24-Year-Old Hiker Found Dead After Going Missing Near Great Smoky Mountains Waterfall

A 24-year-old hiker was found dead in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains three days after going missing. Sahil Jilani, from Houston, Texas, went missing in the national park last Monday and was found dead Thursday in the waterfall — his family fears he may have drowned, although his cause of death has not been confirmed, the New York Post reported. Jilani went “hours without checking in” and his location sharing on his phone was not working because he was in an area without cellular service, the family’s GoFundMe page said. Authorities found his car at the Abrams Falls parking lot on Wednesday and located his clothes, keys, and cell phone near the waterfall, which is 20- to 25-feet deep. His body was recovered the next day. The family said they believe he drowned “after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents.” “What many don’t realize [is that] Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool of water, the hydraulic currents can pull a person underwater and trap them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult, even for experienced swimmers,” they said. Jilani’s sister, Asma Jilani Bustamante, a former entertainment journalist, told WVLT her brother was a “pure, kind, generous soul” who wanted to help his mom retire and his dad with “dental procedures.” Jilani had also recently become an uncle and was excited to “spoil her and teach her martial arts,” Bustamante said. Jilani’s mom was hospitalized after “losing her precious son,” his siblings said. Ten people lost their lives in the Great Smoky Mountains last year, according to the National Park Service. Officials warn of getting to close the edge of waterfalls because they can be “extremely slippery,” and noted the risks that come with navigating “narrow mountain roads, blind curves, and steep drop-offs.” Officials urge hikers in the area to thoroughly research their planned activities and carry alternative communication devices because cell service is “extremely limited.”