Help Support the Ruidoso Flood Survivors Trotter Family

My name is Hank Wyatt and I’m reaching out on behalf of my brother and sister in law while they're in the hospital with serious injuries due to the Ruidoso, NM, flash flood.

On July 8th, what was supposed to be a carefree family vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico, turned into a nightmare no one could have imagined.

Their babies, *little* Sebastian Rowan (7) and Charlotte Emery Trotter (4), lost their lives and were sent to be with the lord. Their dogs, Zeus (9) and Ellie (5) were also sadly unable to survive their injuries. Their German Shepherd Lily (8) thankfully survived alongside the parents, Stephanie and Sebastian.

They were camping alongside a small stream of water at an RV park in Ruidoso, NM. They had a fantastic day exploring the town, shopping, getting pizza for lunch, playing soccer, and then came back to start packing up the RV to leave.

They received no warning or alerts on their phone when suddenly water began to flood the campsite at a rapid pace. The RV began to fill up with water before they could even step out of the door. Their efforts to escape the RV and seek refuge failed. As the water got more and more violent, the RV was nearly half way filled with water when the wall of the RV cracked in half and the mother and kids were sucked into the water. Sebastian (parent) dove into the water after the kids.

Stephanie was holding onto her babies fighting the water, trying to get them to safety. Her Husband, Sebastian, was able to guide their son up a tree while Stephanie and their daughter Charlotte continued down the river until trees and debris hit and separated them. It was impossible for them to fight against the speed and depth of the water at this point.

Stephanie was drowning and found the strength to force herself back above the water and thankfully got stuck on a part of a wall in order to be rescued by some people nearby.

Its a miracle that Stephanie and Sebastian (parents) even survived those waters.

The entire town tried to help as much as possible and we thank them for their support. Everyone helped trying to rescue them as well as their dogs.

As if losing their children and two of their dogs weren’t enough, the flood destroyed their RV, their truck, and nearly every precious keepsake they brought with them... photo albums, laptops and phones filled with memories, and the simple comforts of home. Stephanie and Sebastian both sustained serious injuries; Sebastian faces major surgeries and months of recovery, and she will not be able to work fully for quite some time. Stephanie is a nursing student and Sebastian is a active US Army soldier.

We are raising these funds not only to cover their bills, mortgage, and rehabilitation, but to give our little Sebastian and Charlotte the beautiful farewell they deserve... their funerals, the memorials, the moments of love and remembrance that no amount of sorrow should ever steal from a family.

These funds will mostly be used to give the kids the memorials that they deserve and ensure that the parents have one less thing they need to worry about.

Sebastian and Stephanie were devoted parents to two of the brightest, most joyful souls you could ever meet. Little Sebastian loved nothing more than chasing a soccer ball across a field, dreaming of playing professionally one day. Charlotte was our little performer. Always singing, always twirling, and lighting up every room she entered. They were kind, curious, and loved harder than anyone I’ve ever known.

This is the worst day of our family’s lives. If you can give even a dollar, it will help shoulder some of the burden the parents have and they can focus on healing. If you can share this page, you can help bring hope to Stephanie and Sebastian in their darkest hour. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us. Any kindness you can offer will mean the world.