Texas family reunited with dog who survived deadly floods by hiding in washing machine

In the midst of tragedy and loss following the catastrophic Texas floods, one family’s story has become a beacon of hope: their beloved dog survived the disaster by taking refuge in the most unlikely place—a washing machine.

On the night of July 4, the Vlasek family’s home in the small town of Hunt was engulfed by rapidly rising floodwaters. High school senior Cody Vlasek described how the water reached waist height in just 20 minutes, forcing his family to make a split-second decision to evacuate. “We had no time to search for our dog before we were forced to make our way to a neighbor's house uphill,” Cody told local reporters.

As the family escaped, the devastation around them was overwhelming. “The current—it almost tripped some of us,” Cody recalled. Their home, located just 20 to 30 feet from the 100-year flood plain, was quickly destroyed as the Guadalupe River surged over its banks, part of a disaster that has left more than 120 people dead and 150 still missing across Central Texas.

Miraculous discovery

Days later, as the floodwaters receded, Cody returned to what was left of his childhood home, fearing the worst for his missing dog. But as he climbed through a broken window, he heard an unexpected sound—scratching and a whimper. “I turned my head around the corner and saw him just floating in the washer,” Cody said, describing the emotional moment he found his dog alive, having survived by climbing into the washing machine as the waters rose.

While the Vlasek family is overjoyed to be reunited with their four-legged companion, the heartbreak of the disaster remains. “You can replace a house, but you can’t replace lives,” Cody reflected, acknowledging the loss of friends and neighbors—including children and summer campers at nearby Camp Mystic, where 27 campers and counselors perished.