During the devastating Central Texas floods, incoming Longhorn Chloe Childress, 18, was killed on July 4 while serving as a counselor at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas.
“She was a force beyond belief,” said Chloe’s father, Matthew Childress, during a service on Saturday. “Everything she faced, she figured out how to conquer.”
A fourth-generation Longhorn, Chloe was poised to begin her freshman year at UT this fall, where she planned to pursue a pre-med track. Driven by a passion for helping others, she wanted to become a doctor. Chloe is remembered for her love of music, her enthusiasm and her commitment to helping those around her.
Chloe graduated in 2025 from The Kinkaid School in Houston, Texas, where she was co-president of the Honor Council, a varsity cross-country runner and a mentor to younger students.
Chloe was also involved in several student organizations, including Model United Nations, the Student Wellbeing Advisory Board and Kinkaid’s Young Life ministry, a Christian organization that hosts summer camps and programs for youth. She also founded the Love Our Senior Citizens Club and volunteered with the Houston Food Bank, Memorial Park Conservatory, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
But according to The Kinkaid School, it was Chloe’s ability to connect with others that set her apart.
“Chloe had a remarkable way of making people feel seen,” wrote the Kinkaid School in a community email. “She was wise beyond her years, with a steady compassion that settled a room. Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone’s burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued and brave.”
Outside of her academic and extracurricular pursuits, Chloe found joy in bringing people together. Chloe’s father talked about how she transformed their home into a haven for her friends.
“She planned parties, made cheeseboards, cut brie, bought all this crap on Amazon, then all of a sudden I’m like, ‘Why are we doing this?’” Matthew said. “But it made another home for all these girls to come and hang out and feel comfortable.”
Chloe is survived by her parents, Matthew and Wendie Childress, and her younger brother, John “Jack” Childress. In her honor, The Kinkaid School has established the Chloe Childress Memorial Endowment Fund to support future students, and the family has requested that donations be made to this cause.
“Chloe’s radiant spirit, infectious joy and unwavering heart touched countless lives over the course of her 18 years,” her family wrote in an obituary published in the Houston Chronicle. “Though her time on earth was far too brief, her impact will be felt for generations through the lives she touched and the love she shared. Please remember all that Chloe meant to us. May her joy, light and love live on.”
