The mother-in-law of Julian Ryan, the 27-year-old father who was killed in the Texas floods as he was trying to save his family, is remembering him as a hero.

Young campers and a dad saving his family were among the dozens killed in the historic flash floods that tore through central Texas over the holiday weekend.

Hundreds were missing, including over two dozen girls at a summer camp, and as minutes stretched into hours, hope gave way to grief. At least 82 people, including 28 children, were killed in the catastrophic Texas floods and the death toll continues to rise,