TL;DR: 24-year-old Houston hiker Sahil Jilani was found deceased near Abrams Falls on Oct. 8 after last being seen Oct. 5, with dive teams recovering his body from the water.

What park officials confirmed

According to the U.S. National Park Service, missing hiker Sahil Jilani was found deceased in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Abrams Falls on Oct. 8. The agency issued the finding in a news release dated Oct. 12, 2026, listing Great Smoky Mountains National Park as the contact.

According to the U.S. National Park Service, Jilani's vehicle had been located on Oct. 7 at the Abrams Falls trailhead. He was last seen at the Riverstone Campground in Townsend, Tenn., on Oct. 5. Law enforcement and search and rescue staff began a search for him on Oct. 7.

According to the U.S. National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers condolences to Jilani's family and friends. The release identified Gatlinburg, Tenn., as the dateline location for the announcement.

The timeline establishes a three-day interval between last contact and recovery. Oct. 5 marks the last sighting at the campground in Townsend. Oct. 7 marks the vehicle location and start of formal search activity. Oct. 8 marks the recovery near the falls.

Where the search focused

According to WVLT, search teams found his car at the Abrams Falls parking lot. His phone, keys, and clothes were later recovered near the falls. Official reports on cause remain pending.

According to Fox News, after he had been missing for 72 hours, Jilani's car was discovered in a parking lot, with his phone, keys and clothes later recovered near the falls. The following day, dive teams pulled his body from the waters at Abrams Falls.

According to WVLT, officials at the park say Jilani was last seen at the Riverstone Campground in Townsend at around 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5. His car was found at the Abrams Falls trailhead on Oct. 7 and the next day, divers found his body in the water, according to his family.

According to Fox Weather, search and rescue teams located Jilani's vehicle near the Falls Trailhead on Oct. 7. The following day, dive teams recovered his body from the water at Abrams Falls.

The recovery location was consistently identified as the water at Abrams Falls. Multiple reports describe the recovery as performed by dive teams. The personal items recovered near the waterfall included a phone, keys and clothing.

What the family reported

According to The Mountain Press, his family confirmed his passing on Facebook. A post by his sister, Asma Jilani-Bustamante, said the search had ended and asked for prayers and privacy.

According to The Mountain Press, the post said Jilani passed away after being caught in the swift, strong currents at Abrams Falls. Funeral services were planned for Wednesday in Texas.

According to WVLT, Asma Jilani Bustamante said the family requested help the day Jilani went missing due to the fact that their mother felt something was terribly wrong. Bustamante said her brother never went hours without checking in, but his location sharing stopped in a dead zone.

According to WVLT, the family requested a welfare check from rangers the next day, but were told hikers often lose service. The family kept requesting help as fear grew.

According to Fox News, loved ones grew concerned when Jilani failed to check in for several hours and his location-sharing stopped in an area with no cell service. Jilani's sister Asma Jilani Bustamante, who organized the fundraiser, wrote that the family was advised to be patient, as hikers and campers frequently lose contact in areas without network coverage.

According to Fox Weather, the family said they started to become concerned on Oct. 6 after going several hours without hearing from him. Park rangers initially advised patience because hikers and campers frequently lose contact in areas without cellular service.

Why the family points to waterfall hydraulics

According to Fox Weather, the family believes 24-year-old Sahil Jilani drowned after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents near Abrams Falls. An official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

According to WVLT, while awaiting official reports, the family believes he drowned after becoming caught in powerful currents near the waterfall. The station reported that dive teams recovered his body from the water at Abrams Falls.

According to the Houston Chronicle, while the family is still waiting for his official cause of death, Bustamante believes powerful currents near the waterfall contributed to his death. The publication reported that Jilani's body was recovered from Abrams Falls Thursday.

According to Fox News, family members believe Jilani drowned after becoming trapped in powerful water currents. An official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Bustamante said on the fundraising page that Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool of water and the hydraulic currents can pull a person underwater and trap them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult, even for experienced swimmers.

According to Fox News, the family said Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool of water where hydraulic currents can pull a person underwater and trap them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult, even for experienced swimmers.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Bustamante wrote that being a strong swimmer does not make a person immune to these dangers. The family statement added that what appears beautiful and peaceful can turn deadly in the blink of an eye.

What park water safety guidance states

According to Fox News, National Park Service officials warn that the Smoky Mountains contain narrow roads, blind curves, and steep drop-offs. Additionally, the park does not feature any lifeguarded swimming areas.

According to Fox News, the National Park Service states that swimming and tubing are not recommended. The agency guidance adds to never try to climb to the top of a waterfall.

According to Fox News, the National Park Service states that the rocks are coated with slippery algae, and several hikers have fallen and been seriously injured or killed.

According to WVLT, Bustamante urges others to be aware of their surroundings, even when engaging in something beautiful like a waterfall. She advised to heed warning signs, especially where lives have been lost.

According to WVLT, Bustamante advised to share travel plans, prepare for cellular dead zones and consider carrying a satellite communication device in remote areas. The advice was presented as her message to other visitors after the loss.

Bustamante said, according to WVLT: “Beauty can turn deadly in an instant.” She also said, according to WVLT: “An upset or disappointed loved one who turns back from dangerous water is infinitely better than a deceased one.”

What the family seeks now

According to WVLT, after learning of the passing, the Jilani and Bustamante family are asking for the public's help in spreading the word, managing costs of the incident's aftermath, and help with care for their mother, who is hospitalized.

According to Fox Weather, the fundraiser stated that the family faced both the loss of Sahil Jilani and the hospitalization of their mother after learning she had lost her son. The fundraiser described Jilani as a beloved brother.

According to WVLT, Bustamante said the family is arranging Sahil's return to Houston and care for their mother, with total expenses remaining unknown. She said generosity will help with uncovered medical expenses and grief counseling, bringing Sahil home and funeral costs not covered by insurance, and a hope of raising water safety awareness in his memory.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Bustamante has organized a fundraising page to help with expenses involved in bringing Jilani's body home from Tennessee and support their mother's medical expenses and the family. The page has raised more than $14,000 of the $41,000 goal.

According to WVLT, Bustamante said: “My family's immediate needs come first, but I am determined to honor Sahil by helping save lives.” She added: “If his story saves even one life, his memory will continue to protect others.”

According to the Houston Chronicle, Bustamante said Jilani was kind, thoughtful, generous and always looking out for others. She said that despite being so young, he had a big heart and beautiful dreams for the family.

According to Fox News, Jilani had recently become an uncle and was beyond excited to spoil his little niece with gifts and teach her mixed martial arts and self-defense, sharing his passion for fitness. According to WVLT, the family described him as a pure, kind, generous soul who always cared for others and who dreamed of helping his mother retire, taking on her bills and helping his father with dental procedures.

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