Former Giants pitcher Tyler Walker flew to Texas over the weekend along with his spouse and pals to seek for his 51-year-old brother, Mark, his spouse, Sara, and their 14-year-old son Johnny — all from Marin County — who’ve been lacking since their trip dwelling alongside the Guadalupe River was destroyed by devastating flood waters.
“All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle at this point,” Kathy Walker, Mark and Tyler’s mom, mentioned from the doorway of her San Rafael dwelling Monday.
Tyler Walker, who performed for the Giants from 2004 to 2008, and his spouse additionally rushed to choose up their niece, 16-year-old Ellie, who survived flooding at Waldemar Camp, the place images captured most of the emotional campers reuniting with their households over the weekend.
Flooding on the Guadalupe River within the Hill Nation of central Texas, which rose 20 toes in a matter of hours early July 4, has claimed greater than 100 lives to this point. The lifeless embody 27 women and counselors from Mystic Camp, which is separate from the Waldemar Camp. Dozens of individuals stay lacking.
Ellie has attended the identical camp each summer time for years whereas her dad and mom and youthful brother stayed at a close-by trip dwelling they known as “River House.” About 5 or 6 of Ellie’s closest pals from the summer time camp, whom she’s recognized since she was 7, are along with her whereas her uncle and his household pals are looking out, Kathy Walker mentioned.
“She does have support, but not enough — there’s never enough,” Kathy Walker mentioned. “In a situation like that — waiting to find out if her dad and mom or brother — it’s just, it’s just dreadful.”
Kathy Walker mentioned the household “is missing and not identified yet, so we’re waiting on that.”
She mentioned she had been in common contact final week along with her son, Mark, whereas they had been in Texas. However after the flash flood went by means of within the early morning hours, she heard nothing. Two pals of Tyler’s, plus a number of of Mark’s, all flew to affix the search. She spoke with Tyler on Sunday.
“They’re doing what they can to look on the river,” she mentioned. “He said there’s just so much devastation it’s impossible to comprehend. The debris piles everywhere, cars and trees and limbs — just everything is piled up.”
The holiday dwelling was within the city of Kerr alongside Freeway 39, about 20 toes above the river that sat close to the confluence of the north and south forks of the Guadalupe.
“The water came from above, and the river was rising at the same time the water was coming from the top,” she mentioned.
Somebody despatched her a photograph of the stays of her son’s dwelling.
“It’s crashed and gone,” she mentioned.
Sara and Mark Walker “have tons of friends” from their Kentfield neighborhood in Marin County. Each of their kids had been closely concerned in youth sports activities. Mark coached the youngsters “in every sport since they were 6,” she mentioned. He coached T-ball, Little League, and the “Bombers” touring baseball staff, she mentioned.
Johnny graduated from eighth grade with plans to enroll as a freshman at Marin Catholic highschool within the fall, becoming a member of his older sister.
Evan Forsberg, whose daughter performed on a soccer staff with Ellie, and whose son performed on a Little League staff coached by her uncle, Tyler Walker, the previous main leaguer, mentioned all the neighborhood “is just really sad and praying and hopeful we get a miracle.”
A vigil on the baseball area Sunday drew upwards of 400 folks. Marin Catholic plans to carry a prayer service at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Saint Sebastian Church.
A candlelight vigil for the Walkers was held Sunday at Bacich Elementary Faculty, which Johnny and Ellie attended
Pete Johnson, a neighbor, was among the many a whole lot of people that attended.
“Everybody is really hurting over it. It’s such a tragic event,” Johnson mentioned on Monday. “We’re obviously feeling for the family, especially the daughter who survived. It’s a really tough situation.”
Kathy Walker spoke along with her granddaughter over the weekend.
“She’s distraught,” Walker mentioned. “She just keeps saying, ‘we have to pray harder.’”
Initially Printed: July 7, 2025 at 5:07 PM PDT
