Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin revealed on Tuesday that his family was rescued from the deadly flooding in Texas last week.
His wife, Suzanne Youngkin, and other members of his family were stranded at a property they own on the Guadalupe River in Texas on Friday. Youngkin told reporters that Texas officials offered to help rescue the family, but he said they should first help out others in more immediate danger when it became apparent his family was secure.
“My family was there, along with friends, and by the grace of God, my family was safe,” Youngkin said after an event Tuesday celebrating his cutting of regulations in Virginia. “I have to say, there were moments when they weren’t.”
Suzanne Youngkin attended a camp on the property as a child. After buying it later in life, she restored the land for family use, according to The Washington Post.
Youngkin, one of several elected officials affected by the devastating storms, said he flew to Texas on Friday and was with rescue teams when they retrieved his family that evening.
“From their emergency teams, from the governor, from the Texas National Guard, every resource was deployed,” Youngkin said.
Catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River in Texas has resulted in at least 110 deaths and more than 170 missing people as of Tuesday evening. The flooding of Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp, saw the evacuation of relatives of some members of Congress — and the death of the cousin of Rep. Buddy Carter’s granddaughters.
Mystic is famed in Texas for being the camp for the relatives of the state’s elite. Former attendees include Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, a former first lady of Virginia and daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, and former first lady Laura Bush. At least 27 Mystic campers and counselors died in the flooding.
On Sunday, Youngkin announced Virginia swift water rescue teams would be heading to Texas to assist with recovery efforts after the state put out a request for aid.
“Our hearts go out to the families and communities in Texas who have been devastated by these historic floods,” Youngkin said in the statement announcing the aid, according to The Washington Post. “We stand in solidarity with the people of Texas, and we are committed to offering any and all support requested during this critical time.”