San Antonio families mark one year since Beitel Creek flood deaths and launch memorial tree project

Families in San Antonio gathered Thursday at Xtreme Harvest Church to mark one year since the deadly Beitel Creek flood and to launch a memorial tree project tied to the anniversary.

Pamela Allen of Eagles Flight Advocacy and Outreach organized the vigil, which brought together relatives of the victims, supporters and city officials. Allen said the evening was meant to honor the dead while also keeping pressure on flood-mitigation work families say still needs to happen in the Beitel Creek corridor.

The June 12, 2025, flood killed 13 people in San Antonio. Eleven died in the Beitel Creek and Loop 410 area, and two others died elsewhere in the city. The flood struck after record rainfall overwhelmed the area, and it became the deadliest flood in San Antonio since 1998.

Remembering the victims

The anniversary event gave families a chance to gather in grief and remembrance one year after the disaster. The loss remains raw for relatives who have spent the past year asking for answers, accountability and visible progress on safety improvements.

A city-commissioned engineering review later found that dense vegetation along the creek helped drive water levels higher than expected during the storm. City officials have also said they are working on mitigation steps that include brush clearing, flood gauges and flashing warning signals.

That backdrop shaped the tone of the vigil. Families framed remembrance not only as a private act, but also as part of a larger public effort to reduce the risk of another deadly flood in the corridor.

A memorial grove begins

At the event, Allen announced the Living Legacy Grove, a remembrance effort that will begin with a memorial tree at the Beitel Creek trailhead this fall. Family members and supporters are expected to be invited to plant additional trees in memory of the 13 victims.

The project is intended to provide a lasting place of remembrance tied to the community's continued focus on the creek corridor. Organizers did not provide a firm date for the first planting during the vigil.

City officials, including District 3 Council Member Phyllis Viagran, attended and publicly expressed support for the families. Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert and other community advocates have also been part of the broader discussion about how to reduce future flooding risk.

What remains unresolved

The vigil came as families continue to press for more concrete action one year after the disaster. The city has said it is working on mitigation measures, but major questions remain about timing, scope and how quickly the Beitel Creek area will see visible improvements.

The unresolved issues include the pace of brush clearing, new warning systems and roadway-safety upgrades. Families and advocates have said those changes matter as much as memorialization, because the flood remains both a personal loss and an ongoing public-safety concern.

For the people who gathered Thursday, the anniversary was a reminder that the disaster did not end in 2025. The new grove gives the families a place to grieve and remember, while their push for flood prevention continues into the second year after the deaths.