Over the July 4 weekend, torrential rains turned Central Texas, especially around Kerrville, into a watery nightmare.
The Guadalupe River, normally calm, surged unexpectedly, turning holiday RV parks into deadly traps.
Pat Green’s younger half-brother, John Burgess, and his wife Julia Anderson Burgess were spending the holiday at an RV park in Kerrville with their two young sons, aged 1 and 5.
Their daughter, Jenna, was thankfully away at summer camp—otherwise she’d have been right there, too. When the water hit, John desperately held onto his boys, trying to keep them safe.
A witness later shared that he “clung to his babies,” but tragically they were swept away together.
At first, the family and community held on to hope, praying for a miracle. But heartbreak came swiftly: John’s and Julia’s bodies were recovered, confirming worst fears .
Their boys, James and Jack, haven't, as of now, been found—they remain missing.
Pat didn’t mince words. In a deeply moving post, he wrote that his family “suffered a heartbreaking and deeply personal loss” and asked for privacy and peace as they grieve.
His wife Kori echoed that message, acknowledging the overwhelming support but also urging for space as they process this tragedy.
And, bless his heart, Pat postponed a concert—his heart obviously wasn’t in performing when such devastation hit so close to home.
This wasn’t just one family’s heartbreak. The floods claimed over 100 lives across Texas, including at least 27 children from Camp Mystic.
The scale of the disaster stunned the region. Rescue teams, even the Arkansas National Guard, poured in to help, but recovered bodies and harrowing tales came daily
John, 39, had moved with his family from Waco to Liberty in 2023. Julia had been a beloved teacher at Lakewood Elementary in Belton. Recollections of her describe a “ball of sunshine”—a phrase that now stings with sadness.
Pat’s been in the limelight since the early 2000s, with songs like Wave on Wave and Carry On. But this kind of spotlight isn’t what you aim for.
When tragedy hits someone you care about—someone like John—you realize life isn’t about fame or songs. It’s about family. And now, Pat and Kori are navigating a grief that no stage or spotlight can touch.
The outpouring of support—messages from fans, fellow country artists, even public figures like Jenna Bush Hager and Matthew McConaughey—has meant a lot.
But that grief? That they’ll carry in their hearts, in quiet moments, in memories made with John, Julia, and their little boys.
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