Flower Mound resident Mark Glover wants closure. In his eyes, it’s not too much to ask, either. And yet, here he sits, day after day and night after night, barely sleeping a wink as he wonders when someone will finally find his friend Jeff Ramsey.
It’s been a month since Ramsey, a beloved Lewisville/Flower Mound resident whose family has been in this community since the 1970s, and his wife, Tanya, were swept away during the horrific July 4 flood of the Guadalupe River. They’d been camping in Kerrville when the river rose as much as 25 feet in 45 minutes, claiming countless lives in what is being called the fourth-deadliest flood in Texas history.
As of this writing, the death toll had reportedly reached 137, with only two people remaining missing. While Tanya’s body was eventually recovered, Jeff—or Ram Jam as he was affectionately called—has yet to be found.
“I work some of the day, but I can’t stop thinking about Jeff. We need to bring him home,” Glover said. He grew up going to school and church with Jeff, who was five years younger, and the rest of the Ramsey boys. His Facebook page has become a pseudo-information hub about the floods, with more than 60 or 70 posts related to Jeff and the tragedy. “The anguish is just not knowing what happened or where he is. I have to reconcile this just like everyone else, but it’s no secret that it’s hitting everyone hard.
“How are we going to write the ending of this story? I can tell you that ‘Jeff was never found’ isn’t good enough for me.”
Glover’s crusade is one that many share. Some also have a direct link to Jeff and want the Ramsey family to find peace, while others didn’t have any loved ones impacted by the tragedy, yet feel called to serve in whatever capacity they are needed. In the weeks following the flood, individuals and teams from across the state, nation, and internationally have joined in to help wherever they are needed. Search and rescue teams from the Czech Republic partnered with the National Guard, and veteran volunteer groups also brought supplies, ranging from digging machines to drinking water, to assist in the search for missing people.
Not to be outdone, numerous residents of southern Denton County and local businesses have stepped up to support search efforts, deliver supplies, and offer comfort to the affected families.
In many instances, these local do-gooders have gone out of their way to travel to the impacted areas and assist in any way they can. That includes Glover, who drove down to meet another local group less than a week after the flood in hopes of finding their lost friend and aiding whomever else they could.
“I must have walked up and down the river bed 10 to 20 times, and we weren’t alone. People are out there searching everywhere—grid by grid and day by day,” Glover said. “I think most of us want to save people. That’s why we’re here on this earth, right? I think if you watch what’s going on there right now, that’s what’s happening.”
Morgan Sokolow of Double Oak agrees. Admittedly, she didn’t know anyone impacted by the flooding, yet she felt a strong calling to aid in rescue efforts in the days immediately following the floods. Most of these feelings stemmed from having to deal with her own tragedy growing up. When she was in college, her father, Alan Sokolow, was in one of the World Trade Center towers during 9/11. Thankfully, he survived, but she didn’t hear from her father for what she refers to today as the worst eight hours of her life.
Fast forward to the devastation of the recent floods, and she couldn’t help but empathize with families that didn’t know if their loved ones were still alive or where to find them—sometimes several days after the water had receded.
Sokolow, who works for Argyle Air, connected with a Kerrville community group and brought supplies and machinery to the small town of Ingram, located between Hunt and Kerrville. She chose the area because she felt they were in dire need of supplies and rescue teams.
“We connected with a property owner who owned 25 acres on the river. It was all flat land with a beautiful grassy campground before the flood. By the time we got there, there were four feet of river rock covering the entire area,” Sokolow said. “I can’t even explain the magnitude of how much water had ripped through that area. Where I was standing, the water was probably two football fields wide and that same depth. On a normal day, the river was maybe 15 feet wide and three feet deep. The owner said the river rose two feet every 30 seconds. It was next-level fast, so fast that there was nothing anyone could do.”
She added, “As I was leaving on Sunday, there were probably 10 to 15 different fire stations flying in there to help. We’re talking stations from Oregon, Oklahoma, Bakersfield … each with their own swift water rescue teams. The team I was with had guys from Houston and even Uvalde, which has dealt with its own share of tragedy in recent years. They all genuinely wanted to help.”
As for what’s next, Glover and Sokolow admit the continuous efforts on the Guadalupe River will be long and tedious. However, as long as everyone continues to work together and focus on what’s most important, everyone should find the closure they need.
“Texas will heal itself if people just get out of the way, and that includes media, politicians, blamers, and haters,” Glover said. “After we bring Jeff home, maybe we can fix this so that it doesn’t happen again. I have a few ideas, but right now, I just want to find Jeff. I want that for me and anyone who knew him and his siblings. More importantly, I want it for his family.”
A memorial service will be held for the Ramsey’s at First Baptist Church of Lewisville on Saturday, August 9, at 11 a.m.
