Heartbreaking news continues to emerge from Grand Canyon National Park following the catastrophic weekend flash flooding, bringing tragedy close to home for North Texas families.
Two men with strong ties to Granbury, Texas —chiropractor Dr. John Giusti and martial arts studio owner Brent Rosenkranz—have been confirmed dead after family members reported that both of their bodies were recovered. The two were on a dream backpacking trip alongside their longtime friend, Timothy Smith, who grew up in Granbury and now lives in Wyoming. Search crews are continuing to work around the clock to locate Smith, who remains missing.
Grand Canyon Incident Commander Dave Black reported that search and rescue teams have successfully pulled more than 80 people from deep inside the canyon so far. Among those survivors is David Gregory, a resident of nearby Coppell.
A Harrowing Escape in the Inner Canyon
While the community mourns, details are surfacing about how rapidly conditions turned deadly at the bottom of Bright Angel Canyon.
David Gregory was backpacking through the inner canyon when intense monsoonal storms rolled in around 2:30 PM on Saturday. Speaking with CNN, Gregory recalled how an ordinary downpour quickly escalated into a terrifying natural disaster as cliffs began spouting sudden waterfalls, triggering mudslides and sends boulders crashing down.
He noticed Bright Angel Creek rapidly transforming into a churning, pitch-black torrent of mud and debris. Within moments, Park Rangers sprinted into action, shouting for hikers to evacuate across a nearby footbridge over the creek to reach higher ground.
Saved by Minutes
That ranger's warning proved lifesaving. Gregory and his companions crossed the bridge to safety—barely 10 to 15 minutes before a massive wall of debris-laden water tore down the canyon, completely destroying the bridge and snapping foot crossings throughout the area.
Stranded at Phantom Ranch alongside roughly 60 other hikers and staff, Gregory sheltered safely while air rescue units deployed. He was airlifted out of the canyon by helicopter, brought to a nearby high school serving as an emergency relief center, and provided shelter for the night.
While we are relieved that locals like David Gregory made it out safely, our thoughts remain with the Granbury community, the families of Dr. John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz, and the search teams still desperately looking for Timothy Smith.
One man talks about escape
One man talks about escape
