Beloved Texas chiropractor killed in Grand Canyon flash flood, 2 friends still missing after hike

A beloved Texas chiropractor and father of three who disappeared during devastating flash flooding at the Grand Canyon has died, his former chiropractic practice announced Monday.

Dr. John Giusti, of Granbury, Texas, had been exploring the Grand Canyon when a flash flood tore through Bright Angel Creek on Aug. 29, turning what his wife described as a "lifetime dream" into tragedy.

"We are heartbroken to make this update. Dr. John was one of the victims of the Grand Canyon flooding," Whipple City Family Chiropractic, where Giusti previously practiced for eight years, announced on Facebook.

"John was a real-life superhero to everyone blessed enough to know him," Janet Giusti wrote in a tribute shared on the fundraiser.

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Photos posted to Giusti’s ChiroHabit business page also show him in the Grand Canyon before the flooding began.

Janet remembered her husband as a dedicated chiropractor who "truly lived to treat and heal," but said his most cherished role was being a father.

"Beyond his practice, he was a man of electric energy and boundless passion---an avid runner, an enthusiast of fast cars, and a massive fan of comic books and legendary heroes," she wrote. "Yet out of all the titles he carried, his absolute favorite was being a devoted father to his three beautiful girls."

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Janet said her husband was fulfilling a longtime dream when the deadly flood struck.

"John was living out a lifetime dream exploring the majesty of the Grand Canyon when tragedy struck," she wrote. "On August 29, 2026, a sudden flash flood swept through Bright Angel Creek, tragically taking him from us while he was immersed in an adventure he had longed for."

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While describing the family's grief as "as vast and profound as the canyon itself," Janet said they were finding some solace in how John spent his final moments.

"We find a small comfort in knowing he spent his final moments surrounded by breathtaking beauty, living life to the fullest," she wrote.

Her tribute ended with a heartbreaking description of the different roles Giusti played in the lives of those around him.

"To the community, he was a gifted healer. To his friends, a powerhouse of life. To his daughters, he was their ultimate hero. To me, he was my whole world," Janet wrote.

The National Park Service has not publicly identified the approximately 15 people it is working to locate or account for, and officials have not confirmed Giusti’s name.

The agency is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Aug. 29 or who had a campground reservation there to contact investigators.

Whipple City Family Chiropractic separately announced it was collecting donations at its Greenwich and Cambridge offices and would match the contributions to provide immediate support to the Giusti family.

Giusti practiced chiropractic care for 19 years and was a partner at Whipple City Family Chiropractic in New York for eight years before moving to Granbury in 2020, according to his business biography. He and Janet were raising their three
daughters in Texas.

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Giusti was not alone in the canyon when the flooding struck.

Loved ones identified the other two members of his hiking group as Brent Rosenkranz and Tim Smith, saying both men remained missing Monday as search-and-rescue efforts continued.

Rosenkranz had posted selfies from the Grand Canyon before the flooding, tagging Giusti and sharing his excitement about the grueling adventure ahead.

"Just arrived at the Grand Canyon. Will be hiking over 31 miles next four days with vertical change of over a mile," Rosenkranz wrote. "Carrying a 40 lb backpack. This should be an adventure!"

Rosenkranz joked that his fear of heights would likely make the trip even more memorable.

"Most of you know don't handle heights," he wrote. "So I should have lots of funny stories when I get back."

The post offered a glimpse of the group's trip before flash flooding tore through Bright Angel Creek.

Tina Newberry, whose daughter co-owns the ATA Glen Rose martial arts location, said Giusti had been exploring the canyon with fellow "ATA fathers" Rosenkranz and Smith when disaster struck.

"At this time, Brent and Tim remain missing, and search and rescue teams continue working to locate them," Newberry wrote in a public Facebook post.

Newberry said Rosenkranz is the husband of Elisha Rosenkranz and that the couple is deeply connected to ATA martial arts schools in Granbury, Cleburne and Glen Rose, Texas. She described Smith as a husband and father of three children who attend the schools.

"This tragedy is touching four ATA school communities---students, parents, instructors, and team members who know and love these families," Newberry wrote. "Please keep all of them, along with the search and rescue teams, in your thoughts and prayers."

"We continue to hold onto hope and pray in faith for Brent and Tim to be found," she added.

The flash flood began at about 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 29, according to the National Park Service. As of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, and no injuries had been reported.

Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, cutting off hiker access across the waterway. The flooding also forced the closure of Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, Silver Bridge and the Colorado River to river traffic.

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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said her "heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon."

Hobbs said the Arizona Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with the National Park Service and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts.

Anyone with information about people who may have been in the affected corridor is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or [email protected].