Torrential rains transformed the pristine Guadalupe River, unleashing roaring cascades in the predawn hours of Independence Day along 40 miles of Kerr County – claiming at least 106 lives there alone, including 36 children. The confirmed death toll statewide was 133 as of Tuesday morning.

After devastating floods swept through the Hill Country, local heroes stepped up in powerful, unforgettable ways.

As the senior pastor at the Kerrville First United Methodist Church, David Payne is familiar with the question: "If God has the ability to stop it, why didn't he?"