Parents of 9-Year-Old Who Died in Catastrophic Flood Still ‘Not Ready’ to Read Final Letters She Mailed from Summer Camp

**In the Wake of Tragedy: A Family’s Heartbreak Following the Camp Mystic Flood**

In a moving account of grief and loss, Jenny and Doug Getten, parents to nine-year-old Ellen, shared their experiences surrounding the tragic flooding at Camp Mystic in Texas in July 2025. The Getten family has been struggling to come to terms with the death of their daughter, who was among the 25 campers who lost their lives during the disaster.

During a recent interview on a Dateline special, the couple spoke about the unopened letters Ellen sent from camp, which arrived after her passing. Held within two pink envelopes, these letters from their daughter remain sealed, a testament to the emotional weight they carry. “We can’t bring ourselves to open them up. We’re not ready to do that yet,” Doug shared, with Jenny adding that the act of opening the letters feels like a step towards a permanence they are not yet prepared to face.

Ellen was attending Camp Mystic for the first time, accompanied by her older sister Gwynne, who was 11 at the time. When they received the call informing them that Ellen was missing along with others from the camp, Jenny and Doug were hopeful for a positive outcome. “Death didn’t even cross my mind,” stated Jenny, reflecting their initial denial of the tragedy that had occurred.

The couple quickly made their way to Kerr County, burdened with uncertainty. They discovered that Gwynne had last seen her sister during a dance party the night before the flooding. “Gwynne went to Ellen’s cabin – they were having a dance party,” Jenny recounted, illustrating the innocence of that night. “She kissed Ellen goodnight, and they said they loved each other.” That heart-wrenching moment would mark the last time Gwynne would see her sister.

When the family reunited with Gwynne at a local church near the camp, it was clear that the ordeal had taken a toll on her. “She dropped to her knees and screamed, ‘I don’t want to be an only child,’” Jenny remembered. Despite their efforts to reassure Gwynne, saying, “Ellen is strong. She’s a strong swimmer. They’re going to find her,” hopes began to fade as time passed.

By July 6, the Getten family returned home to Houston, still clinging to the hope that they would soon hear good news. However, it wasn’t until July 12 that they received the devastating confirmation of Ellen’s death. “A Texas ranger called us and said we have her body. We have Ellen’s body,” Doug relayed, the pain evident in his voice. Jenny expressed her anguish, saying, “We weren’t allowed to see her because she had been in the water for so long. And that haunts me every single day.”

The floods in Texas saw nearly 140 deaths, including the loss of two camp counselors and camp director Dick Eastland. The Getten’s loss sits within this larger tragedy, a reminder of the fragility of life.

To cope with her grief, Jenny has connected with a support group comprising 11 other mothers from the Houston area who have experienced similar losses. “We have like 10 separate text threads,” she shared. “Every morning I wake up, and I know I’m going to have a message from a mum who’s gone through this. It might be, ‘I had a really bad night. I had a nightmare,’ or it might be a bible verse or devotional that really helped them that day.”

This daily connection serves as a lifeline for Jenny, enabling her to face each day amid profound heartache. “I know that every day I wake up, I’m going to be talking to them, and it helps me get out of bed and start my day,” she reported, showing that even in the depths of sorrow, community and shared experiences can provide some measure of comfort.

As the Getten family continues to navigate their grief, the unopened letters from Ellen stand as a poignant reminder of her vibrant spirit and the moments that were forever altered. While the journey of healing is long and fraught with challenges, it is also a testament to the enduring love between parents and their child, a bond that even tragedy cannot sever.