Security Guard Was Trapped in Flooding Cabin with 'Terrified' Young Campers, Then He Started Thinking About His Own Kids

A Texas information defender who was trapped wrong a compartment astatine a Texas summertime camp amid rising floodwaters is speaking retired astir surviving nan deadly ordeal. 

Glenn Juenke, a information defender astatine Camp Mystic, a girls-only Christian summertime campy wherever 27 campers and counselors died arsenic a consequence of nan July 4 flooding, told The New York Times that successful nan hours earlier nan campy was overwhelmed, he didn't person compartment work and missed nan National Weather Service's first flash flood warning.

However, nan severity of nan large wind soon became obvious. 

After calling his woman to show her that he would beryllium staying nan night, Juenke, 57, was initially successful nan agency pinch different unit members, keeping an oculus connected nan storm.

Then, astir 2:30 a.m., Juenke went pinch his boss, Camp Mystic head Dick Eastland — who died while helping campers — and Eastland's boy to statesman evacuating campers by car. As nan floodwaters kept rising, it became unsafe to proceed driving to much cabins, truthful Juenke yet went to another, called nan Wiggle Inn, connected foot.

Juenke quickly realized nan safest people of action would beryllium to enactment put and thrust retired nan large wind together pinch nan campers wrong nan cabin.

As nan retired Houston Police Department serviceman told nan newspaper, he "just started reasoning what I would ever show my kids," which was that, "I'm coming location astatine nan extremity of my shift."

Although he "was terrified," he tried not to fto that show, explaining, "If I show that I americium frightened to death, that’s not going to do immoderate bully for nan 9-year-old girls who were terrified."

Juenke wasn’t nan only 1 who tried to support nan young girls calm, telling nan outlet that 1 of nan Camp Mystic counselors led them successful prayer. 

“We’re not going anywhere,” he yelled supra nan raging water, according toThe Times. “We’re going to beryllium OK.”

Juenke said that nan deaths of nan children, counselors and unit members he knew has weighed heavy connected him.

“I’m a large crier, a large crier,” Juenke said. “And I’m excessively numb to cry.”

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

He antecedently told CNN successful a July question and reply that while astatine nan Wiggle Inn, he placed immoderate of nan girls connected mattresses to thief them float. 

“Each of those saccharine girls [were] cold, wet, and frightened — but they were besides incredibly brave,” he added, per WSVN. “They trusted me, and we leaned connected each different done a long, harrowing nighttime together wrong their cabin.”