A Texas hiker was found dead in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains three days after he disappeared, bringing a devastating end to his family’s search. His relatives fear he drowned after becoming trapped in the powerful currents beneath a waterfall, as reported by The New York Post.

Sahil Jilani, 24, of Houston, went missing in the national park last Monday. His mother was gripped by an “overwhelming feeling that something was terribly wrong,” according to a GoFundMe page.

Concern mounted because Jilani had gone “hours without checking in” with his family. His location sharing also “had stopped in an area without cellular service,” leaving relatives without their usual way of tracking his whereabouts.

A family’s worst fears came true when 24-year-old Sahil Jilani was found dead at Abrams Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park after a three-day search. His grieving family remembers a kind, caring young man with big dreams of supporting his parents https://t.co/Mqavb9Uzku

— NRI Pulse (@NRIPulse) October 12, 2026

Jilani’s vehicle was discovered Wednesday at the Abrams Falls parking lot. His cell phone, keys and clothes were subsequently found near the waterfall, concentrating attention on an area known for deep water and powerful currents.

His body was found Thursday in the waterfall, which is approximately 20 to 25 feet deep. The discovery came three days after he was reported missing inside the national park.

Authorities have not revealed Jilani’s official cause of death. His family, however, suspects he drowned “after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents” at Abrams Falls.

The family described how the waterfall’s appearance can conceal the danger below. The drop sends water into a deep pool where circulating currents can make escape extraordinarily difficult.

“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,” the family added.

Jilani’s sister, Asma Jilani Bustamente, remembered her brother as a “pure, kind, generous soul” whose ambitions centered on helping those closest to him. Bustamente is a former entertainment journalist.

She told WVLT that Jilani wanted to help his mother retire and assist his father with “dental procedures.” Those plans were cut short by his death in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The loss has taken an especially painful toll on Jilani’s mother. Bustamente revealed that she has been hospitalized “after losing her precious son,” while describing the family’s grief as an “irreplaceable void.”

Jilani had also recently become an uncle to a niece. According to Bustamente, he “couldn’t wait to spoil [her] and teach her martial arts,” another family dream left unrealized by the tragedy.

The National Park Service reported that ten people died in the Great Smoky Mountains last year. Officials have repeatedly highlighted hazards throughout the park, from difficult roads to the particular risks surrounding waterfalls.

The park’s “narrow mountain roads, blind curves, [and] steep drop-offs” can make routes challenging for drivers. Officials also warn visitors about climbing waterfalls and approaching areas where wet surfaces create dangerous conditions.

Hikers are urged to research their routes before heading into the Great Smoky Mountains. They are also advised to carry an alternative communication device, such as a locator beacon, because cellular service inside the park is “extremely limited.”

That lack of reliable service became a central concern after Jilani’s location sharing stopped in an area without a cellular connection. His failure to check in for hours intensified his family’s fears before his vehicle and belongings were located.

Visitors are warned never to walk near the edge of waterfalls because those areas can be “extremely slippery.” The warnings reflect the dangers Jilani’s family described at Abrams Falls, where deep water and hydraulic currents can trap even experienced swimmers.

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