A Texas father of three has been identified as the second confirmed victim of the deadly flash floods that tore through the Grand Canyon, as crews continue their search for a hiker still missing in the aftermath.
Brent Rosenkranz, 42, was named publicly by his wife in a social media post on Monday. The National Park Service confirmed Tuesday that Rosenkranz was among the two people whose bodies have been recovered.
The powerful flash flooding struck sections of the Grand Canyon at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, sending torrents of water through areas near the Colorado River and sweeping hikers and backpackers from trails.
Rescue teams worked into the night using night vision goggles and specialized equipment to locate stranded people during the fast-moving emergency, Incident Commander Dave Black said at a news conference Monday evening.
By sundown Saturday, rescuers had pulled 45 people to safety. Another 37 were evacuated the following day, while officials said at the time that they believed as many as 15 others were still unaccounted for.
But by Sunday evening, Black said there was ‘no reason to believe, from the tips we’ve been through so far, that there’s anybody besides the one missing person.’
The National Park Service likewise stated in a press release on Tuesday: ‘One member of the hiking group remains missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with teams continuing efforts to locate the missing hiker.’
The man who is still missing appears to be 53-year-old Texas pilot Timothy Smith, as his family has reported he was hiking with the two men whose bodies have been recovered and that they have not heard from him.
Brent Rosenkranz, 42, has been identified as the second hiker whose body was recovered after flash floods ripped through the Grand Canyon on Saturday. He is pictured at the canyon
Rosenkranz was identified by his wife of 21 years, Elisha Rosenkranz. The couple had three boys together
Authorities are continuing to search for a third missing hiker, believed to be 53-year-old Texas pilot Timothy Smith. He was hiking with the two men whose bodies were recovered
Rosenkranz, the second identified victim, was a father of three boys and had been married to his wife, Elisha Rosenkranz, for 21 years.
The husband and wife co-founded a martial arts school called Texas Elite that is licensed by ATA Martial Arts in Granbury, Texas, a small city southwest of Dallas.
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The hikers who were killed and the one who is still missing were all friends who lived in Granbury or had family there. All of the families also appear to be involved in martial arts, according to their social media pages.
An online fundraising effort has been organized to help Elisha pay for funeral expenses and the cost of transporting her husband’s body back to Texas.
On Facebook, she described Brent as her ‘balance’ and said he ‘created a meal for every event, every milestone, and sometimes just because it was Tuesday, always with the same mad-chef style and incredible attention to detail.’
‘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.
The other man whose body has been recovered was identified as 46-year-old John Giusti, a chiropractor and father of three.
In a separate fundraiser for the Giusti family, John’s wife, Janet, said her husband was living out ‘a lifetime dream exploring the majesty of the Grand Canyon when tragedy struck.’
Rosenkranz and his wife co-founded a martial arts school called Texas Elite that is licensed by ATA Martial Arts
Rosenkranz’s wife thanked her martial arts school’s community for supporting her and said: ‘Brent and I truly did live our dream.’ He is pictured with students
The other man whose body has been recovered was identified as 46-year-old John Giusti, a chiropractor and father of three. He, Rosenkranz and Smith all lived in Granbury, Texas
‘While our grief is as vast and profound as the canyon itself, we find a small comfort in knowing he spent his final moments surrounded by breathtaking beauty, living life to the fullest,’ Janet added.
On Facebook, Elisha thanked the community of the martial arts school she co-founded with Brent for ‘the overwhelming number of messages I have received.’
‘During this incredibly difficult time, your words have reminded me that Brent and I truly did live our dream,’ she added.