A Mineral Wells welder is preparing to return a massive steel memorial cross to Kerr County after a second flood devastated the structure just days following its dedication ceremony this past July.
Michael Collins spent roughly 230 hours crafting the 1,500-pound, 21-foot steel cross as a tribute to the 27 campers and counselors who lost their lives at Camp Mystic during catastrophic flooding. When he arrived to find it destroyed by yet another flood, he said the sight was overwhelming.
Collins described the cross as “pancaked” meaning the square steel tubing had been crushed completely out of shape by the force of the floodwaters. He made the decision immediately to haul it back to his North Texas home for proper repairs.
Inside the restored cross, four half-inch steel plates now reinforce the sections that failed under the pressure of the storm. Collins said the remaining dents and marks are intentional reminders of what the structure endured rather than flaws to be hidden.
Collins has spent several years building memorial crosses through Brady’s Love Cross Ministry, a nonprofit he founded following the death of his son Brady. The ministry has placed more than a dozen crosses at sites of tragedy across the region with the goal of bringing peace and healing to grieving families.
Mark Strand, who joined the ministry’s board after the murder of his granddaughter Athena Strand in 2022, said seeing a cross placed on his own property brought him unexpected comfort during one of the most painful periods of his life. He said the ministry prays over every cross before it goes into the ground hoping it will bring peace to all who pass by.
Collins drew a comparison between the restored cross and a biblical reference about a twig along a river that bends but does not break. He said the cross now stands as a symbol of resilience that mirrors the strength of the Kerr County community still recovering from the devastating July 4th floods.
The ministry is currently raising funds to cover the cost of transporting the cross back to Kerrville. Collins said he hopes to complete the approximately four-hour drive south within the next few weeks so the memorial can be returned to the community that needs it most.
Those wishing to support Brady’s Love Cross Ministry and help fund the transport of the restored Camp Mystic memorial can find more information through the nonprofit directly.