Texas, USA – July 20, 2025 — A wave of national grief has washed over the country this afternoon as authorities confirmed the death of Lila Bonner, one of the last missing girls from the Texas summer camp tragedy that claimed dozens of young lives during last week’s catastrophic flash floods.
Lila, just 9 years old, had been reported missing from Camp Mystic, a popular all-girls summer retreat nestled along the Guadalupe River. Her body was discovered earlier today by search and rescue teams several miles downstream, lodged beneath storm debris.
But what truly devastated rescue workers—and later, the entire nation—was what they found in her small hand: a soaked, mud-stained beaded bracelet, carefully handcrafted, still intact despite the raging waters. It bore the initials “M & D”, believed to stand for “Mom and Dad.” A simple token of love… that never left her.
“She held onto it until the very end,” said one visibly shaken first responder. “That bracelet must have been her lifeline—her hope, her connection to home.”
The discovery has ignited an outpouring of emotion across social media, with thousands sharing tributes and messages under hashtags like #LilaBonner, #TexasCampFlood, and #HoldOnLikeLila. Many have been moved to tears, especially after learning that Lila had been writing daily letters home—her last one, postmarked just two days before the flood, ended with:
“Tell Teddy I’ll be home soon. I miss you, Mommy and Daddy. Love, Lila.”
The Bonner family, now faced with unthinkable grief, released a brief statement through a family friend:
“Our precious Lila was the light of our lives. She was brave, kind, and full of wonder. That she clung to our gift until her final breath speaks to the love she carried in her heart. We ask for privacy as we try to survive this nightmare.”
Lila’s death brings the confirmed death toll from the Camp Mystic tragedy to 27, with several others still in critical condition. Investigators continue to probe how the camp was caught so off guard, especially after the National Weather Service had issued flash flood warnings in the area.
As the nation mourns the loss of another innocent life, Lila Bonner’s name will be remembered not just as a victim, but as a symbol of a child’s enduring love—even in the face of unimaginable terror.
A public memorial is being planned, and communities across Texas have begun lighting candles in honor of Lila and the other children lost.