In early July 2025, central Texas was struck by catastrophic flash floods along the Guadalupe River, claiming over 100 lives, including at least 27 children and counselors at Camp Mystic, a nondenominational Christian summer camp in Kerr County. The disaster, one of the deadliest for children in recent U.S. history, left communities grappling with unimaginable loss. Amid the tragedy, a Houston-based pediatrician, Dr. Christina B. Propst, sparked widespread outrage with a now-deleted social media post that appeared to mock the flood victims, linking their suffering to their political support for President Donald Trump. The post led to her swift termination from Blue Fish Pediatrics, a clinic affiliated with Houston’s Memorial Hermann hospital network. After days of silence, Propst issued a public apology, attempting to explain her actions and express remorse. This article delves into the context of the floods, the content of Propst’s controversial post, the public and institutional response, and the broader implications of her statements in a time of crisis.

The Texas Floods: A Devastating Tragedy

The flash floods that ravaged Kerr County, Texas, over the Fourth of July weekend in 2025 were unprecedented in their ferocity. Torrential rains dumped 1.8 trillion gallons of water over the region, causing the Guadalupe River to surge 26 feet in just 45 minutes, the second-highest rise on record for the area. The floods struck in the early hours of Friday, catching many residents and campers unaware despite flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) as early as Wednesday. By mid-July, the death toll had climbed to at least 136, with over 170 people reported missing statewide, including more than 160 in Kerr County alone.

Among the hardest hit was Camp Mystic, a 99-year-old all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas. At least 27 campers and counselors perished, with five campers and one counselor still unaccounted for as of July 18, 2025. The victims included young girls like 8-year-old Anna Margaret Bellows, described by her mother as a “radiant joy,” and twins Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, whose grandfather spoke of their infectious energy and kindness. Other victims included Julian Ryan, a 27-year-old father who died trying to save his family from their flooded trailer, and Chloe Childress, a Camp Mystic counselor set to attend the University of Texas at Austin.

The scale of the disaster overwhelmed local emergency response systems. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly told CBS News that the severity of the flooding was unexpected, and Governor Greg Abbott noted that the sheer volume of water—a “water wall of almost 30ft high”—caught communities off guard. Questions have since been raised about the adequacy of flood warnings and the lack of a robust early warning system along the Guadalupe River, with some pointing to budget cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a contributing factor.

Dr. Christina Propst’s Controversial Post

On July 4, as news of the floods and their devastating toll began to spread, Dr. Christina B. Propst, a pediatrician at Blue Fish Pediatrics in Houston, posted a message on Facebook under the username “Chris Tina.” The post read: “May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry. Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.” The post referenced Kerr County’s strong support for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, where over 76% of voters backed him, and alluded to Trump’s proposals to reduce funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and downplay the climate crisis.

The timing and tone of Propst’s post were widely perceived as callous, especially given the loss of life, including dozens of children. The phrase “May they get what they voted for” was interpreted as suggesting that the flood victims, many of whom were Trump supporters, deserved their fate due to their political choices. The inclusion of “non-MAGA voters” in her wish for safety further fueled perceptions of partisan disdain, while the sarcastic “Bless their hearts” amplified the post’s insensitivity.

Screenshots of the post quickly spread across social media platforms, particularly X, where users condemned Propst’s remarks and called for her dismissal. One X user wrote, “There is no room in medicine, nor in civilized society, for this kind of hate,” urging patients to avoid Propst. Another post by @LibsOfTikTok, which garnered significant attention, tagged Blue Fish Pediatrics and demanded action. The backlash was swift and intense, with community members flooding Blue Fish Pediatrics with messages, calls, and emails expressing outrage.

Institutional Response and Propst’s Termination

Blue Fish Pediatrics, an independent partner of the Memorial Hermann hospital network, responded promptly to the controversy. On Saturday, July 5, the clinic issued a statement announcing that Propst had been placed on leave pending an investigation. By Monday, July 7, they confirmed that she was “no longer employed” by the organization. The clinic’s statement read: “We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.” Memorial Hermann also distanced itself from Propst, clarifying that she was not directly employed by their system and emphasizing their “zero tolerance” for such rhetoric.

The decision to terminate Propst was met with approval from many who viewed her comments as incompatible with the ethical standards expected of a pediatrician, particularly one entrusted with the care of children. The Texas Medical Board, while not commenting directly on Propst’s case, has guidelines requiring physicians to maintain public trust through professional conduct, and public sentiment suggested that Propst’s post undermined this trust.

