First victim of deadly Grand Canyon flash flood identified — as his two friends among 15 still missing

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-31 23:11:28 | Updated at 2026-09-05 13:39:26 4 days ago

A Texas chiropractor was found dead on Sunday and two of his friends remain missing after a disastrous flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon.

John Giusti, 46, was camping and hiking when heavy rain began falling near the South Rim of the national park on Saturday.

“He poured himself into helping others and brought tremendous energy to everything he loved. He was an avid runner, loved fast cars and was a passionate fan of comic books and their legendary heroes,” Giusti’s family told KPNX 12News.

John Giusti, a Texas chiropractor and father of three, poses at the Grand Canyon. Giusti and his hiking group were reported unaccounted for after flash flooding, according to his wife. Facebook/@ChiroHabit

Timothy Smith is missing in the Grand Canyon. Courtesy Smith family

Brent Rosenkranz, another of Giusti’s friends, is also missing. Courtesy Rosenkrantz family

Rescuers evacuated around 50 people by air Saturday after flash flooding in the Grand Canyon. Facebook/Grand Canyon National Park