The morning of July 4, 2025, dawned with a ferocity that few in Central Texas could have anticipated. Torrential rains unleashed catastrophic floods across Kerr County, transforming the tranquil Guadalupe River into a raging torrent that rose nearly 30 feet in hours. Homes were swept away, lives were lost, and communities were left reeling. Amid this chaos, one man’s voice rose above the storm—Johnny “Joey” Jones, a retired Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and Fox News contributor, whose call to action mobilized his former Marine teammates to join the desperate rescue efforts. This is the story of how Jones, a combat-wounded veteran who lost both legs in Afghanistan, turned his resilience and leadership into a lifeline for flood victims, proving that the bonds of battle endure long after the war.
A Hero Forged in Adversity
Johnny Joey Jones, known to friends as “Triple J,” is no stranger to overcoming impossible odds. Raised in Dalton, Georgia, Jones enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school, serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician. During his eight years of service, he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, disarming over 80 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during his final tour in Helmand Province. On August 6, 2010, his life changed forever when he stepped on an IED, losing both legs above the knee and sustaining severe injuries to his right forearm and wrists. His recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was grueling, but it forged a mission to serve others, a commitment that would define his post-military life.
Now a familiar face on Fox News, Jones uses his platform to advocate for veterans and first responders, sharing stories of resilience through his books Unbroken Bonds of Battle and Behind the Badge. His work with organizations like Boot Campaign and Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response group, has kept him connected to the military community. But when news of the Texas floods broke, Jones’s response was personal. The disaster hit close to home—literally and figuratively—for a man who has always believed in the power of community and service.
The Call Goes Out
On July 5, 2025, as reports of the flooding’s devastation flooded news outlets, Jones was at his home in Newnan, Georgia, watching the crisis unfold. The numbers were staggering: at least 81 dead, including 28 children, and dozens missing in Kerr County alone. Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River, had become a hub of tragedy, with campers and staff swept away by floodwaters. Jones, who had lost friends to war and suicide, felt an urgent need to act. “I’ve been to war. I’ve seen loss. But this—this is home,” he later told a local reporter, echoing the sentiment of a first responder he admired.
Jones picked up his phone and began reaching out to his Marine Corps network—men and women he had served with in Iraq and Afghanistan, whose courage he trusted implicitly. “We’ve got people out there clinging to trees, kids stranded, families broken,” he said in a group message shared on X. “If we don’t step up, who will?” His call was not just a plea but a rallying cry, rooted in the Marine Corps ethos of Semper Fidelis—always faithful. Within hours, a core group of former EOD technicians, infantrymen, and logistics specialists responded, ready to deploy to Texas. Among them were Chris, a childhood friend whose father had inspired Jones to join the Marines, and Jeremy, a dog handler whose search-and-rescue skills would prove invaluable.
Jones coordinated with Team Rubicon, where he had longstanding ties, to integrate his Marine teammates into the relief efforts. “This isn’t about glory,” he told his team. “It’s about getting in there, getting dirty, and getting people to safety.” By July 6, the group was en route to Kerrville, Texas, where the Guadalupe River had left a trail of destruction—trees snapped, homes reduced to debris, and a plastic kayak lodged 15 feet up in a mangled tree.
Into the Flood
The scene in Kerr County was apocalyptic. The Guadalupe River, normally a serene waterway, had surged with tidal wave-like force, sweeping away cabins, vehicles, and lives. At Camp Mystic, stories of heroism and tragedy were already emerging. The camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, had died trying to save young campers, a sacrifice that deeply moved Jones. “That’s the kind of man we’re here to honor,” he told his team as they arrived in Hunt, Texas, on July 7. Equipped with gear from Team Rubicon and supported by local first responders, the Marines joined a multi-agency effort involving the Coast Guard, Texas Air National Guard, and local volunteers.
Jones, unable to join the physical rescues due to his injuries, took on a leadership role, coordinating logistics and rallying his team from a command post in Kerrville. His experience on Capitol Hill, where he had worked with the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, gave him the skills to navigate the chaos of disaster response. “We’re not just pulling people out of the water,” he said. “We’re giving families hope.” His team worked alongside Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan, who had airlifted 200 campers from Camp Mystic, and local game wardens searching for survivors in debris-choked waterways.
Jeremy, the dog handler, brought his search-and-rescue dog, Tundra, whose keen senses helped locate a missing camper trapped in a collapsed cabin. “Tundra was the star,” Jeremy later said, echoing a story Jones shared in Behind the Badge. Another Marine, Chris, used his EOD training to clear debris piles safely, ensuring rescuers could access hard-hit areas without triggering hazards like propane tanks, which had exploded during the flood’s peak. By July 8, the team had helped rescue 15 people, including a family of four clinging to a support beam near the Ingram Dam, a scene that reminded Jones of his own survival instincts in Afghanistan.
A Community United
Jones’s leadership extended beyond the physical rescues. Recognizing the emotional toll on survivors, he organized peer support sessions, drawing on his experience founding a peer visit program at Walter Reed. “These folks have lost everything—homes, loved ones, hope,” he told his team. “We’re here to remind them they’re not alone.” He also used his Fox News platform to amplify the crisis, urging viewers to donate to relief funds like the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, which had received $1.5 million from the NFL Foundation, Dallas Cowboys, and Houston Texans. “Every dollar counts,” he said on Fox & Friends, his voice steady but urgent.
His Marines worked tirelessly, but the emotional weight was heavy. One team member, a veteran of Iraq, broke down after recovering the body of a young camper. Jones, who had lost his childhood friend to PTSD-related suicide in 2012, sat with him, sharing stories of their own battles. “We lean on each other,” Jones later wrote on X. “That’s what Marines do.” His ability to connect, honed through years of speaking engagements and media appearances, kept the team’s morale high even as the death toll climbed to 90 by July 9.
A Lasting Impact
By July 12, the immediate rescue phase was transitioning to recovery, with Jones’s team assisting in clearing debris and distributing supplies. The Marines’ efforts had saved dozens of lives and brought closure to families searching for loved ones. Jones, reflecting on the mission, shared a five-word mantra that encapsulated his resolve: “We rise by lifting others.” This phrase, whispered to his team during a quiet moment in Kerrville, became a rallying cry, echoing his belief in service and community.
The Texas floods tested Jones and his teammates in ways that rivaled their combat experiences, but it also reaffirmed the unbreakable bonds forged in the Marine Corps. “I’ve been to war. This tested me more,” Jones said, echoing the words of another Marine survivor, Kevin Jones, who had clung to a pillar during the flood. For Johnny Joey Jones, the mission was personal—a chance to honor the sacrifices of those like Dick Eastland and to prove that heroism doesn’t end with a uniform.
As the waters receded, Jones’s call to action left a lasting legacy. His Marines, alongside Team Rubicon and local heroes, had turned despair into hope, reminding a battered community that resilience is born from unity. “We’re not done,” Jones told his team as they prepared to return home. “This is just the beginning.” For a man who had turned his own tragedy into a mission of service, the Texas floods were another chapter in a life defined by courage, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to others.
