Dennis Quaid and daughter Zoe Grace Quaid attend the Los Angeles premiere of "Reagan" at TCL Chinese Theatre on August 20, 2024 in Hollywood, California.© Robin L Marshall

Scary Parenting Moments

Dennis Quaid recalls sleepless night trying to reach his daughter during Texas floods

The actor opened up about the anxious night he couldn’t reach his daughter Zoe, 17, as deadly floodwaters swept through Hill Country, Texas


JULY 15, 2025 1:27 PM EDT

Dennis Quaid “didn’t really get a lot of sleep” the night he was unable to reach his 17-year-old daughter, Zoe, who was working as a camp counselor in Texas as catastrophic floods tore through Hill Country over the July 4 weekend.

The 71-year-old actor said he tried calling Zoe after hearing about the flooding, but couldn’t get through.

Dennis Quaid and his daughter Zoe Grace Quaid attend the premiere of "Reagan" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood© VALERIE MACON
Dennis Quaid and his daughter Zoe Grace Quaid attend the premiere of "Reagan" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood

On July 4th, the Guadalupe River overflowed causing widespread devastation, including damage to the Christian girls’ summer camp, Camp Mystic. Reports indicate that hundreds of people lost their lives, including campers and staff members from the area.

During an appearance on Fox News, Quaid, who shares Zoe with his ex-wife Kimberly Buffington, shared his concern for her safety and reflected on the impact of the tragedy.

© Brandon Bell
Debris is piled up at Camp Mystic after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River, leaving more than 100 people reported dead, including children attending the camp.

“Hill County in Texas is a magical place, especially for children going to camp there. It’s a cherished memory you carry with you all your life,” he said. “My daughter was a few miles away from [Camp] Mystic, further north. Thankfully, their camp was ok.”

Quaid recalled trying to reach Zoe just as he was heading to bed. “I heard about this as I was going to bed that night, and I tried to call her because I knew she was up there,” he recounted.

“I knew it wasn’t near where the floods were, but I wasn’t able to talk to her till the next day. I didn’t really get a lot of sleep that night.”

The Substance star, who also has sons Thomas and Jack Quaid with Kimberly Buffington and Meg Ryan, respectively, offered heartfelt condolences to Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and his family after their nine-year-old cousin, Janie, died in the floods.

© Robby Klein
Dennis Quaid poses in the Getty Images Portrait Studio Presented by IMDb and IMDbPro at SXSW 2025 on March 10, 2025 in Austin, Texas

“My heart goes out to everybody [and] my heart goes out to the Hunt family, who are friends of my wife, Laura [Savoie], and I,” Quaid said.

“Janie Hunt, who was lost that weekend. I can’t imagine…how devastating that would be. None of us can.”

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