River of Angels: K-9 Guardians of the Guadalupe

Last week, our team at Welling Films joined Kathryn Ryckman of Kerr County—and her remarkable yellow Labrador retrievers Opal, Rynn, and Rye —along the Guadalupe River.

Filming for the upcoming documentary River of Angels.

Working alongside 1st Lt. Emily “Ake” MalcoM, Public Affairs Officer for the 5th Armored Brigade at Fort Bliss, Kathryn has spent tireless days combing the riverbanks, since July 4th, for the missing. Within just a six-mile radius, her dogs have already helped recover numerous bodies.

These aren’t ordinary pets. Though not formally certified cadaver dogs, their deep familiarity with the terrain, highly trained professional hunting experience and their instinct to work as a pack give them a unique approach in the mission.

For Welling Films it was the story of a local rising to the occasion to heal her own.

Her journey reflects the very heart of River of Angels—ordinary people stepping forward in extraordinary times.

We began filming with Kathryn at 8:00 a.m., following her into the water at what many now call “ground zero”—the site directly across from Blue Oak RV Park, where more than a hundred RVs and tiny homes were swept away in the July floods.

At this location, we met Gary Shipman, the ranch owner whose property lies along this devastated stretch of the Guadalupe. Shipman has personally witnessed the discovery of over 20 bodies on his land since the flood—a staggering reminder of the river’s force and the human toll it has taken.

His property has become a central recovery point, and he welcomed the Welling Films crew as we documented the ongoing search, a search to bring closure and healing in what will be shared through the documentary River of Angels.

Lt. Malcom, who also serves as a Kerrville police officer and U.S. Army Reservist, recently returned home to support recovery efforts alongside Kathryn.

“Kerrville shaped who I am,” Malcom said in her interview with us. “There was never a question about going back—these are my people. The floods brought unimaginable loss, but also revealed the resilience of this community.”

We give our deepest thanks to man’s and woman’s best friend "Dogs"—Kathryn’s local Kerr County dogs—as well as the many K9 teams that came from beyond to aid in discovery and help bring closure to families.

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