A Family Reunited - We are Thankful for the Outcome of the Extensive Search on the Guadalupe River

At approximately 10:28 p.m. on July 31, the Bergheim Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to assist with a report of a missing kayaker on the Guadalupe River.

After many hours of searching, we are grateful to report that the kayaker was located, evaluated by medics and reunited with his family. Searches like this don’t always have the ending we hope for, and we are beyond thankful this one did.

Search operations on the river—especially after dark—are incredibly challenging. First responders searched the riverbanks on foot  and by boat; while drones equipped with thermal imaging and helicopters searched from above. Darkness, dense vegetation, moving water, flood debris and difficult terrain all add to the complexity of the search and rescue on the Guadalupe.

This rescue serves as an important reminder: Always wear a properly fitted personal flotation device (PFD) whenever you’re on the water. A life jacket is one of the simplest and most effective pieces of safety equipment you can have and can make all the difference in an emergency.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who helped. This is how the work gets done - together. Every agency, every volunteer, every pilot, and landowners who graciously opened their properties, allowing search crews access to areas that otherwise would have been unreachable.

 A special thank you to the two individuals who ultimately spotted the missing kayaker, leading to his rescue.

It was truly a team effort, and because of that teamwork, one family was reunited with their loved one.

Stay safe, wear your life jacket, and enjoy our beautiful rivers responsibly. Kendall County Sheriff's Office Kendalia Volunteer Fire Department Sisterdale Volunteer Fire Department Kendall County Office of Emergency Management & Fire Marshal Kendall County EMS Texas Game Wardens Bulverde Spring Branch Fire & EMS Texas Department of Public Safety - San Antonio Pilots