A pilot father-of-three who vanished in the Grand Canyon has been found dead almost three weeks after he and two friends were caught in a catastrophic flash flood.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner confirmed that the human remains belonged to Timothy Allen Smith, 53, from Star Valley Ranch, Wyoming.
They were recovered by National Park Service personnel near Crystal Rapid on the Colorado River on Monday (14 Sep).
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Tim had been missing since 29 August, when floodwater tore through Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area while he was on a hiking, fishing and camping trip with two longtime friends, as reported by Need To Know.
His heartbroken wife, Carrie Smith, confirmed the devastating identification on Facebook after weeks spent waiting for news.
She said: “My family has done a lot of waiting over the last three weeks.
“Waiting and hoping Tim – Daddy – would come home, waiting and wondering if the remains found were Tim – Daddy.
“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.”
Tim’s companions, chiropractor John Giusti, 46, and martial arts instructor Brent Rosenkranz, 42, were also killed in the disaster.
The three friends entered the canyon together on 28 August for an adventure they had reportedly been planning for months.
They were hiking near Bright Angel Creek when torrential rain triggered the flash flooding at around 2.30pm the following day.
The violent water destroyed almost every footbridge across the creek, ripped metal structures and other debris downstream and severely damaged the Transcanyon Waterline.
More than 80 people were rescued over the following two days, many of them by helicopter.
John’s body was recovered near Crystal Rapid on 30 August, while Brent was found the following day.
Tim then became the final confirmed missing hiker as specialist teams continued searching on foot and along the Colorado River.
His remains were eventually discovered approximately 10 miles downstream from Phantom Ranch.
Tim grew up in Granbury, Texas, before moving to western Wyoming with Carrie and their three children.
The couple had been married for 18 years.
His family described him as a keen outdoorsman who loved hiking, camping, exploring new places and helping others.
He worked as a pilot, with his family saying he flew for private aviation company NetJets.
Tributes have since highlighted his devotion to his family, his Christian faith and the communities in which he lived.
Emmanuel Bible Church of Star Valley, which Tim and his family attended in Wyoming, held a prayer gathering during the search.
A public Facebook group for former Granbury High School pupils also paid tribute after his identification.
The group announced that the Class of 1991 alumnus had been found dead and offered prayers to “everyone who knew and loved Tim Smith”.
The National Park Service extended its “deepest condolences” to the families and friends of Tim, John and Brent.
It also thanked the search teams and partner agencies whose personnel worked in difficult conditions for several weeks.
Carrie said her family was drawing strength from its faith as it attempted to come to terms with the loss.
She finished her tribute with a verse from Psalm 73: “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
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