TEXAS – When Lars Nootbaar, the star outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, heard the terrible news about the horrific floods in Texas that killed dozens of children, he collapsed in his locker room chair, holding his head, speechless.
No home run, no victory could fill that feeling of helplessness. Because this time the victims were not opponents on the field – but young children enjoying their last summer.
A disaster in an instant – and the calls for mom are gone forever
On July 4, the Guadalupe River – usually gentle – suddenly rose more than 8 meters in just 60 minutes, sweeping away the Mystic summer camp in Kerr County, where nearly 200 students and coaches were participating.
At least 27 children are confirmed dead. More than 40 are missing, including eight-year-old twins Hanna and Rebecca, who are believed to have been swept away by the water while playing near the cabin.
“We heard screaming, crying… and the water came up so fast,” said a witness.
Lars Nootbaar bursts into tears in the press room
Having just scored a point to help the Cardinals turn the game around against the Brewers, Lars Nootbaar should have been beaming. But after the game, when he learned the details of the incident, he refused to celebrate, took off his name tag from his shirt and said, choking up:
“I think of those girls. They’re my cousins’ age. And I’m here, healthy… and they…”
A teammate revealed:
“He sat in the locker room for hours, and no one dared to come near him.”
When Baseball Is Silent, the Heart Speaks
Nootbaar has reached out to a local charity and confirmed he will be heading to Texas after the series, bringing supplies, toys and prayer books to the families of the victims.
The Cardinals have also launched a “Baseball for Texas” fund, in which every hit Nootbaar makes between now and the end of the month will be donated to $1,000.
On Instagram, he wrote simply:
“I can’t save them. But I won’t let them be forgotten.”
The emotional trauma of a player – and a nation
Floods kill more than 100 people across Texas. Questions remain: Why wasn’t the summer camp evacuated sooner? Why didn’t the warning system work?
Amid criticism of the government, Lars Nootbaar’s presence is like a small candle in the darkness – lighting up the belief that baseball is not just a sport, but a humane one.
“I won’t hit another pitch if it will bring you back” — Nootbaar
And perhaps that’s why MLB fell silent today not only to honor the Texas victims…
…but also to listen to a player speak from the heart.