“I came within, you know, this close of getting one of those calls that you never want to get,” Michael Sprague said.
Louisiana State Chaplain Michael Sprague did not expect his family’s trip to tour Camp Mystic would turn life-threatening.
“As they looked out, they thought, We need to get to higher ground,” said Sprague.
His two grandchildren and their mom were visiting Central Texas to explore the camp before it turned into a site of tragedy
“Things changed in the middle of the night, and they were awakened at 3:45 in the morning and sensed that there was something different,” said Sprague.
His grandchildren were staying just a few miles away from the camp. It was a close call but they all managed to escape, as time was running out.
“That water on the river rose 25-29 feet in 45 minutes,” said Sprague.
It was a terrifying experience as water continued to rise, their mother guided them through the pitch-black rural area before they were rescued.
“They could hear the water roaring and getting close, and then finally, they were rescued in the afternoon by the National Guard,” said Sprague.
It’s an experience New Orleans knows all too well.
“This for us was kind of like Katrina again, but the difference was it’s one thing when it’s my wife and myself, it’s a different thing when it’s your little grandkids,” said Sprague
More than two dozen campers and counselors died. More than 100 people are still missing across the area.
Sprague and his family are holding hope close to their hearts.
“I’m praying that there will be one more found, and one more found, and so I’m going to keep praying that way,” said Sprague
READ MORE:Family rescued from rising floodwaters in Central Texas
