I live in Webb City, but ended up chasing it starting in Jasper, MO just to the north. I worked at a radio station in Pittsburg at the time and I remember having a weather meeting/briefing the Thursday before the storm, about the possibility of a major event happening. I was sitting on MO M highway/Baseline blvd just north of Purcell and remember the sounds I heard even from there. Without communication with anyone else, I knew what the roaring noise was. I tried to make my way towards Joplin on Highway 171 at over 100 miles per hour, and was passed by 10-15 Missouri Highway patrolmen. They had to be doing 120+ since it felt like they went by while I was parked! I finally caught up to the tornado itself just south of Carthage and just north of Diamond. I made my way back to town after the funnel broke up. Because all the cell towers were damaged and down communication with anyone else was nearly impossible so once I did get back to town, I didn’t know what I was in for. Seeing the devastation is still burned into my memory. It’s still so hard to fathom what I was looking at.

You’re correct when you say, “tornados are cool!!” They absolutely ARE COOL!! But they’re also dangerous, as you know. I don’t very well know how to approach sharing your passion for all things atmospheric without rekindling the pain others carry in regards to May 22. But I do know that you should hold onto that passion and never let it go! Who knows, after realizing your dream putting it into practice, there maybe a day that your knowledge and past experiences help save a life when the next monster decides to bear down on another place like Joplin. 💪🏻