Fathers Reflect on Their Daughters’ Faith After Camp Mystic Flood Tragedy

Following the devastating flash flood at Camp Mystic in 2021, which claimed 28 lives, three fathers are working to honor their daughters’ faith and legacy. Ryan Dewitt, Wade Lytal, and Cole Naylor discussed their journey of grief and the impact of their daughters’ beliefs during an interview with Kayleigh McEnany on ‘Saturday in America.’

These fathers have launched a podcast titled ‘Heaven Meets Earth,’ detailing how their families find solace through God and scripture. They shared insights from their daughters’ diaries, which are filled with Bible verses, prayers, and personal messages to God. The writings reflect the depth of faith that was kept private but provided comfort to the families in their time of loss.

Ryan DeWitt expressed admiration for his daughter Molly’s quiet but profound faith. He recollected how Molly’s drawings of crosses and notes stating, ‘I can do anything through Christ,’ revealed her spiritual strength.

“We knew she was deeply rooted in her faith, but she wasn’t outward about it,” DeWitt said. “It’s comforting to know how close she was to God, even in her young age.”

Wade Lytal shared a poignant moment after his daughter Kellyanne’s passing when he discovered her journal entry saying, ‘Jesus I love you. Thank you for dying on the cross for all of our sins.’ He believes this discovery during such a difficult time was a divine gift.

“Finding that journal was comforting,” Lytal remarked. “It helped us in a very dark moment.”

Similarly, Cole Naylor continues to find strength through prayer and holds onto the promise of being reunited with Wynn. He emphasized that he speaks of his daughter in the present tense, affirming his belief that she is alive in heaven.

“Our girls are more alive than any of us,” Naylor stated. “Though we can’t see or touch them, they are with us, and we will see them again.”

Camp Mystic, responding to the families’ grief, has decided not to reopen for the 2026 season. The camp acknowledged the concerns of grieving families, politicians, and citizens, choosing to halt any plans for reopening as a mark of respect.

The camp issued a statement prioritizing the families’ voices and opting to withdraw from immediate administrative plans and future summer seasons.