A Texas father of three has been identified as the second person killed after powerful flash floods tore through parts of the Grand Canyon, while rescue teams continue to search for a hiker who remains unaccounted for.
Brent Rosenkranz, 42, was named publicly by his wife in a social media post on Monday. The National Park Service later confirmed Tuesday that Rosenkranz was among the two victims whose bodies have been recovered following the deadly flooding.
The sudden and severe flash floods struck areas of the Grand Canyon at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, sending fast-moving water across trails near the Colorado River and sweeping away hikers and backpackers caught in its path.
During the emergency response, search and rescue crews relied on night vision goggles and specialized equipment to locate and evacuate people stranded by the floodwaters, Incident Commander Dave Black said during a Monday night news conference.
By Saturday evening, officials said 45 people had been rescued from the affected area. Another 37 were evacuated on Sunday, though authorities initially feared as many as 15 people could still be missing.
That number was later revised. By Sunday night, Black said investigators had reviewed the available tips and had “no reason to believe” anyone else was missing beyond a single unaccounted-for hiker.
The National Park Service echoed that update in a Tuesday statement, saying one member of the hiking party was still missing and that Grand Canyon search and rescue teams were continuing efforts to find him.
The missing hiker is believed to be 53-year-old Texas pilot Timothy Smith. His family has said he was hiking with the two men whose bodies were recovered and that they have not been able to contact him since the flooding.
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.
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.
