We’re winding down yet another year. A year of Happy days, a year of tragic days, a year of catastrophic days. It only seems like yesterday Erik and I were desperately looking through wreckage trying to find a missing woman, knowing one of her family members were already deceased behind us… only to find her body a few minutes later. A life changing event for Erik and I. But we were able to help save a life that day.

We often talk about that day… What we could have done.. should have done. But we always come to the same conclusion that on that day, we did what we set out to do. Save lives. Although we can’t save everyone, we know at least we helped save one that without our help, could have very well been a statistic. The feeling around that area on that day was…. unsettling to say the least. As soon as we pulled up, you could almost FEEL something wasn’t right. The air.. it was dense, cold, dreadful. After a few seconds of looking at the house, you could tell what that feeling was. Death. As you walked around the house, breathing got harder. Erik said he couldn’t really feel what I felt. I’m not a very spiritual person, so all these…. senses I guess you could call them, were very overwhelming.

After we had found the missing person, I could not take it anymore. I went and sat down in the vehicle, rolled up the windows, and looked at the computer screen. All I could do is stare. At that time there was a male in very critical condition. We had a police officer on the scene and a nurse, but the Police officer could not get through to dispatch on his radio. Nobody knew we needed an ambulance. Erik and I tried 911 about 20 times, but nobody answered… at all… I finally said screw it, got my GPS coordinates, and called The Weather Channel. They threw me on air and I was able to give our coordinates out on air. Within 15 minutes, an ambulance pulled up and we were able to get the guy to a hospital. It’s an eerie feeling when you cannot reach 911… or any type of help. Thank god The Weather Channel was able to help us. I think any longer of a wait, the man would have died. Now, I’ve seen dead bodies, I’ve seen death, it really has never effected me, but this day, I still think of. Those feelings, senses, I’ll never forget.

6 months later, I received an email. It was from a family member of the man we helped save. She updated me that the man finally was released out of the Hospital. After 6 months. That shows the extent of his injuries. She thanked us, called us heroes…. I was overwhelmed with emotion… but I have to say, we are not heroes. The men and women over seas, in the armed forces, police officers and firefighters/emt’s. THEY are the heroes.

The rest of the year was filled with even more tragedy and devastation. Joplin, Missouri hit… Alabama and Mississippi hit just as hard, if not worse. I watched live as a Tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama in fear. Just knowing that I was watching people die right in front of my eyes. Knowing that I could not help. It’s a horrible feeling. Watching youtube videos, one after another from fellow chasers chasing those days, both Joplin and the Mississippi/Alabama days, just in awe.

But this is why I chase, and this is why Erik chases. Most people think Storm Chasers are just thrill seekers. Although yes we get a thrill chasing these beasts, it’s not our main goal of chasing. People must understand we’re out there to document, report, and respond. We document by taking pictures/video, report them to the National Weather service to give earlier warnings, and to respond to houses and places hit by these beasts. Most people do not know, but 99% of the time, Storm Chasers are on the scene before EMT/Fire/Police.

I have to work in a few hours. Hope this is enough. Here is to a less tragic 2012.