Texas Woman’s Chilling Final Text Before House Washed Away: A Tragedy Unfolds
As the waters rose with terrifying speed in Central Texas, 39-year-old Amanda Hayes sent what would become her final text message to her sister: “I think the house is going to float away.” Minutes later, the home she was in—perched near a usually calm creek—was swallowed whole by a wall of water. The chilling final words have now become a haunting reminder of the fury of flash floods and the heartbreaking fragility of life.
The Calm Before the Deluge
Amanda had been visiting her parents’ vacation home in the Hill Country region, a picturesque area known for its scenic creeks and rolling terrain. That night, thunderstorms rolled in unexpectedly. The forecast had warned of rain, but no one predicted the ferocity of what was coming.
Her sister, Melanie, had been texting Amanda throughout the evening, checking in as the rain began pounding on the rooftop. Amanda wasn’t overly concerned at first. “We’ve seen this before,” she wrote around 9:00 p.m. “It’s just water rushing past in the creek.”
But this time, it was different.
The River That Turned Into a Monster
By 10:15 p.m., the rainfall had intensified dramatically. What was once a gentle creek turned into a roaring river, fueled by over 10 inches of rainfall in less than two hours. The low-lying property was surrounded by floodwater.
Amanda, her parents, and her 7-year-old son, Luke, were inside the house, helplessly watching the water rise. According to messages and emergency call logs, she tried to call 911, but the line was busy—overwhelmed by a flood of distress calls from across the county.
In a desperate message to Melanie at 10:42 p.m., Amanda wrote: “The water is up to the porch. It’s moving so fast. I don’t think we can get out.”
Melanie begged her to try and evacuate. “Please get out NOW,” she replied, over and over. Amanda responded, simply: “It’s too late.”
A Final Goodbye
At 11:08 p.m., Amanda sent one last message: “Tell Mom I love her. I love you. I love Luke so much. I don’t want him to be scared.”
Then the messages stopped.
Emergency responders reached the neighborhood just after midnight, but it was too late. The house had been ripped from its foundation and carried downstream. Rescue boats and helicopters began scouring the area, but by dawn, only pieces of the home were found—some tangled in trees, others buried in mud miles away.
Amanda’s body was recovered two days later, nearly 11 miles downstream. Her parents and son were found alive, clinging to debris, after managing to escape through a shattered window moments before the house was lifted off the ground. They were airlifted to safety and treated for hypothermia and minor injuries.
The Town in Shock
The community of Wimberley, Texas, where Amanda had lived her entire life, was shattered. Churches opened their doors for grieving neighbors, and the local school district canceled classes for a day of remembrance. Amanda, a beloved elementary school librarian, had touched the lives of hundreds of children with her storytelling, her kindness, and her calm, nurturing energy.
Her sister Melanie, in a tearful press conference, shared Amanda’s final texts. “She wasn’t panicking. She was calm. She was trying to comfort us, even when she knew what was happening.”
Local officials confirmed that more than 18 homes were swept away that night. Six people died. Dozens were injured. The damage spanned over three counties.
A Preventable Tragedy?
Now, many are asking if this tragedy could have been prevented. Despite weather warnings issued hours earlier, no official evacuation order was made for Amanda’s area. Critics say the flood warning system failed, and by the time emergency alerts reached residents’ phones, many were already trapped.
A spokesperson from the National Weather Service acknowledged that the flash flood developed more quickly than expected. “This was a 1-in-500-year event,” he said. “The terrain, the rainfall, and the speed of the water created a deadly combination.”
But Melanie isn’t satisfied with that explanation. “My sister should still be here,” she said. “She didn’t need to die sending goodbye texts. No one should.”
Remembering Amanda
In the weeks that followed, the town rallied around Amanda’s family. Vigils were held at her school, where students released lanterns into the night sky in her memory. A memorial fund raised over $150,000 to support her son Luke and help rebuild the lives of other flood survivors.
Amanda is remembered not just for the tragic way she died—but for the compassionate, courageous life she led. Her final moments were not filled with fear, but with love. Her last words were not cries for help, but expressions of care for others.
“She was always thinking about others, even in the end,” her coworker said. “That was Amanda. A quiet strength. A gentle heart.”
Lessons From the Waters
The Texas flood that took Amanda’s life is yet another reminder of nature’s raw power. It’s also a call for better preparedness, better communication, and faster response systems.
More than anything, though, it’s a story of a woman who loved her family fiercely and remained steady even as the world collapsed around her. A mother who comforted her child and sent one final, brave message to those she loved.
