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The Express Gazette
Thursday, September 17, 2026

Remains of Hiker Timothy Allen Smith Confirmed Found in Grand Canyon

The wife of Timothy Allen Smith confirmed that human remains recovered in the Grand Canyon belong to her husband, who vanished weeks ago in flash floods along with two friends.

US Politics 2 hours ago
Remains of Hiker Timothy Allen Smith Confirmed Found in Grand Canyon

The remains of Timothy Allen Smith, who disappeared during a flash flood in the Grand Canyon, have been recovered and identified, his wife confirmed. Smith, a 53-year-old pilot from western Wyoming, was hiking with two friends, John Giusti and Brent Rosenkranz, when the group was caught in a catastrophic flood on August 29.

Carrie Smith, Timothy Allen Smith's wife, shared the news on Facebook, expressing her grief and relief that the waiting is over. "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 wrote. She added that the three men "loved the Lord and were a shining light for Him."

The remains were found near Crystal Rapid on the Colorado River on Monday, according to the National Park Service. The three friends, all originally from Granbury, Texas, were on a multi-day hiking and fishing trip when the flash flood struck.

The severe flooding caused significant damage throughout the canyon, destroying footbridges over Bright Angel Creek, carrying debris into the Colorado River, and impacting park infrastructure. Emergency crews rescued approximately 80 individuals over the two days of the deluge.


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