How did Tim Samaras die? He died doing what he loved. Very few of us will ever get the chance to say that. That still doesn’t mean we aren’t absolutely crushed at his passing.
Veteran storm chaser Tim Samaras, 55, died on Friday after the Oklahoma tornado he was chasing with his son, Paul Samaras, 24, and partner, Carl Young, 45, suddenly turned on them. They were among 10 people killed in the aftermath of Friday’s EF3 tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma.
It was a horrible accident and a danger every tornado chaser knows all too well. The three tornado chasers knew very well that this could be their fate and so did we, their admiring fans, but it was still utterly heartbreaking when we learned the news they were gone.
The TWISTEX scientist was with his son and his friend, chasing down tornadoes in Oklahoma in hopes of collecting new and important data that might someday help to save lives in the path of future tornadoes.
Tim, Paul, Carl and other storm chasers in the area were following a nasty twister carving a terrible path of destruction through the already tornado-devastated state of Oklahoma. They thought they were safely out of its path when it took an abrupt turn to the Northeast in a totally unpredictable move. Tim Samaras — known as one of the most cautious and responsible chasers out there — found himself with a tornado right on top of him and no way out.
The post has now been hidden or removed after hundreds of Tim’s supporters commented on it after his death, but we couldn’t help thinking how appropriate it was that he should speak of the sacrifice of heroes trying to save the lives of others right before he gave his life in pursuit of the same goal.
Sources: The Weather Channel, Tim Samaras Facebook
