The body of Timothy Allen Smith, the last hiker unaccounted for after deadly flash flooding tore through the Grand Canyon in late August, has been found and identified, bringing a grieving family three weeks of waiting to a close.
Grand Canyon National Park rangers located Smith's remains Monday near Crystal Rapids on the Colorado River, deep in the canyon. The Coconino County Medical Examiner in Arizona confirmed his identity, CBS News reported. Smith, 53, was a pilot who lived in Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming, a small community about 40 miles southwest of Jackson. He grew up in Granbury, Texas.
His death brings the confirmed toll from the August 29 flooding to three. The bodies of Smith's two hiking companions, Brent Rosenkranz, 42, and John Giusti, 46, both of Granbury, were recovered earlier in the search.
The three men had been on a multiday hiking, fishing, and camping trip in the backcountry when monsoon-season floodwaters swept through the canyon. Their planned route included Havasupai Gardens, a rest stop along the Bright Angel Trail that the park describes as a frequent stop for hikers and mule trains.
Smith's wife, Carrie Smith, confirmed the identification Thursday in a Facebook post that captured the weight of the family's ordeal:
"My family has done a lot of waiting over the last three weeks... waiting and hoping Tim (Daddy) would come home, waiting and wondering if the remains found were Tim (Daddy). We no longer have to wait, Tim was found two days ago by the Rangers at Grand Canyon National Park. Not in the way we had hoped, but we know that he was doing something he loved with John and Brent."
She added that all three men shared a deep faith.
"We know that these three men loved the Lord and were a shining light for Him. The impact their lives had on others is still being shown to our families daily."
Earlier in the search, Carrie Smith had posted a video on Facebook with the couple's children, thanking people for their support and prayers. On Tuesday morning, the day after rangers found the remains, she wrote that the family was aware a body had been discovered and asked others to pray alongside them. The New York Post reported on the discovery before the identification was confirmed, noting the remains had been transferred to the medical examiner's office.
The flash flooding that began August 29 was devastating on its own. But the disaster had roots in a separate catastrophe weeks earlier. In July 2025, a lightning-caused wildfire burned part of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, cabins, and other structures. That fire stripped away the vegetation that would normally absorb monsoon runoff.
When heavy rain fell on the burn area during the late-August monsoon, the water had nothing to slow it down. The resulting floods devastated the Phantom Ranch area at the canyon bottom, destroyed footbridges, and damaged the pipeline that supplies water to the South Rim.
More than 80 people were rescued during the two-day deluge. Searchers used night vision and other specialized equipment. Park officials relied on the permit system and vehicle license plate checks to track who might still be missing.
The National Park Service issued a statement extending condolences to the families of all three men and crediting the search teams that worked in harsh conditions for weeks:
"The National Park Service extends its deepest condolences to the families and friends of Tim Smith, John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz. We are grateful to the search teams and partner agencies whose personnel worked tirelessly in difficult conditions over the past several weeks on search and recovery efforts."
The flooding's aftermath continues to reshape operations at one of America's most visited national parks. All overnight lodging in the canyon was halted because the damaged pipeline left insufficient water for visitors. Many hiking trails and lodging areas remain closed, and water has been shut off in the inner canyon. The park issued advisories telling hikers to bring their own water or filtration devices.
NPS officials said they expected to restore a reliable water supply in weeks, not months, after determining that most of a near-complete pipeline project survived the flooding without damage. But the timeline remains uncertain, and the canyon's backcountry, normally a draw for thousands of hikers each season, is largely off-limits.
The danger has not passed. On Wednesday, another flash flood hit the canyon along Bright Angel Creek and the Colorado River during a storm. No injuries were reported. Breitbart reported that officials had issued flash flood warnings beforehand and worked to minimize the number of personnel in the canyon before the storm arrived. Damage assessments from that second flood are still underway.
The Grand Canyon tragedy was part of a broader pattern of deadly monsoon flooding across the Southwest this season. Floodwaters on the Navajo Nation killed three people in a separate incident as the same weather pattern battered New Mexico.
Smith, Rosenkranz, and Giusti shared roots in Granbury, a small city about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Smith had moved to Wyoming, where he worked as a pilot, but the search for him and his companions drew national attention as the death toll climbed and recovery efforts stretched into weeks.
Their families issued a joint statement describing the trio's plan for a multiday backcountry trip, the kind of adventure the Grand Canyon has drawn people to for generations. The canyon's permit system, designed in part to manage exactly these risks, helped rangers narrow the search.
The initial rescue operation at Bright Angel Canyon was a race against time, with teams pulling more than 80 people to safety. For the families of Smith, Rosenkranz, and Giusti, the race ended differently.
Three men went into the backcountry doing something they loved. Nature did not care. The least the rest of us owe them, and the families left waiting, is an honest accounting of whether the park was ready for what the monsoon brought.
