At least 21 people have died in flooding and tornadoes in Oklahoma and Texas since the start of the Memorial Day weekend. A look at
the lives of some of the victims:
MICHELLE CAREY-CHARBA
The
43-year-old Corpus Christi woman was in a vacation house along the
Blanco River with family and friends when the entire structure was swept
from its foundation early Sunday. It was carried down the swollen river
before crashing into a bridge and breaking apart. Her body was found
Wednesday.
Still missing are
her husband, their 4-year-old son, her parents, Ralph and Sue Carey, and
three others who were inside the home. "I think we all know deep-down
that the amount of time that has passed does not bode well for a
positive outcome," said Christine Cone, a Corpus Christi attorney who
knows the Careys. "But, it is extremely difficult to give up hope for a
family who was always so vibrant and full of life."
___
ALYSSA RAMIREZ
Alyssa
Ramirez was returning home from her high school prom Saturday night
when her car was swept away by floodwaters in the small town of Devine
southwest of San Antonio.
While
stuck in the high water, she called 911 and her father. Her father
tried to reach her, but by the time he arrived, the car had overturned
and been carried off.
Alyssa
Ramirez's aunt, Roberta Ramirez, described her niece as a "fun-loving,
caring" young woman who was "centered." At her school, she was the
student council president and homecoming queen. She also played
volleyball and tennis and was a youth leader at her church. She had
hoped to study optometry at the San Antonio campus of the University of
Texas.
___
DAMIEN BLADE
Relatives
said Damien Blade enjoyed exploring the culverts and storm drains of
his neighborhood in Desoto, Texas. And that's where the bodies of the
14-year-old and one his dogs were found Monday.
Police
said both Damien and the dog apparently drowned in the floodwaters.
Damien's family reported him missing late Sunday after one of his two
dogs showed up at the house alone, wet and extremely muddy.
___
SANDRA SWINNEY
Sandra
Swinney had moved to the Oklahoma community of Blue only a couple of
months ago and had just celebrated her 48th birthday in the town of
about 200 people. On Monday, she was killed when a tornado destroyed the
mobile home she was in. The same twister uprooted dozens of trees, some
of which were thrown through structures and ripped the roof off of
other houses.
___JASON FARLEY
Jason Farley, a 44-year-old captain in the fire department in Claremore, Oklahoma, died Saturday night while attempting a water rescue during flash flooding.
Farley
stepped into a ditch and was swept into a drainage pipe. Other
firefighters jumped into the ditch to rescue him, and one of them was
also swept into the drainage pipe but survived.
The body of the 20-year fire department veteran was recovered Sunday.
Farley's wife and teenage daughter were vacationing in Ireland when he was killed and returned late Monday night.___
WILLIAM GAMBLIN
William
Lee Gamblin was driving near Hugo, Oklahoma, when his vehicle became
disabled in high water, and he walked out to get help. But when he
walked back to the vehicle to retrieve personal items, Gamblin stepped
into a dip in the road and disappeared beneath the water. His body was
recovered Friday morning.
Source: AP
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