The families of two men who died in the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon have identified them as John Giusti, a 46-year-old Texas chiropractor, and Brent Rosenkranz, a 42-year-old martial artist. Hannah Barricks, a liaison for the families, confirmed the identities. The two men, along with a third friend, Timothy Smith, 53, had been on a hiking trip in the area. Smith is still missing.
According to the families, the three men had planned to spend several days hiking, camping, and exploring the Grand Canyon together. They had communicated with their families on Thursday and had located their campsite on Friday at the bottom of the canyon. However, the devastating flash flooding occurred on Saturday, August 29, along Bright Angel Creek, which flows into the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch.
The area affected by the flooding is a popular stopover for river rafters and hikers, with a set of historic dormitories, a canteen, and a campground. Incident Cmdr. Dave Black said searchers used night vision and other equipment to locate people who needed rescuing during the deluge. As of Sunday, 45 people had been rescued, and 37 others had been evacuated.
Rangers used the park's permit system and checked vehicle license plates to track the number of missing people. According to Black, there is currently no reason to believe that anyone besides Timothy Smith is still missing. The families of the victims have set up fundraising pages to support their loved ones.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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