Matthew McConaughey broke his silence on the devastating floods that killed dozens in Texas as he issued a plea to his fans to ‘lend a helping hand.’
The Oscar winner, 55 — who was born in Uvalde, Texas — took to X on Sunday, writing, ‘At least 70 lives have been lost, many more are unaccounted for, and countless Texans are hurting – inside and out.’
‘If you’re able, please lend a helping hand where and how you can,’ the Interstellar actor continued.
‘It’s gonna be a long road ahead, but right now the shock, the pain, and the chaos need the steady hand of a neighbor.’
McConaughey added that ‘Texans are some of the most resilient and generous people on the planet.’
The actor was one of a number of stars speaking out in the wake of floods in central Texas.
The total death toll has risen to 82 after the Guadalupe River flooded and surged by up to 30 feet above its usual water level on Friday. 68 bodies have been found, including 28 children.
It’s not the first time McConaughey publicly shared support for Texas. In 2022, he returned to his hometown of Uvalde to help in the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.
He and his wife, Camila Alves, spent weeks in Uvalde right after the shooting as they visited with grieving families and advocated for gun reform.
Many other stars expressed messages of support for Texas over the weekend.
Jennifer Garner, who was born in Houston, shared a poignant note on Sunday, writing on her Instagram Stories, ‘Texas. God, be near.’
Meanwhile Colombian pop superstar Shakira, 48, announced on Saturday that she would be donating proceeds from her San Antonio concert to Catholic Charities of San Antonio.
The Grammy-winning singer wrote on X: ‘Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas. We are donating a portion of tonight’s show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted.’
‘If you would like to join me in donating, please click on the link below. Your help is important and appreciated,’ she added.
Khloe Kardashian wrote on her Instagram Stories on July 6: ‘I can’t stop thinking about the families in Texas and the overwhelming pain they’re going through right now.’
‘As a mother, this kind of tragedy hits in a place words can’t reach. The loss of those sweet, innocent children is something I can’t fully process, There are just no words for this.’
‘My heart is so deeply aching for every parent, every family member, and every community. Please know that so many of us are carrying you in our hearts right now and I’m praying with everything I have in me for those still missing. Texas, we are holding you close.’
Her mom Kris Jenner also wrote about the terrible tragedy via her Instagram Stories.
‘My heart is absolutely shattered by the devastating floods in Texas and the unimaginable loss of those precious children. It’s a tragedy that’s impossible to comprehend and heartbreaking beyond measure. No family should ever have to experience such sorrow.’
‘Life is so fragile, and at times unbearably unfair,’ she continued.
‘To the families living this nightmare, we are holding you in our hearts, praying for strength, and grieving alongside you.’
‘I am so deeply sorry for your loss, and praying with all my heart that those still missing are found safe.’
Meanwhile Texas native Miranda Lambert, 41, announced on Instagram that her nonprofit, MuttNation, is launching a fundraiser to help pet owners impacted by the displacement caused by the floods.
‘I can’t even come up with any words for the loss that everybody’s suffering,’ the singer, 41, said in a July 5 video.
‘Texas needs our help. As always @muttnation Foundation is jumping in to support, and if you’d like to join us please support our fundraiser,’ she wrote in the caption.
Maren Morris, who was born in Arlington, Texas, shared that she was ‘thinking of my home state right now’ in an Instagram post on Saturday.
‘The floods are devastating and people are still missing,’ she added.
‘There are several places to donate but i’ll be donating to an incredibly impactful fund called the Texas Hill Country Community Foundation. they’ve set up a specific fund to support local efforts (nonprofits, local government, first responders and local shelters). link in my stories + bio. ❤️’
Maria Shriver wrote on Instagram: ‘Today my prayers are with the families in Texas impacted by the flooding on the Guadalupe River in Central Texas. Right now they need us all to hold them in a circle of love.’
‘Let’s unite to hold them, pray for them, and pray for the safe return of the more than 2 dozen girls from Camp Mystic in Kerr County, northeast of San Antonio, who were still unaccounted for by late Saturday morning. As a parent myself, my heart is with absolutely everyone who is feeling this loss.’
Fixer Upper star Joanna Gaines, 47, reshared a number of Stories highlighting the devastation from the floods.
Eleven girls are missing from Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, and five of their fellow campers have died after the rushing waters destroyed the all-girls private Christian summer camp.
Beloved director of Camp Mystic, Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland, 70, died while trying to save girls as a month’s worth of rain dropped in a matter of minutes.
The youngest campers slept on low-laying ‘flats’ inside the camp’s cabins, whereas older girls slept in cabins on higher ground, according to the NYT.
Most of the missing girls are from the younger age bracket, who were sleeping just yards away from the banks of the Guadalupe River.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that some 750 girls had been staying at the camp when the floodwaters hit.
Relatives of the missing have started arriving in the Kerrville area from across the Lone Star State to provide investigators with DNA samples.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail exclusively revealed on Sunday that Texas’s Division of Emergency Management predicted the number of dead as a result of catastrophic flooding in Kerrville on July 4 would top 100.
The estimate of the dead is vastly different than the message state officials are projecting publicly, insisting that they are still searching for people who are alive, and refusing to say rescue efforts have shifted to recovery of remains.
‘Our state assets and local partners are continuing to search for live victims,’ the head of TDEM W. Nim Kidd told reporters at a press conference Saturday.
‘Our hope and prayer is that there is still people alive that are out there.’
