found project
reverently returning what remains
To be found isn’t just to be recovered.
It is to be anchored.
To be given ground again.
To be brought back into meaning.
In the Hill Country, we have lost lives.
Children. Mothers. Fathers. Daughters .
There are things the water carried away that will never return in the shape they once held.
But some things are still being found.
Jewelry in the mud.
Photos under rocks.
The edges of blankets.
A baby’s shoe.
And somehow, in this aching work of searching, we are being found too.
Found in our strength.
Found in our reverence.
Found in the way we say their names with clean hands and open hearts.
This isn’t just cleanup.
This is remembering.
This is belonging.
This is holy ground work.
To the families who lost, to the ones still waiting—
we carry your grief with the weight it deserves.
And we will keep going until every item, every name, every soul that wants to be found, is.
-dondi persyn
FOUNDER
FOUND ON THE GUADALUPE RIVER PROJECT
a heart- led community driven private initiative
WE ONLY ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED
CONTACT US FOR DELIVERY OF LARGER ITEMS
FOUND ON THE GUADALUPE RIVER PROJECT IS A PRIVATELY LED, HEART FOCUSED INITIATIVE
STEWARDED BY DONDI PERSYN AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS
SUPPORT
6 weeks in
Found on the Guadalupe River — Milestones
(as of August, 2024)
1. 10 Million Views Worldwide
Stories of reverent recovery and reunification have reached over 10 million viewers, carrying the mission far beyond Kerr County.
2. 55.7K Community Members
The Found on the Guadalupe River Facebook group has grown to 55,700+ members, uniting survivors, volunteers, and supporters across the nation.
3. 30+ Media Features
Featured or mentioned in more than 30 national and international outlets, including Texas Monthly, People Magazine,The New York Times, and primetime television coverage.
4. Heirlooms and Sacred Items Returned
From a great-grandmother’s ring to the long-missing Jellycat monkey of an angel camper, thousands of belongings have been reverently recovered and hundreds reunited with families.
5. Community Recognition
Next week, Found on the Guadalupe River will be formally recognized at the Kendall County Commissioner’s Court for its extraordinary service.
6. Warehouse & Logistics Secured
Benevolent benefactors support with central warehouse use , no cost UPS shipping system, and digital claims platform forming the backbone of long-term reunification efforts.
7. Leadership in Reverent Disaster Response
Led by Dondi Persyn and Deanna Lindsey, the mission has become a model of grassroots coordination — pairing field recovery with digital stewardship and setting a new standard for disaster response rooted in reverence.