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Hero Coast Guard pilot 'felt like a dad' when he rescued kids from Camp Mystic

Coast Guard pilot 'felt like a dad' when he rescued kids from Camp Mystic
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KERR COUNTY, Texas — Nine days after deadly flash floods hit Kerr County, Texas, rescue teams continue searching for those still missing as the community mourns lives lost.

Coast Guard pilot Ian Hopper rescued 165 people on the first day of the disaster, airlifting campers from Camp Mystic.

"I see, she's got tears running down her face and she's scared. Clearly, she may have just lost her sisters. She may have just lost her friends so I turn around and give her a thumbs up," Hopper said. "At that moment, I knew that I wasn't just moving people from one place to another but I felt like a dad that was rescuing my daughters."

More than 120 people are dead across the state, with over 170 still missing.

Don White and his dog Socks have helped recover several bodies during the search efforts.

"There really is no place to walk on the banks, so you're sliding up and down, you're holding branches to keep out of the water," White said.

In Kerrville, community members gathered at a memorial to honor victims of the flooding.

"You weep about the kids and the parents and what they're going through," said a Kerr County resident.

During his visit to the region, President Trump was asked if emergency alerts could be improved.

"Only a very evil person would ask a question like that," Trump said.

Despite the tragedy, the community has united behind the message of "Hill Country Strong."

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