Propst’s Apology and Explanation

On July 8, 2025, Dr. Propst issued a public apology, first reported by Houston’s KPRC news station. In her statement, she expressed deep regret for her post, stating, “I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry.” She claimed that the post was made before she was fully aware of the extent of the tragedy, particularly the loss of life, and that it stemmed from frustration over inadequate disaster preparedness and response. “The words written were mine, and regardless of how they are being presented, that is a fact that I deeply regret,” she said.

Propst further explained that her comments were motivated by concerns about policies that she believed exacerbated the disaster, such as proposed cuts to FEMA and the dismissal of climate change as a factor in extreme weather events. She acknowledged the insensitivity of her words, stating, “Perhaps my biggest regret is that my words are now serving as a distraction from our shared responsibility to heal the pain and suffering of those whose lives have been forever changed by unspeakable loss.” She concluded by pledging to “listen, learn, grow, and serve my community” moving forward and expressing solidarity with the victims, saying, “The heart of every Texan breaks for each and every family shattered by this tragedy.”

Broader Context and Public Reaction

Propst’s post was not an isolated incident. Another Houston figure, Sade Perkins, a former appointee to the city’s Food Insecurity Board, faced similar backlash for TikTok videos criticizing Camp Mystic as a “white-only girls’ Christian camp” and suggesting that the tragedy would have received less attention if the victims were minorities. Perkins was removed from her position by Mayor John Whitmire, who condemned her remarks and called for unity in mourning the victims. These incidents highlighted a broader trend of politicizing the tragedy, with some social media users and media outlets, such as a Buffalo News cartoon depicting a drowning MAGA supporter, drawing criticism for insensitivity.

Public reaction to Propst’s apology was mixed. Some accepted her remorse as genuine, noting that her acknowledgment of fault and commitment to community healing showed accountability. Others, however, viewed the apology as a “weak excuse,” arguing that her initial post revealed a lack of empathy that disqualified her from practicing medicine. On X, posts continued to circulate demanding that her medical license be revoked, reflecting ongoing anger among some community members.

The controversy also fueled discussions about the role of social media in amplifying divisive rhetoric during crises. Propst’s post, while deleted, was preserved through screenshots and shared widely, illustrating how quickly online content can escalate into real-world consequences. The incident raised questions about the boundaries of free speech for healthcare professionals, who are often held to higher standards of conduct due to their role in public trust.

Implications and Lessons

The Propst controversy underscores several critical issues. First, it highlights the delicate balance between personal expression and professional responsibility, particularly for physicians. While Propst was entitled to her political views, her decision to express them in a way that appeared to mock victims of a tragedy was widely seen as crossing an ethical line. The swift response from Blue Fish Pediatrics reflects the expectation that healthcare providers maintain compassion and neutrality, especially during times of crisis.

Second, the incident sheds light on the polarization of public discourse in the United States. Propst’s reference to “MAGA” voters and FEMA cuts tapped into broader debates about climate change, government funding, and political accountability. However, her attempt to link these issues to the suffering of flood victims was seen as inappropriate, particularly given the loss of children and the ongoing grief of affected families.

Finally, the tragedy and its aftermath have sparked renewed scrutiny of emergency preparedness in Texas. Residents and officials have questioned why flood warnings did not lead to evacuations and whether staffing shortages at the NWS contributed to communication failures. The floods, exacerbated by the region’s geography and extreme weather patterns, have also reignited discussions about climate change’s role in intensifying such disasters, a point Propst alluded to in her post but expressed in a manner that overshadowed her intent.

Conclusion

The firing of Dr. Christina Propst and her subsequent apology have become a flashpoint in the aftermath of the 2025 Texas floods, a tragedy that claimed over 100 lives and left communities in mourning. Her post, which appeared to mock Kerr County flood victims for their political beliefs, ignited a firestorm of outrage, leading to her termination from Blue Fish Pediatrics and widespread condemnation on social media. While Propst’s apology expressed regret and sought to contextualize her remarks as frustration over policy failures, it did little to quell the anger of those who viewed her comments as heartless. The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the power of words, the responsibilities of professionals, and the dangers of politicizing human suffering. As Texas continues to recover from the floods, the focus must remain on supporting the victims and addressing systemic issues in disaster preparedness, rather than allowing divisive rhetoric to deepen the wounds of a grieving state.