Church family swept away in Texas Memorial Day weekend floods

by Kimberly Pennington, National Correspondent |
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SAN ANTONIO (Christian Examiner) -- A Texas church-going family was swept away in the Texas Memorial Day weekend flash floods after the Blanco River in Wimberly, Texas rose 26 feet in one hour Saturday, knocking a vacation home off its foundation.

Jonathan McComb, 36, his wife Laura, and children Andrew (6) and Leighton (4), members of First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, have been the focus of prayers on the church's Facebook page, as rescuers stepped up the search for Laura and the children following Jonathan McComb's rescue Sunday.

Jonathon McComb was released from San Antonio's Brooke Army Hospital late Thursday evening according to Corpus Christi ABC News Affiliate KIII-TV. McComb was treated for a broken rib, punctured lung, and fractured sternum after the vacation home he shared with his family and their friends Randy, Michelle, and Will Charba; and Ralph and Sue Carey was swept down the river.

McComb is the only known survivor.

Michelle Charba's body was discovered Wednesday, but all of the other occupants are still missing.

The McComb's vacation home became dislodged from its stilts and floated down the river where it eventually crashed apart at the bridge. The house disintegrated, sending its occupants in different directions.

Before the crash, Laura made a frantic call to her sister to call their parents and let them know she loved them, a news report said.

"It's times like these when you need a savior," McComb's father Joe told reporters. Joe and his wife Mary returned early from a wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii to be with their son.

Jonathan and Laura were active members of First Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, Church officials requested prayer Thursday on Facebook for the McComb and Charba families as well as other individuals assisting in the search for the missing victims.

Jonathan's brother David told People Magazine the family was trying to stay positive. "We don't know what the day will bring, but we are in this together," he said.

Several Go Fund Me sites have been set up to help Texas flood victims.