Storm chasers across the country gathered in Kansas via manual logins on their GPS locator beacons yesterday to mourn the tragic loss of Storm Chaser Andy Gabrielson, who died in a car accident while driving home over the weekend. Kansas was "one of Andy's favorite places to chase," close-friend Kory Hartman told the Weather Channel in a broadcast tribute.
"We lost not only the best close-range tornado chaser in the world, but such a caring, loyal friend," said Discovery Storm Chaser Reed Timmer.
The community coordinated a GPS tribute to Gabrielson via the Spotter Network, where trained storm spotters report activity online.
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"Andy was a new breed of storm chaser that pushed the limits of what any of us thought was possible. He inspired an entire generation of chasers to pursue their passion," said meteorologist and tornado hunter Mike Bettes for the Weather Channel.
Gabrielson died Saturday during a four-car collision. He was in the town of Sapulpa, near Tulsa, Okla., on his way home after chasing a storm through Texas when a westbound driver drove head-on into eastbound traffic, according to weather.com. One other person died as the result of the collision.
The chase community is organizing donations to be made to benefit Gabrielson's three-year-old daughter. His parents are also researching options for a student scholarship fund in meteorology.
"Weather is ever changing, my friend. That's why I keep coming back." - Andy Gabrielson (1987-2012)
— Christopher Barrows (@StormTeamChris) February 6, 2012
Screen grabs and photo of Andy Gabrielson and Reed Timmer courtesy of Reed Timmer.
Tags: Adventure, Hurricanes, Meteorology, Safety
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