Just days before a deadly flash flood struck Camp Mystic in Texas, 8-year-old Blakely McCrory wrote a heartfelt letter to her mom, Lindsey, saying how much fun she was having at camp.

“Having the letter is actually very special because I knew that she was having the best time of her life,” Lindsey told People Magazine. The letter—found among Blakely’s belongings after the flood—has become a precious reminder for her grieving family.

Blakely, attending the same camp her mother once did, was thrilled to be part of a family tradition. “She could not wait to be in the outdoors,” Lindsey recalled. “It was like having the biggest sleepover you can imagine.” When heavy rain hit, Lindsey—vacationing in Europe—initially thought nothing of it. “They’re probably having a blast,” she remembered thinking. Hours later, she was told some campers were missing.

Loss and Faith

After a tense wait and a desperate search, Blakely’s death was confirmed. Lindsey said, “I knew she was in a safe place, with her daddy, in heaven.” Her husband had passed away months earlier. Despite deep sorrow, Lindsey holds on to faith and memories: “She was so funny, and she was a prankster… She’s so close to me, and I know she’s watching me right now.”

A Community in Mourning

Blakely wasn’t the only young life lost. Other campers, including 8-year-old twins Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, also died. A photo of smiling girls on the tennis court days before the tragedy went viral, underscoring the sudden shift from joy to grief. Still, Lindsey believes Blakely’s spirit endures: “She encouraged the campers to not be afraid.”