Two friends killed, another missing after Grand Canyon flooding
Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, 07:05 PM
USA TODAY NETWORK
Texas friends Brent Rosenkranz (from left), John Giusti and Tim Smith were on a Grand Canyon trip together when flash flooding swept away Rosenkranz and Giusti, whose bodies were recovered. Smith remains missing.
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Texas friends Brent Rosenkranz (from left), John Giusti and Tim Smith were on a Grand Canyon trip together when flash flooding swept away Rosenkranz and Giusti, whose bodies were recovered. Smith remains missing.
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The identities of two people who died after flash flooding at the Grand Canyon have been revealed.
The park service confirmed in a Sept. 1 news release that the bodies of Dr. John Giusti, 46, and Brent Rosenkranz, 42, had been found.
Texas residents Giusti, 46, and Rosenkranz, 42, were on a trip together along with friend Tim Smith, 53, according to spokesperson Hannah Barricks, who sent out a statement on behalf of all three families.
Giusti's family received confirmation of his death the evening of Aug. 31, Barricks said, while Rosenkranz’s family was notified the next morning.
A park service liaison told Smith's family that he was the only person "authorities were still searching for following the flood," Barricks said.
The park service did not officially confirm Smith was the missing person, as of Sept. 1.
Grand Canyon National Park was coordinating with the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, Coconino County Search and Rescue and U.S. Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue to find the missing person, the news release said.
Anyone with information about people who may have been hiking Bright Angel Canyon and the surrounding area was asked to contact the park service's investigative services branch tip line. The number is 888-653-0009.
Friends excited for their trip to the Grand Canyon
The three friends had traveled to the Grand Canyon "for a trip they had been eagerly anticipating,” Barricks said.
Rosenkranz and Giusti both posted photos of themselves on Facebook when they arrived on Aug. 27.
The trio planned to hike to the Bright Angel Campground, spend two nights exploring and fishing near the bottom of the Canyon and then continue to Havasupai Gardens before finishing their hike, according to Barricks.
They spoke with their families that evening and "were excited and looking forward to beginning their trip the following morning,” Barricks said.
The families knew the men reached Bright Angel Campground on Aug. 28 and went exploring on Aug. 29, Barricks said.
All three men were from Granbury, Texas, a city southwest of Fort Worth. Rosenkranz and Giusti currently resided there, while Smith had moved to Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming, a town of a little over 2,000 people, according to Barricks.
A martial arts instructor in Granbury, Rosenkranz posed for a photo in front of a canyon as dark clouds loomed overhead, according to his Aug. 27 Facebook post.
“Just arrived at the Grand Canyon. Will be hiking over 31 miles next four days with vertical change of over a mile. Carrying a 40 lb backpack. This should be an adventure!” Rosenkranz said.
Giusti had a big smile on his face as he posed for a photo in front of the foggy, cloudy canyon, according to a Facebook post on Aug. 27.
GoFundMe pages had been created to assist the families of Giusti and Rosenkranz.
Rosenkranz was ‘there for the people he loved’
Rosenkranz was a father of three sons and married to his wife, Elisha Rosenkranz, for 21 years, according to his wife’s Facebook post and Barricks' statement.
“His family describes him as energetic, optimistic and deeply devoted to his family,” Barricks said. “As an ATA martial arts instructor and school owner, Brent made an impact on generations of students, but his family says the role he prized most was simply being there for the people he loved.”
Rosenkranz was also a “loving uncle known for taking young people under his wing when they needed someone,” Barricks said.
“At church he earned a particularly affectionate reputation: ‘the baby whisperer,’” Barricks said.
Elisha Rosenkranz said in her Facebook post that her husband “created a meal for every event, every milestone.” She said he would cook with a “mad-chef style and incredible attention to detail.”
Brent Rosenkranz’s Facebook page was full of photos of meals he prepared for his family. The meals ranged from homemade pancakes for his niece to tacos and pasta for groups of people.
Elisha Rosenkranz was appreciative of their long relationship.
“We made it all the way to our 21st anniversary, and it was the best one yet,” Elisha Rosenkranz said. “Together, we created three amazing kids who are the perfect mix of both of our crazy, and I love every bit of them. Each of them carries a part of you, and that makes them even more special to me.”
She added, “Thank you for every adventure, every meal, every laugh, and every hug. Most of all, thank you for giving me the love of a lifetime.”
Giusti was described by his family as a ‘real-life superhero’
Giusti, a chiropractor, “poured himself into helping others and brought tremendous energy to everything he loved,” Barricks' statement said.
“He was an avid runner, loved fast cars and was a passionate fan of comic books and their legendary heroes,” Barricks said. “But among all the roles John carried, his family says his favorite was being a father.”
His family described him as a “real-life superhero,” Barricks said.
His longtime dream was to explore the Grand Canyon.
“To the community, he was a gifted healer. To his friends, a powerhouse of life. To his daughters, he was their ultimate hero. To me, he was my whole world,” Janet Giusti, his wife, said in the statement.
Chiropractic offices as far as away as Greenwich, New York, have also participated in fundraising efforts by promising to match every donation that's made.
Smith’s family holds back tears as they address the public
In a video posted on her Facebook account, Carrie Smith, Tim Smith’s wife, confirmed that her husband was the person who was still missing.
Their daughter held back tears and gasped for air as Carrie Smith also confirmed that his two friends were found dead. Her mother comforted her by placing her hand on her knee as she told viewers that their family knows, “God has a plan to use these men’s story for his glory.”
Carrie Smith asked the public to pray that search and rescue crews find her husband.
“We have faith that the rescuers and the people searching today are going to find our lost family member,” Carrie Smith said.
The family prayed for the other families. One of their sons quoted Matthew 19:26.
“Jesus looked at him and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,'" he said.
(This story was updated to add more information.)
Have a news tip? Contact The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com at newstips@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Two friends killed, another missing after Grand Canyon flooding
Reporting by David Ulloa Jr, Arizona Republic / Arizona Republic
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