DALLAS — Nearly one year after the deadly Texas Hill Country flooding, Annie and RJ Harber publicly shared how they are coping with the loss of their two daughters and RJ’s parents, saying their Catholic faith has helped them move forward while they hope to grow their family again.
The North Texas couple spoke about the deaths of 13-year-old Blair Harber, 11-year-old Brooke Harber, and RJ’s parents, who were among those killed when catastrophic flooding struck Central Texas on July 4, 2025.
Inside St. Rita Catholic Church, the couple reflected on the lives of Blair and Brooke and the memories they continue to cherish.
“You still wake up hoping that it’s a dream, and you get out of bed and this is our reality,” Annie Harber said.
RJ Harber described Blair as his “closest companion,” while Annie Harber said Blair was “the kindest, most loving, gentle soul.”
The couple said Brooke brought energy and confidence wherever she went.
The Harbers said they spent many summers along the Guadalupe River before the flooding changed their lives.
Annie Harber said she woke during a lightning storm early on July 4 and asked her husband to check on their daughters because she thought they might be frightened.
“Never did I think when he stepped out that our house would be flooded,” she said.
RJ Harber said floodwaters rose rapidly.
“If I had not put my foot down, Annie and I would have been washed away,” he said.
The couple escaped, but Blair and Brooke, who were staying in a nearby house with RJ’s parents, died in the flooding.
RJ Harber said one of the family’s final memories is a text message the girls sent at about 3:30 a.m.
“Their final words to us were a text message,” he said. “It read, ‘I love you.'”
The couple said their Catholic faith has sustained them during the past year.
“The only reason we’re here is because of God and our faith,” RJ Harber said. “We want to be reunited with them one day.”
Looking ahead, the Harbers said they hope to have another child while continuing to honor Blair and Brooke.
“We’re hopeful to be parents again one day, even though we’re always parents,” RJ Harber said. “We want to raise another child.”
“We still have so much more love to give,” Annie Harber said.
The Harbers said they have established a legacy fund in Blair and Brooke’s memory to support Catholic education and youth sports programs.