Unimaginable. Heartbreaking. Surreal. Gut-wrenching.
These are just a few of the emotions that flooded through me as news broke from the Guadalupe River and the devastating tragedy in Kerr County, Texas. Though we are over 1,800 miles away from Camp Mystic, it felt like the heartbreak happened in our own backyard.
At Macaroni KID, we’re all about celebrating the hyper-local—but in moments like this, distance doesn’t matter. As parents, we watched with broken hearts as the unthinkable unfolded. We asked ourselves the impossible questions: How lucky am I that this isn’t my child? How do I send my child off to camp this week without fear? What can I do from here to let those families know they’re not alone?
If you're like me, you've wrestled with those questions. You've hugged your children tighter. You've agonized over how to prepare them for the unexpected without robbing them of their innocence. You’ve stayed up late, wondering what kind of world we are handing to them. If these thoughts have echoed in your mind this week—please know you’re not alone.
Here in Morris County, most of us have no direct connection to Kerr County. And yet, our hearts break just the same. Our fear feels just as real. But together, we can take a step toward healing—and toward hope.
That’s why I’d like to invite you to join me later this month for coffee (or Diet Coke if that’s your go-to like it is mine). We'll gather during the day, one evening, and on a weekend—adults only—for an hour of quiet connection. A safe space to process, to listen, to lean on one another. And together, we’ll honor the children lost with a simple, meaningful act of kindness. If you’d like to be part of it, click here to share your interest, and I’ll send details soon.
Across the country, Macaroni KID is a network of local publishers just like me. I reached out to Summer, our publisher in Kerr County, to offer support and ask how we can help. She suggested contributing to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund—a trusted, local group doing the hands-on work to help those grieving and displaced. While nothing can undo the loss, our donations may help lift the weight of immediate needs. (Like any non-profit donation, I encourage you to do a little bit of homework to be sure you are comfortable with the organization)
We may be far away, but we are with them in spirit. In sorrow. In solidarity.
I hope to meet many of you in the coming weeks. Until then, I leave you with the words of Helen Keller, which seem to hold even more meaning now:
“What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
Let’s carry those we’ve lost in our hearts—and move forward, together.
With warmth and hope,
Sandy
