Before floodwaters engulfed Camp Mystic and claimed 27 lives, 9-year-old Janie Hunt held tightly to a small treasure — a beaded necklace spelling her name, a gift from her grandmother. It was her comfort, her charm, her symbol of bravery. When the search teams found her body in the wreckage, it was that very necklace, still around her neck, that identified her.
Janie had only been at camp for five days, her first time away from home, hoping for summer adventure with her cousins. But the Guadalupe River’s sudden surge turned the camp into chaos. Janie was remembered not just for the necklace, but for her kindness in those final days — comforting homesick kids, offering a smile, and being a helper until the end.