Add The California Post on Google A Texas father of three was smiling for a selfie against the breathtaking walls of the Grand Canyon just a day before he vanished alongside his hiking group in the catastrophic flash floods that have left one person dead and about 15 others missing.
Dr. John Giusti, a 46-year-old chiropractor from Granbury, Texas, was hiking and camping with two friends when torrential rain sent a wall of water and debris through Bright Angel Canyon on Saturday.
A haunting photo shared by Giusti shows him posing in front of the towering canyon landscape during the trip — a striking final glimpse of the avid hiker before he disappeared.
Giusti was visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time, his younger sister Valerie Gibbs told The New York Times.
He was described as fit and active and regularly enjoyed hiking and running. His relatives last spoke with him around 2 p.m. Saturday, just before the devastating flooding began.
His wife, Janet Giusti, issued a desperate plea for prayers after learning that her husband’s hiking group was among those unaccounted for.
“We ask our ChiroHabit community to please lift up my husband, his hiking group, and our families in your thoughts and prayers during this time,” she wrote in a Facebook post that was later deleted, according to the Times.
“Please pray for Dr. John’s safety,” she separately wrote in an update shared by his practice.
Giusti is one of roughly 15 people the National Park Service was still trying to account for Sunday following the flash flood in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area.
His body was recovered Sunday near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, the National Park Service said. Officials have not released his identity.
The disaster unfolded around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, when intense rainfall sent torrents racing through the canyon. More than 60 people were ultimately airlifted from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail.
The flooding obliterated footbridges over Bright Angel Creek, ripped debris and metal structures into the Colorado River and severely damaged infrastructure throughout the canyon. The park’s water pipeline was also knocked out, forcing emergency water restrictions and the closure of overnight accommodations.
The NPS is asking anyone who may have information about hikers or backpackers in the Bright Angel Creek corridor Saturday to contact its Investigative Services Branch.
The request includes people who may have traveled the North Kaibab Trail, stayed at Bright Angel Campground or been in an area known as “the Box” north of Phantom Ranch.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs also offered her support to the families waiting for answers.
“My heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon. DEMA is coordinating with NPS and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts.
“Thank you to the first responders on the ground working to keep our communities safe when disaster strikes,” she wrote Sunday.
The park remained closed in several affected areas as crews continued the search and assessed the extensive damage.
