Beloved Texas chiropractor, hiking group among those unaccounted for after Grand Canyon flash flood
Dr. John Giusti, Texas chiropractor, among those missing after Grand Canyon flood
Granbury, Texas – A flash flood that struck the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29 has left a Texas chiropractor and several fellow hikers unaccounted for, according to an update from the missing man’s wife.
The missing man, Dr. John Giusti, 49, has been a practicing chiropractor for almost two decades and spent eight years as a partner at Whipple City Family Chiropractic in New York before moving to Granbury in 2020. He and his wife, Janet, raise three daughters in Texas, and Giusti is known for his love of outdoor pursuits, including hiking, hunting, fishing, running and martial arts.
The flood began at roughly 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, when sudden, heavy rains turned Bright Angel Creek into a swift torrent. The sudden surge tore through Bright Angel Canyon and the nearby Phantom Ranch area, destroying nearly every footbridge in the canyon, cutting off access across the waterway, and forcing the closure of several key sites – Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, Silver Bridge and the Colorado River to river traffic.
“Please pray for Dr. John’s safety,” Janet Giusti wrote in a post shared by her husband’s practice, ChiroHabit. She added, “my husband, his hiking group, and our families” should keep them “in their thoughts and prayers.” Giusti’s business page also shows several photos of him hiking in the canyon before the storm.
The National Park Service (NPS) has not yet confirmed Giusti’s status but has said that he is among the “approximately 15 people” the agency is working to locate or account for. Search‑and‑rescue teams are conducting ground sweeps and helicopter operations across the canyon floor, and the NPS has issued a request for anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29, or who had a campground reservation there, to contact investigators.
On Sunday evening, the NPS reported that recovery operations were completed for a 46‑year‑old man found near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office was on scene, but the agency did not identify the man or disclose a cause of death, nor say whether his recovery was related to the broader search for the missing hikers.
As of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, and no injuries had been reported. The flood also caused the loss of several bridges and closed the Colorado River to river traffic.
Arizona Governor 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.” She added that the Arizona Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with the NPS and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts.
Anyone who may have information about missing hikers or backpackers in the affected corridor is encouraged to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888‑653‑0009 or via email at nps_isb@nps.gov.
The NPS continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as the status of the missing hikers becomes confirmed. Giusti’s wife has promised to share official updates as they are released by park authorities.
