Before dawn on July 4, 2025, storms stalled over the limestone hills of Central Texas and dumped up to 15 inches of rain into the Guadalupe River basin. Within four hours, the water climbed roughly 30 feet and tore through a string of summer camps and RV parks, turning cabins into driftwood and sweeping entire vehicles downstream.
By July 8, 2025, the official death toll had climbed to 109, including 30 children, while 161 people remained missing, making the Hill Country deluge the deadliest inland flood event the United States has seen in nearly half a century, as reported by the Texas Tribune on July 7, 2025
As rescue crews and volunteers continued combing debris piles, famous Texans and their friends in Hollywood flooded social media with condolences, prayers and concrete offers of help.
Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey urged neighbours to “lend a steady hand,” Jennifer Garner posted a brief but urgent prayer, “Texas, God, be near”, and artists from Shakira to Miranda Lambert pledged concert proceeds, benefit shows and animal-rescue funds.
Their words and deeds have amplified local relief drives and reminded the nation that Texans rarely face heartbreak alone.
Matthew McConaughey wrote in a post on his Instagram handle @officiallymcconaughey on July 7, 2025,
"long road ahead, but right now the shock, the pain, and the chaos need the steady hand of a neighbor,"
praising Texans as some of the most resilient and generous people on the planet.
Houston-born Jennifer Garner kept her message short, posting on Instagram Stories, “Texas, God, be near,” with a single red-heart emoji on July 6, 2025.
Hilary Duff, who spent childhood summers on the Guadalupe, stated her condolences and solace in an Instagram post on July 7, 2025, on her handle @hilaryduff. She wrote,
"Heartbroken doesn’t begin to cover it...Consumed. Obsessed. Praying for even a shred of a miracle—to find a child alive in the wake of this boundless disaster...Tears fall every time I imagine one of these families receiving bad news… waiting… or entire families lost. Just gone."
The statement quickly went viral among former campers searching for missing friends.
According to a People report dated July 7, 2025, musicians Maren Morris and Lana Del Rey expressed “devastation” and urged followers to donate to the Texas Hill Country Community Foundation.
Reality-TV matriarch Kris Jenner called the loss of so many children “heartbreaking beyond measure,” while Khloé Kardashian told parents she was “holding you in our hearts, praying for strength.”
Both comments appeared on Instagram Stories.
Eva Longoria recorded an Instagram video from Paris, admitting her “heavy heart” and recalling friends whose families had attended the stricken all-girls Camp Mystic for generations.
Country singer Pat Green revealed that his step-brother, sister-in-law and two nephews were caught in the flash flood while staying in an RV park.
Only the adults' bodies have been recovered.
Shakira paused her July 5, 2025, San Antonio tour stop to pledge a portion of ticket sales to Catholic Charities of San Antonio.
The Colombian star also shared direct donation links across her social media. She wrote in an X post on July 6, 2025,
"Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas. We are donating a portion of tonight’s show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted."
McConaughey and his wife, Camila, amplified verified GoFundMe campaigns for families of Camp Mystic victims and partnered with the Texas Disaster Relief Fund to distribute emergency grants for temporary housing.
Miranda Lambert mobilized her MuttNation Foundation to evacuate displaced pets and funnel veterinary supplies to shelters in Kerr and Gillespie counties.
Maren Morris donated $50,000 to the newly created Hill Country Community Rebuild fund and retweeted aerial-search updates so relatives could track rescue grids in real time.
The National Football League and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders jointly sent $2 million to the governor’s One Star Foundation, while Americana legend Robert Earl Keen announced a mid-August benefit concert in Austin.
Proceeds will underwrite long-term mental health counselling for survivors.
Fans eager to help can give through the Texas Hill Country Community Foundation, the American Red Cross Central & South Texas Chapter and Catholic Charities of San Antonio.
All of which have established flood-specific portals vetted by state emergency-management officials.
Relief leaders say the celebrity spotlight is already translating into faster fundraising and, just as importantly, sustained national attention as search operations pivot to months-long recovery.
Stay tuned for more updates.
TOPICS: Texas floods, Matthew McConaughey