Runners are gathering in North Texas this weekend for the Cowtown Marathon races, including a family with a deeply emotional and personal reason for showing up at the starting line. Scrolling through old memories, it’s clear cousins Dottie Quisenberry and Eloise Peck, known as “Lulu,” were inseparable — besties whose bond still feels close for those who loved her. “We called her Lulu. She loved to swim. She always had a ton of energy. She’s funny. She, like, never ever fought with anybody,” said Dottie. “Whenever I talk about her, she’s right next to me. ‘Pat, pat, pat,’” Dottie said, tapping next to her. “I think that’s where she is.” Dottie Quisenberry talks about her cousin Eloise Peck who was among the 27 victims of catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic on July 4, 2025. The girls were both at Camp Mystic when a deadly flood swept through the Hill Country on July 4, 2025. “Dottie was rescued, but we were supposed to go get two girls,” said Becca Quisenberry. “But we only came back with one.” Family members said they continue to see reminders of Lulu, even in small moments. “We see like, five different ‘E’s’ in all different days in the clouds and they’re literally shaped like ‘E’s,’” said Dottie. “At first it was really hard, but it’s never hard to talk about her or any of the girls because they were the magic,” said Becca. “You can either let it eat you, or you can do something about it. And we’re doing something.” Dottie and Becca are part of Team 27, a group running the Cowtown 5K on Saturday to support the Heaven’s 27 Foundation, a nonprofit honoring the legacy of the 25 children and two counselors who died in the flooding. Dottie said she wants others — especially younger runners — to understand why it matters. Dottie Quisenberry, left, and her cousin, Eloise “Lulu” Peck. “I want them to know that we are doing this for charity and that it’s special to us and it should be special to them,” said Dottie. As she prepares for the 5K, Dottie said she imagines Lulu beside her — joking, smiling and keeping the same spirit she always had. She said she hopes that kindness spreads from runner to runner. “Because once I smile at somebody that wasnt smiling, they can smile at somebody else, which they just pass the smiles on,” said Dottie. ‘Team 27’ is expected to include dozens of runners in the Cowtown 5K. “It’s nice to put energy into something this positive and feel the love,” said Becca. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. Heaven's 27 Central Texas Flood Nov 18, 2025 Heaven's 27 families seek little-known trauma treatment TCU Sep 20, 2025 TCU and SMU honor Lila Bonner, ‘Heaven's 27' at Iron Skillet showdown Central Texas Flood Sep 2, 2025 ‘Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act' faces pushback from Texas camp operators ...read more read less