Black dad, Army veteran swept away by Texas floods while delivering medicine

William Govaniavic Venus, an African American Army veteran from Burnet County, Texas, sadly passed away when floodwaters swept away his car while he was out delivering medicine. Authorities later found his body near Hamilton Creek, not far from where his vehicle was carried off the road.

The 57-year-old father of four was reported missing on July 7. That same day, officials recovered his body about a quarter mile from his car. He was one of at least five people who lost their lives in the severe flooding that hit Burnet County.

His son, William Venus Jr., believes his father was out delivering medicine for work when the floodwaters carried his car off the road. He flew from Maryland to Texas to search for him and posted a plea for help on Facebook. The post went viral with over 6,000 shares.

Venus served in the U.S. Army for 30 years, including in Desert Storm and missions in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. He retired as a command sergeant major with several honors, including three Bronze Star Medals.

Even after his military career, Venus remained dedicated to service. He worked delivering medication, continuing to help others in his community.

“He was a servant to whatever community he found himself in,” his son told People. “It didn’t matter where he was.”

After hearing the news about his death, many of his former colleagues from around the world reached out to the family.

“He was a hero,” his son added. “God would have been better off taking me because he had a whole lot more work he could have done in this world.”