Grand Canyon floods kill two; missing hiker identified

The search for a missing hiker in the Grand Canyon continues even as authorities confirm the second fatality from Saturday's deadly flash floods. Brent Rosenkranz, a forty-two-year-old father of three boys from Texas, has been publicly identified by his wife on social media. The National Park Service officially stated Tuesday that Rosenkranz was one of two individuals whose bodies have now been recovered in this tragedy.

Devastating floods struck parts of the canyon around 2:30 pm Saturday afternoon, sweeping hikers and backpackers off trails near the Colorado River. Incident Commander Dave Black explained during a Monday night news conference that search crews utilized night vision goggles and other specialized equipment to locate people trapped by the deluge. By sunset on Saturday, rescuers managed to save forty-five people. The following day saw another thirty-seven evacuations while officials initially believed fifteen others remained unaccounted for.

Black later told reporters Sunday evening that there was no reason to think anyone else was missing besides the single person still sought by teams. A National Park Service press release on Tuesday echoed this sentiment, noting that one member of the hiking group remains missing despite ongoing rescue operations. The man who is still missing appears to be fifty-three-year-old Texas pilot Timothy Smith, according to reports from his family. They stated he was hiking with the two men whose bodies were recovered and have not heard from him since.

Rosenkranz was identified by his wife of twenty-one years, Elisha Rosenkranz. The couple co-founded a martial arts school called Texas Elite that holds licenses through ATA Martial Arts in Granbury, a small city southwest of Dallas. All three hikers who were killed and the one still missing were friends who lived in or had family ties to Granbury. Their social media pages suggest all involved families are deeply connected to martial arts.

An online fundraising effort has launched to help Elisha cover funeral expenses and the cost of transporting her husband's body back to Texas. On Facebook, she described Brent as her balance before detailing how he created a meal for every event or milestone sometimes just because it was Tuesday always with mad-chef style and incredible attention to detail. Together they raised three amazing kids who are the perfect mix of both their crazies. She said she loves every bit of them even though this search leaves communities in pain and uncertainty about those still out there.

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. He, Rosenkranz and Smith all lived in Granbury, Texas. 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. His 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. 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. 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. These events highlight how quickly plans can unravel for families caught in such disasters. The loss strikes hard at Granbury and its surrounding areas. Communities must come together during these tragic times.