Comfort local Kathryn Ryckman partnered with Intrepid Care — a veterans 501c3 organization — to search through the debris along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville for the remaining missing persons.
But she doesn’t work alone. Faithfully at her side is a small herd of female yellow Labrador retrievers that are trained to search for bodies. Together with Intrepid Care, they have found numerous bodies over the course of three weeks within a six-mile radius.
“My dogs were hitting on something in the rocks along the cliffs,” Ryckman said. “But with all the debris, we can’t get through.”
But the work isn’t done, and there are disputes regarding the number of people missing in Kerrville.
The last official word from Kerrville city officials was that there are three missing people – but a week ago, a body not associated with the list of three missing was found behind riverfront landowner Gary Shipman’s property.
“On our best day we had 300 volunteers,” Mike Barker, founder of Intrepid Care, said. “Now, because people think there are only three people missing, a lot of volunteers have pulled back, and with that (went) heavy equipment and funding.”
Large piles of debris line the banks of the Guadalupe, but with the efforts of Barker’s team and other volunteers, most of the pathways have been cleared off.
Still, the piles of debris have yet to be thoroughly searched, and there are some areas along the cliffs that remain inaccessible for proper search.
In one search and rescue mission, one of Ryckman’s dogs, Rynn, got caught in debris and received gashes on her neck. Ever faithful to her job, Ryckman said Rynn wanted to go back the next day, which Ryckman allowed only after Rynn received treatment for her wounds.
Ryckman and her dogs, along with Barker, became some of the first “boots on the ground” after the devastating July 4 flash floods.
Once the focus of the search turned to recovery and cadaver dogs were needed, Ryckman scouted around locally and found businesses willing to help her dogs recognize scents, to aid in searches.
The dogs, she said, took to the training immediately and were able to locate 11 bodies.
But to continue searching, the seemingly endless piles of debris need to be dealt with, and with that comes the need for more manpower and machinery.
“We saw organizations turn down heavy machinery and volunteers,” Barker said. “I was like, we could have used them. We could use them now. “We need chainsaws and chainsaw oil. We need more volunteers,” Barker said. “There are bogs that we haven’t been able to search yet.”
From its peak of 300 volunteers, the group dwindled to just eight individuals. Kerrville local Marvin Gohlke and Gary Shipman opened their perspective properties near the Guadalupe River to work with Barker and Ryckman in clearing the debris, but some neighbors aren’t as willing to open their doors to volunteers.
“We’re going to keep clearing where we are allowed,” Barker said. “But you’d think they would want us to help clear up their land.”
Ryckman remains hopeful that neighbors will be more cooperative, especially because of the uncertainty regarding the number of missing people.
“There’s just no way to be sure it’s only three people,” Ryckman said. “There are homeless people. People who don’t stay in communication with their families or friends. We can’t be certain.”
Despite the issues they are facing, Ryckman and Barker plan to continue their work until the job is finished.
To help Barker and Ryckman’s efforts, go to: https:// intrepidcare.org/donations/ df20240403/.
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