” he said. “But it was her sister she trusted.”

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Terrifying video shows Texas flash floods surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes

By
Monica Pop
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What was supposed to be a peaceful Fourth of July afternoon turned into a devastating catastrophe for the Texan people affected by the floods that surged 26 feet in a matter of 45 minutes.

The number of fatalities exceeded 100, with Kerrville mayor Joe Herring Jr. disclosing on Monday that local officials “didn’t even have a warning” ahead of the floods, the Daily Beast reported. “I did not receive a flood notification. I did not know.

Further, Herring told CNN’s Pamela Brown in an interview Monday through tears, “I think everyone in Kerrville, everyone in Kerr County, wishes we had some way to warn those people,” “I’ve lost two friends. We loved them. And they’re gone. They’re gone.”

Eric Vryn/Getty Images

The floods were caused after storm dumped more than a foot of rain on the region and the Guadalupe River overflowed into nearby roads.

At a Friday press conference, Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd expressed frustration over the inaccurate weather reports, stating, “the original forecast that we received Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3-6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4-8 inches in the Hill Country.”

Inside a cabin at Camp Mystic in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas/ Reuters via Daily Beast

The floods swept away Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp in Kerr County. Camp’s nurse Devon Paige shared a video of the girls having fun taken just an hour before the catastrophe struck. At the time of the tragic floods, the camp hosted around 750 girls — 27 of them lost their lives.

A woman that goes by @kelseycrowder_ on TikTok shared a video of the devastating floods and the moment the river raised.

She captured the video, “Frio River Flood 2025. NATURE. IS. WILD.”

@kelseycrowder_ Frio River Flood 2025. NATURE. IS. WILD. #FrioRiver #frioriverconcantx #frioriverflood2025 #concanTX #FYP #4thofjulyflood ♬ original sound – Kelsey Crowder

In the response of the video, many people criticized the removal of flash flood alerts by the National Weather Service.

“They got rid of the National Weather System so those alerts that say FLASH FLOOD WARNING were not sent out! Some of these occurred like at 4am mind you,” one person commented.

“Imagine if there was a way to warn people in advance,” another added.

A third person commented, “Texas didn’t have a weather advisory because that fool cut the budget of the national weather service.”

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Last words of a father who dies trying to save family in Texas flood

By
Monica Pop
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The Texas flood not only destroyed communities, but families too.

On July 4, the day when people across the country celebrate freedom, a brave father made the ultimate sacrifice trying to save his mother, his fiancée, and his children in Kerr County, during the flood that struck the state of Texas.

After a month’s worth of intense rain poured in a few hours, the Guadalupe River rose to a perilous 26-foot level, forcing authorities to place Texas under a state of emergency.

As his family was stuck inside the house that started filling with water at high speed, 27-year-old Julian Ryan punched through a window when “the glass severed his artery in his arm, and almost cut it clean off,” his fiancée Christinia Wilson said.

Jim Vondruska / Getty

The family started calling 911 repeatedly, but emergency services couldn’t reach their home in time to save Ryan’s life.

“By six o’clock, (Ryan) was dead. He’d lost all 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 you all,” heartbroken Wilson recalled.

His body couldn’t be recovered until hours later when the floodwater receded.

“He died a hero, and that will never go unnoticed,” said Ryan’s sister, Connie Salas.

His grieving mother said her son was “the hero of this story.”

Julian Ryan@Julian Ryan via Facebook

A GoFundMe was set to support the family with “unforeseen financial burdens that come with such a sudden tragedy.”

Col. Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said on Friday, “We brought in over 100 troopers this morning. And they’ve worked all day, rescues, high water vehicles, boats, rescue divers, seven rescue helicopters with hoist capabilities.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated, “We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person and ensure everybody involved in this is going to be fully accounted for.”

President Trump described the floods as a “terrible thing.”

The number of people killed in the devastating Texas flood reached 81. Among them there are children, and one person is still missing.

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New poll reveals unexpected 2028 presidential race contenders

By
Monica Pop
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The most recent poll conducted by Emerson College reveals new insights into the political landscape of the 2028 US presidential election.

According to the survey, Vice President JD Vance soared to the position of frontrunner, while current President Donald Trump experienced a noticeable drop in his approval ratings.

Based on the answers of 1,000 registered voters — including 416 Republican primary voters — Vance is way out front in the 2028 GOP lineup with 46% support, while Rubio and DeSantis lag behind with 12% and 9%.

Flickr

Independent Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received support of 5%, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley garnered 2 percent each.

Six other candidates polled at 1 percent or less.

The number of undecided voters in the party dropped from 50% in November to 17% in this poll.

When it comes to the Democrats, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has surpassed former vice president Kamala Harris in the poll.

Pete Buttigieg/ Alex Wong/Getty Images

Some experts argue that the drop in Trump’s ratings is a result of the politics he has implemented since taking Office for the second time. Among the rest, he has signed a plethora of executive orders such as enacting new tariffs on imported goods — causing political tensions at home and abroad — and engaging in a highly publicized feud with tech billionaire Elon Musk. 

Also, he signed an order for the US to leave the World Health Organization, changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and most recently, he ordered the Treasury to phase out federal tax credits for solar and wind projects.

Most of Trump’s decisions have caused stir and have been dubbed controversial by experts and Democrats.

Wikimedia Commons

Recently, Trump ordered airstrikes on three suspected nuclear facilities in Iran — Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

In retaliation, Iran targeted a US military base in Qatar with rocket attacks.

The results provided with the recent poll show not only the public’s opinion on the current administration but also what Americans look for in their potential future leader.

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My MIL insisted on babysitting every Wednesday — I hid a camera when my daughter started acting strange

By
Monica Pop
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Family ties can be complex at times, especially when it comes to in-laws.

