Photos Show 2 Grand Canyon Flood Victims Hiking Days Before Deadly Flash Flood

Two men whose bodies were recovered after floodwaters tore through the Grand Canyon had been photographed together during the same outing before the tragedy, according to their families.

Texas chiropractor John Giusti, 46, and martial artist Brent Rosenkranz, 42, were identified by their relatives as the victims whose remains were found, family liaison Hannah Barricks told The Associated Press. Barricks said a third member of their group, 53-year-old Timothy Smith, also joined the trip and was still missing as of late Monday.

The three men were all connected to Granbury, Texas, and had set out for what their families described as “several days of hiking, camping, fishing and exploring together,” the AP reported. In a joint statement shared Monday through Barricks, the families said the men last spoke with loved ones on Thursday and reached their campsite Friday at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

The deadly flash flooding struck Saturday, Aug. 29, along Bright Angel Creek, a waterway that feeds into the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch. The remote area, known for its historic dormitories, canteen and campground, is a well-traveled resting point for river rafters and hikers making the demanding journey from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other.

Incident Cmdr. Dave Black said searchers used night vision and other equipment to find people who needed rescuing during the deluge. By sunset Saturday, 45 people were rescued, and 37 more were evacuated Sunday.

Rangers referred to the park’s permit system and checked vehicle license plates to track the number of missing people.

“As of right now, they have no reason to believe, from the tips we’ve been through so far, that there’s anybody besides the one” missing person, Black said during a news conference Monday evening.

Hiker Daniel Evans told the AP that it rained several times before the worst 30-minute downpour Saturday afternoon. He had been planning to rest through the hot day and spend the night near the hard-hit Bright Angel Campground area.

Earlier, rangers told him it looked to be safe. Then, as the rain poured, they told him it was time to go. He said he thought of Nepal and the massive floods and landslides that poured down mountain valleys last week.

“The entire time it was raining — the entire time I’m going through all this and packing — I’m just keeping my eyes upstream, just praying that a wall of water isn’t coming toward us,” Evans said.

Janet Giusti, the wife of John Giusti, wrote on a fundraising page that “John was living out a lifetime dream exploring the majesty of the Grand Canyon when tragedy struck.”

“Beyond his practice, he was a man of electric energy and boundless passion — an avid runner, an enthusiast of fast cars, and a massive fan of comic books and legendary heroes,” she added. “Yet out of all the titles he carried, his absolute favorite was being a devoted father to his three beautiful girls.”

Rosenkranz had posted selfies from the Grand Canyon before the flooding, tagging Giusti and sharing his excitement about the grueling adventure ahead.

“Just arrived at the Grand Canyon. Will be hiking over 31 miles next four days with vertical change of over a mile,” Rosenkranz wrote. “Carrying a 40 lb backpack. This should be an adventure!”

Tina Newberry, whose daughter co-owns the ATA Glen Rose martial arts location, said Giusti had been exploring the canyon with fellow “ATA fathers” Rosenkranz and Smith when disaster struck.