John Burgess, 39, was killed in the Texas floods. A witness said he ‘was holding tight to his babies, and he just got swept away’
She went to camp with her favorite stuffed animal.
She came back an orphan.
7-year-old Jenna Burgess became the face of the Texas flood tragedy—not because she spoke, but because she didn’t.
Because after the water receded and the helicopters cleared, she was the only one left.
Her father, John Burgess, 39, died trying to save her baby brothers—Jack, 5, and James, 1—as floodwaters ripped through the Blue Oak RV Park.
He was last seen clinging to a tree, refusing to let go of his sons.
He was swept away before rescuers could reach him.
His wife, Julia, 38, Jenna’s mom, was found later.
Family members confirmed that John and his wife, Julia (pictured), were among those found dead in the Texas floods
The boys are still missing.
Jenna, by a twist of fate, had been staying at a nearby summer camp—untouched by the flood.
She came back to silence.
And that silence is what caught the attention of someone who knows it all too well:
Eminem.
“I Grew Up with Silence Too.”
The rapper known for his ferocity on the mic is also a father. And a survivor of trauma.
When Eminem—real name Marshall Mathers—heard Jenna’s story, he didn’t post. He didn’t go public.
He sent a letter. And a promise.
According to a family source, the letter came in a small black envelope. Inside, a handwritten note in Eminem’s signature slanted print.
“Jenna—
You don’t know me. But I know what silence feels like. I know what it means to be left behind. To sit in a room that used to have laughter and wonder where it all went.”
He continued:
“You didn’t ask to be the one left standing. But you are. And that means something.
It means you’re stronger than you know. It means your story isn’t over.
It means this world still needs you.”
A Promise She’ll Never Forget
Tributes have already begun pouring in for John and Julia as their two young sons remain unaccounted for. Their daughter, who was staying at a nearby camp, was safe from the floods
But Eminem didn’t stop with words.
He pledged through the Marshall Mathers Foundation to:
Fully fund Jenna’s education, from now through college
Provide ongoing mental health and grief counseling for the next 10 years
Create a private trust to help Jenna as she grows—“so she never feels like she’s standing alone in this world again”
And then, in his closing paragraph, the words that made even hardened hearts break:
“You’re not just a survivor.
You are your daddy’s strength.
Your mama’s smile.
Your brothers’ heartbeat.”
He ended with one final promise:
“One day, if you ever want… I’ll be there to tell the world your story, in your own words. Until then, I’m just someone who’s proud of you already.”
Signed:
Marshall
“She Whispered, ‘He Said I’m My Daddy’s Strength.’”
According to Jenna’s aunt, the little girl clutched the letter the entire day.
“She didn’t cry at first. She just kept rereading the line: You are your daddy’s strength. Then she whispered it… and held the letter to her chest.”
A Voice of Anger Turned into a Whisper of Love
Eminem—who built his legacy turning pain into poetry—may be the last person many expected to step into a tragedy like this.
But for those who know him best, it makes sense.
“He sees broken kids because he was one,” said a source close to the artist. “He never forgot that.”
He also reportedly sent Jenna a signed copy of his song “Mockingbird”, with a handwritten message across the cover:
“This one’s for the girl who already knows how to survive the storm.”
