Feb 5, 2012
We lost a Father, Son, Friend and Storm Chaser today whose passion for chasing will never be matched ever again.
This “kid” would drive all night, every night to see a storm… most times alone just to see natures fury unload.
I cried for a little while, I talked with friends, I joined in the “SN Tribute” like everyone else but in the end I realized he would be ok with what happened… because he was ok with EVERYTHING. Busts suck but it was just time to look for the next setup. He would be on the storm if it was at 6pm or 6am it did not matter. Setup looks like shit? Who cares he would be there. He lived EVERY SINGLE DAY looking for the next chance to be under the meso.
Omaha stood between all the early season setups down south so many times we would have lunch at Smashburger here while he was on his way. I would give him shit for chasing crap, he would give me shit for not going. We would talk business from time to time as we stood on opposite sides of the fence as “competitors” in some circles but neither of us saw it that way. I loved his spirit. Late season we would be the only 2 people sitting in NE Nebraska when everyone gave up the ghost for the year just talking on the side of the road… I will miss those talks.
People are coming up with all these ways to remember him and really he would have just wanted to find tornadoes because everything other than that in the chase community was the end to a joke. He had one mission. Find The Tornado.
He had lots of critics about how he chased but most were just envious of his ability to do things they could only dream of… read the sky like a book and decode a weather model with a psychic ability.
As a joke in 2010 I registered the domain www.findeverytornado.com and it has always pointed to his site… because it’s true.
Tonight I think that nothing has really changed for Andy Gabrielson, he is still going to find every single Tornado before all the rest of us looking down from heaven… just now he will not have to make those horrible drives that unfortunately took him from us. He is still going to have that constant smile and will not bust nearly as often.
Thank you Andy for being my friend. I will never forget you.
Well said Scott. Thanks for posting this touching blog post..
I really enjoyed this. Reminds me of how a lot of people in the chase world do act about those of us chasing everything in hopes to get something. I never knew Andy, but he is one of the few chasers that earned every bit of respect that he has received. Andy, tell Matt we said hi and keep us safe. Hope other chasers will be as good of an influence as you.
Scott, I don’t know if you could have said it any better. Having only met Andy twice, but spoken to him constantly since before SevereStudios was even a public service, I’m still in shock. And i can not fathom how those who were much closer to him feel right now. The reality of this has only hit me like a mack truck in the last 10 minutes. As I was telling someone earlier:
I think that anybody who has or still does chase storms has a giant place in their heart for him.(Andy) He was a such a inspiration. He lived the dream we all dream to live. He was able to quit his “life” to solely chase storms. Something any stormchaser would love to be able to do. It didn’t matter whether you were Tim Vasquez, David Hoadley, Warren Faidley, Reed Timmer, Or John doe who just started chasing storms today. Andy would stop and talk with you endlessly about weather. He didn’t care who you were, just that we shared that same passion. R.I.P
Well said Scott. If anybody knows it was Andy, it doesn’t matter who you chase for or who your friends are, we are all in it for the same reason. To find the tornado.
I only had the opportunity to talk with Andy a couple times but as Ben said, anybody who has or still does chase has a giant place in their heart for him and I am one of those people.
Well said by Scott and the rest of you. Sad day.
Scott, you are awesome. Andy really cared a lot about you. Thanks for being his friend.
AG would endlessly bust my ass for not chasing…he said a nado would “have to drive down Brouwer’s street before he would step out” I called him the fat bastard and he call me the dumb ass…
I think I will be getting on more storms this season…
One of the best things I’ve read this week. Well done, SB. While I never had the chance to meet him, his reputation as an absolute chase warrior and a genuinely good guy preceded him everywhere. Heavy hearts in Luverne this weekend, I know. Hopefully ChaserCon can be a celebration of life. See you then.
J.B.