Texas Combat Veteran Compares Flood Aftermath to War Zone After Rooftop Escape

Spencer Offenbacker, a combat veteran who served in Iraq, expressed his disbelief that the level of destruction he once witnessed in a war zone would eventually reach his home in Texas. He shared with CNN that it truly felt that way after enduring devastating flooding in Kerr County alongside his partner, Corey Jones, and their two children.

Offenbacker and his family live a mere 200 yards away from the Guadalupe River. Last week's storm caused the river to rise rapidly, overflowing their home with barely any notice.

“It escalated quickly,” Offenbacker remarked, recounting the moment when floodwaters arrived at their doorstep and began surging into their home. 

In just a short time, the water level reached the veteran’s waist, and he is 6 feet 2 inches tall.

The family and a neighbor found themselves on their roof, anxiously waiting for over two hours until the authorities deemed it safe to descend.

Returning to what's left of their residence, they declare that nothing remains.

“From the looks of it, everything that we own is destroyed at this time,” Offenbacker stated.

Jones, along with his partner, expressed that the emotional impact is equally as severe as the physical damage incurred.

“Driving back into my neighborhood and witnessing the current state of my community is incredibly difficult,” she expressed, her voice trembling during the interview.

For Offenbacker, the scene evoked unsettling recollections. “You’re just missing the bullet holes,” he said. 

The veteran shared, “The destruction and the aftermath—now that we see it—it’s pretty intense.”

A tragic narrative unfolds as floodwaters have resulted in the loss of at least 96 lives in Kerr County and have displaced hundreds of individuals.

As recovery and relief efforts progress, families such as the Offenbackers are faced with the daunting task of rebuilding from what they describe as a scene reminiscent of war's devastation.

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