If you’re a fan of Storm Chasers like I was, then you’ll be saddened (but not really shocked) to hear this. Our condolences goes to Young, Samaras and his son’s surviving family and friends. From ABC News Denver:
Colorado storm chaser Tim Samaras, his son Paul Samaras, and longtime chase partner Carl Young were killed in the EF-3 tornado that tore through El Reno, Oklahoma Friday.
Tim and Paul were both born and raised in Lakewood, Colorado but most recently were living in Bennett.
Tim Samaras was considered a leader in storm chasing expertise and worked with 7NEWS, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, Boeing, and the federal government.
A family member posted this statement on Tim Samaras’ Facebook page at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning:
“I’m Jim Samaras – Tim Samaras’s brother. Thank you to everyone for the condolences. It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. Our hearts also go out to the Carl Young family as well as they are feeling the same feelings we are today. They all unfortunately passed away but doing what they LOVED. Chasing Tornado’s. I look at it that he is in the ‘big tornado in the sky…’ We (the family) will keep folks aware of what the funeral estrangements are, but please in the meantime keep Tim and Paul in your thoughts and prayers.”
Tim Samaras was 55 and his son Paul was 24. Carl Young was 45. “Carl and Tim were the best of friends,” and chased many times, Jim said. Carl Young’s father Bob Young told CNN his son always wanted to be a meteorologist.
Tim founded TWISTEX (Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling in Tornadoes EXperiment) to pursue tornadoes and advance the research and warning available to the public.
“Tim Samaras has led, designed, and fielded complex instrumentation research efforts over the past 30 years,” the TWISTEX website says.
