JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Every once in a while, you read a piece of writing that perfectly captures an event. That was the case for me after floods ripped through central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend. I was there, reporting on the aftermath, and person after person told me to read Texas Monthly's "The River House Broke. We Rushed In The River." It was written by Aaron Parsley and details the hours his family fought to survive after water washed away their home along the Guadalupe River. At least 135 people died in those floods, including Parsley's 20-month-old nephew, Clay. Now, three months later, Aaron Parsley is here to talk about what happened and how he's trying to move forward. Aaron, welcome to the program.
AARON PARSLEY: Thank you, Juana. I appreciate you having me.
SUMMERS: I just want to say first that I am so very sorry for your loss, for your family's loss. How are you doing?
PARSLEY: I'm doing OK. It's been a really difficult summer, trying to support my family and get back to work. But I think, you know, I feel pretty good. Of course, we certainly miss my nephew, Clay. We miss having him around. We miss seeing him bonding and playing with his sister. It's been really difficult. And just sort of coming to terms with the fact that he's no longer here and we won't get to see him grow up, it's been really challenging.
SUMMERS: The way that you describe the evening and early morning that the flood swept away your family's vacation home on the river was gripping and, frankly, terrifying. I want to read just one excerpt. You wrote, the gravity of our situation didn't sink in right away, but the facts were clear. We were surrounded by fast-moving floodwater, and we had no way of escaping to higher ground. Aaron, what was going through your mind then?
PARSLEY: Well, it was really hard to sort of take in everything, and that's why I wrote that it was difficult - the gravity of our situation. You know, it - my mind just didn't really comprehend what was going on. It was sounds and sights that I've never imagined. There was debris hitting the house. The river was at the level of our balcony, and you just don't really get it. And I was doing things like packing a bag and putting in my contact lenses just because I figured, you know, we need to leave. But I didn't know how we were going to leave and just never imagined what was about to happen.
SUMMERS: I remember sitting down the first time I read this piece. You published it, like, five days after the flood. What made you feel compelled to share with all of us what you guys went through?
PARSLEY: Well, I'm a journalist, and, you know, I work at Texas Monthly. And when I got home, the magnitude of this event had started to sink in, and I decided to do it because I wanted to honor my nephew. I wanted to send a message to my niece, Rosemary, and everyone who read the story about my sister, Alissa, and what she was able to do that morning. So that was my motivation. And I had the most amazing, supportive group of editors and photo editors and fact-checkers here to help me put that story together, put it - to finalize it and get it ready within - yeah, within a week.
SUMMERS: What did you want to show people, to tell people, about your sister, Alissa, her strength, her resilience?
PARSLEY: At the time, it was just that she did everything she could do. That she saved her daughter's life. That it was an impossible situation. And that we're so grateful that Rosemary is still here and that the rest of us are still here. And just that we love and support her and just are in awe of her strength and what - her superpower, you know? Being a mom and being in that situation, thrown into the water in the dark and to be able to save her daughter and get up into that tree was just - it's still hard to believe, and we're just so grateful for her.
SUMMERS: The world's attention was on central Texas after those floods. So many journalists, including myself and my colleagues, we came in, we covered the news. But as you know, what often happens is the attention moves away. Something else happens that draws our eyes elsewhere. Aaron, what do you want people to know about what life is like now?
PARSLEY: It's been a difficult summer. I think my family is very aware that we're not the only ones who are suffering during this time. As you've mentioned, more than 130 people died in this flood, and they come from all walks of life. And so I just want people to know that it doesn't necessarily get easier right away when the news stops talking about it. It's an ongoing, long-term process, trying to heal and come to terms with our new normal. And I think that there's a lot of opportunities to be of service to this community of people that have been affected by this flood. And that's something that I'm looking out for and wanting to do.
And I would also just like for people to know that I and my family really appreciate the outpouring of love and support that we've received so far. It's been an incredible experience to put my story out there and to receive so many messages and well wishes from people around the world and especially here in Texas. We're grateful for that. It has been very comforting.
SUMMERS: I do have to ask. I mean, the situation is unimaginable, but how's the rest of your family doing?
PARSLEY: Again, it's just been really hard. I was - you know, we had a birthday party in my backyard over the weekend for my husband, Patrick, and it was just family that came over. And, you know, it's wonderful to be together, but there is this underlying sadness that Clay isn't there and that we are almost - or more than 80 days from this flood - I'm not exactly sure how many - but that the reality has sunk in and our family is different now. It's been difficult, but we feel closer than ever. My love for my family feels stronger than ever. And I'm just grateful for their support and want to be able to support them in any way that I can.
SUMMERS: If you could, Aaron, would you just tell us a little bit about your nephew, Clay?
PARSLEY: Yeah. Clay was - he would have been 2 years old in November. He was a very happy little boy. He was healthy. And his life was filled with laughter and love, and we're really grateful for that.
SUMMERS: When you look to the future, what do you think about?
PARSLEY: That's a good question. I think about the way we have all been transformed, our lives have been transformed and that we've all been changed by this event and that this story is not over, that this flood has put each of us on a new path in some way, whether it's small or in a big way. And the story of the - what happens next is still unfolding. And it just feels like, you know, there's no going back to the way things used to be. So looking ahead, I'm just looking to do the next right thing and continue to love and support my family and be there for them whatever - however this unfolds.
SUMMERS: That was Aaron Parsley, a senior editor at Texas Monthly. Aaron, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
PARSLEY: Thank you so much.
(SOUNDBITE OF MYLOVELYMELON SONG, "JE TE LAISSERAI DES MOTS") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