When Martha’s MIL insisted on babysitting 4-year-old Beverly, Martha wasn’t thrilled. However, the MIL was adamant about taking care of the girl every Wednesday so that the two could bond and spend some quality time together and Beverly could take a day off from kindergarten.

Although Martha had her doubts, her husband, Jason, insisted his mother’s idea was worth considering, so Martha finally agreed.

However, Wednesday after Wednesday, Beverly started acting strange. Out of nowhere, she started talking about her grandma’s “special friend.” When Martha asked her who that special friend was, the girl hesitated to answer as though she was warned to keep it a secret.

Pexels

After a couple of months, Beverly started talking about her grandma’s ‘special friend’ again. When Martha confronted her mother-in-law, she dismissed it, saying that little girls have wild imaginations. She brushed off Martha’s concerns and acted as if nothing unusual was happening in the house while she and Jason were away.

But Martha could sense something wasn’t wight.

Behind her husband’s back, she installed a camera in the living room, waiting to catch her MIL in the act.

When Wednesday rolled around, Martha turned on her laptop and watched closely what was going on in her home while she was at the office.

Pexels

At first, nothing seemed off. Beverly and her grandma were having fun together, playing with building bricks and drawing with crayons. But then, someone knocked on the door.

Martha couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Alexa, Jason’s ex-wife.

When Beverly saw her, she ran towards her and hugged her as though she had known her since she was born.

Martha realized that Alexa was her MIL’s “special friend.”

Without giving it a second thought, Martha rushed home.

“What’s going on in here?” she yelled.

Pexels

To her surprise, her MIL didn’t even try to defend herself. Instead, she turned to Martha and said, “My son should have never married you. Alexa has always been the right woman for him.”

Martha told both women to leave her house.

That evening, she showed the footage to Jason. He was shocked at what he saw and they both decided to keep their girl away from his mother.

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Woman mistook deadly illness for perimenopause

By
Monica Pop
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Laura Dawson, a 44-year-old mother of two, experienced bloating and fatigue in the mornings for months, which led to a devastating diagnosis that cut her life short.

Dawson, a Londoner, mistook the symptoms for perimenopause when in fact she had stage three bowel cancer.

It wasn’t until she experienced excruciating abdominal pain one night that she sought urgent medical help at the A&E.

Dawson had to undergo emergency surgery to remove an obstruction on her bowel. However, while the surgery was dubbed successful, further tests revealed she had cancer.

Ben Dawson/SWNS

According to her husband Ben, Dawson underwent six months of chemotherapy, and the initial scans were promising.

“We got one clear scan in August and it all seemed promising. But then in September we got the news that it was back and it had spread. That was absolutely gut-wrenching,” Ben said.

After her cancer returned, Dawson tried other forms of chemo, but two months ago she decided to discontinue treatment as it made her feel more ill. Instead, she decided to spend her remaining time with her family and friends.

St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham, south-east London, supported Dawson, making it possible for her to spend more time at home in a “comfortable and dignified way.”

Ben Dawson/SWNS

Dawson passed away at St Christopher’s Hospice on Sunday, June 29, with her husband by her side.

“The care Laura received at home from the carers from St Christopher’s allowed her to have her final two weeks at home in a comfortable and dignified way. Then, during the nearly three weeks she stayed at the hospice, she was so well looked after – and everyone there was so compassionate and so caring – that it made Laura’s last few days so good for her. We’re eternally grateful that such a positive experience could come from such a negative situation.”

Speaking of her condition, Dawson previously said, “Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks. As a society, we shy away from the process of dying.

Ben Dawson/SWNS

“By doing that, we reinforce negative ideas around death. People think death is always going to be painful and traumatic, but it doesn’t have to be.

“Deep down we all know we are going to die. Cancer has forced me to acknowledge it. Since then I’ve lived more fully than I’ve ever done and that has been a gift.”

She passed away knowing she was loved and cared for.

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FBI addresses conspiracy theories about Jeffrey Epstein’s death

By
Monica Pop
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In August 2019, disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in federal custody. However, over the years, there have been many speculations and conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death, leaving the public with more questions than answers.

After years of silence, the FBI has finally addressed the conspiracy theories, with Deputy Director Dan Bongino revealing to Fox News Thursday morning that the Intelligence Agency possesses surveillance footage of the night Epstein died.

He was found hanging in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre.

Jeffrey Epstein/ New York State Sex Offender Registry

According to Newsweek, Attorney General Pam Bondi previously stated that the FBI is reviewing “tens of thousands of videos” involving Epstein with children or involving child p**n, with “hundreds of victims” identified.

As they are handling vast evidence, she asked from the public to extend patience.

Some of the theories that circulated among the public and on the social media claimed Epstein was executed due to his purported “client list” that allegedly contained the names of those using his services, among which a number of celebrities, politicians, and other highly-influential individuals.

The footage in question shows no one walking across, towards, or away from Epstein’s cell—except for a guard leaving after escorting him inside—until the morning when he was found unresponsive, the US Justice Department (DoJ) noted.

US Department of Justice

Further, the FBI stated they found no evidence that Epstein had a ‘client list‘ that he used to blackmail individuals.

“This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list’. There was also no evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.

“We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

The report further added that the prison failed to assign the billionaire another cellmate after he was placed on suicide watch.

The Justice Department stated that the government’s “highest priorities is combatting child exploitation and bringing justice to victims” and added that “perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.”

They continued: “While we have labored to provide the public with maximum information regarding Epstein and ensured examination of any evidence in the government’s possession, it is the determination of the DOJ and the FBI that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”

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