This article contains sensitive subject matter regarding the Texas floods.
NBC News Correspondent Morgan Cheskyhas reported on several disasters throughout his career, but the one that hit home was when he recently covered the devastating floods in Kerrville, Texas, during the July 4th weekend. Kerrville is Chesky’s hometown, making this story incredibly personal for him. Chesky woke up in Los Angeles to several text messages asking if his family was ok, and, thankfully, he confirmed his family was safe.
During an exclusive interview withPeople,Chesky mentions that the flooding in Kerrville, Texas, is the worst he’s ever seen in his hometown.The NBC reporter rushed to Kerrville after learning that his stepdad and mother had managed to evacuate from their home. However, witnessing the destruction left the correspondent in heartbreak, while also recognizing the toughness of the people in Texas. Read Chesky’s quote below:
When I arrived here, having covered disasters for many years at this point, it didn’t take long to realize that despite the countless disasters I’ve covered, witnessing one in your own hometown is like seeing a tragedy for the first time. And it hits in a personal way that you can’t shake because there’s no level of separation.
As painful as this is to witness, there’s no other place on the planet I’d rather be than right here alongside these folks trying to wrap their heads around this and take one step forward at a time. Put the people first in this story and the rest will take care of itself. And I think so far we’ve done that. And we’ve let the strong folks of the Texas Hill Country share their heartbreak but also share their strength that they’re finding as a result of this very much ongoing tragedy. And I take pride in seeing that resilience.
What Covering His Hometown Meant For Morgan Chesky’s Texas Flood Reporting
This Was A Deeply Personal Story For The NBC Correspondent
For Chesky, covering the Texas flood reporting in his hometown has been a challenging experience for the NBC correspondent, as he has never seen such destruction in the place where he grew up. Chesky recalls spending time with his father near the edge of the Guadalupe River, acknowledging both its beauty and its undeniable power that can instantly cause damage.
Chesky knows the environment in Kerrville, as well as the people whom he calls extremely resilient, which is why he believes that they will overcome this unfortunate tragedy, which has taken dozens of lives, including children. Several survivors and family members are also still searching for missing loved ones. Chesky’s mom, Karen, and stepdad, Michael, witnessed the river’s power firsthand.
Karen mentions how the river quickly rose to thirty feet outside her home, prompting her to rapidly pack up her stuff. She and Michael also warned their neighbors about the river’s elevation, with one couple thanking Michael for saving their lives. Chesky interviewed his mom during an emotional July 7 episode of his podcast,Here’s the Scoop.
Karen discussed surviving this flood and witnessing other floods in Kerrville growing up. For Chesky, this tragedy has also emotionally affected him as a father, since he has a 2-year-old daughter named Eleanor. Learning that several girls at Camp Mystic were missing caused Chesky to break down and mourn with those parents desperately searching for their kids.
Our Thoughts Are With The Texas Flood Survivors, Victims, & Their Families
The People Of Texas Desperately Need All The Help And Support They Can Get
For Chesky, his family, and everyone in Texas, across the country, and around the world, our thoughts are with all the Texas flood survivors, their families, and the victims. It’s always a challenge to overcome the devastating tragedy of a natural disaster, and this one is still unfolding, with many people still missing.
As Chesky has noted, the people of Texas are resilient and stick together through every obstacle. It is also pivotal that every source of aid is provided to the people of Texas so that they can continue searching for survivors and provide resources to everyone negatively impacted by the flooding.
How to help people affected by the Texas floods
