Big Thompson Canyon Flood

A man believed to have died in a Big Thompson Canyon Colorado Flood in 1976 has been found living in Oklahoma

Darrell Johnson, 63, didn’t know he had been counted among the 144 victims who died in the flash flood that swept down Big Thompson Canyon on July 31, 1976 until he was called by canyon resident Barb Anderson last year.

Johnson and his family had decided to leave their shabby cabin the morning of the flood after just one night. A few hours later, the resort was washed away.

Anderson said she found five Darrell Johnsons in Oklahoma who were 60 years or older. The first one she called ended up being the Darrell Johnson who had rented a cabin at Sleepy Hollow cabins in July 1976.

North said she didn’t report Johnson as missing and said the resort’s guest registry was washed away. She said she recalls a family, but not the name, checking out early and asking for directions to Casa Bonita.

How Johnson ended up on the real victims list of Big Thompson Canyon Flood remains a mystery.

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