Local members and students of the Kingwood community gathered at Town Center Sunday for a prayer vigil dedicated to Jeff Wilson, who died in the Central Texas flash floods on July 4. Wilson was the Auto Collision and Refinishing teacher as well as the CTE department chair at Kingwood Park since its founding in 2007.
Wilson, his wife Amber and their 12-year-old son Shiloh were camping at an RV Park in Kerrville when the flooding began. Amber and Shiloh, a rising 7th grader at Creekwood Middle School, are still missing. They had traveled to Kerrville for a youth rodeo event.
Humble ISD sent an email about the news Saturday, and the vigil was planned the next day. More than 200 people gathered at the event.
“[Sunday] morning I woke up and I just wanted to gather people in prayer,” said Greentree Elementary assistant principal Monica Schultz, who organized the event. “At first it was just my staff, like, ‘Hey, did anybody want to get together and pray with me?’ And then it just kind of snowballed into all of this.”
After she received calls from various news organizations and public communications for Humble ISD, Schultz realized the vigil was going to be a large affair.
“That’s when I was like, ‘I’d better come up with a detailed plan,’” she said. “I made prayer cards. I reached out to a friend who then got a pastor involved.”
During the event, there was singing, prayer and opportunities to share on stage and in small groups.
Many spoke about the lessons Wilson taught, not only in his shop, but in life.
“I remember I was upset because I messed up a piece that I was painting, and I felt really defeated about it,” said Tyler, a 2010 graduate who was in Wilson’s class all four years of high school. “And then he put his arm on my shoulder and said ‘Hey, son, you gonna let that beat you? We got all the resources you need, you can do it again, and it’s better this time than how you first did it. Always remember that if it doesn’t work the first time, try again and don’t give up.’”
The crowd was filled with friends, students and co-workers, including Kingwood Park principal Wes Solomon, who has known Wilson for more than 25 years.
“Jeff Wilson made a legacy and left a legacy in the school, and in the district, and in the community,” Solomon said. “That legacy was built on relationships, that legacy was built on the relationship and trust he made with his kids.”
Not all who were there had Wilson as a teacher or even knew him personally. Siblings of those who were in the class and other staff from Humble ISD schools came to pray and showcase their support.
“Even though I didn’t know Mr. Wilson that well, I feel like we’re all family and we should be all here for each other now,” said Ethan Elliott, a 2025 graduate. “I think it’s pretty cool because some people you know, some people you don’t. But Kingwood, in general, is just a family and they’re all here to support everyone they can.”
