Joplin, MO Tornadoes and My Friend

Hey All!

This storm chaser, Jeff Piotrowski based in Tulsa, OK is a friend and former business acquaintance of mine from when I lived in Tulsa. At that time he was a home builder and remodeler. He would buy his lumber and building materials from me and we got to be good friends.

Now he just chases tornadoes in Oklahoma and surrounding states with his wife. Makes a pretty good living at it too.

Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.twisterchasers.com/Twiste.../May_2011.html

Pretty dangerous I'd say, but I can understand the rush. That was one amazing twister regardless.

Did you watch the attached video? Pretty insane if you ask me!

His website is really interesting too.

I sent the link to my mom. She has been following all the natural devastation.

Is that the mile wide tornado that wiped out half a city and killed over 100 people?

WOW that guy is crazy and that Tornado is insane

Yes, it is. Quite a tornado for sure. I have been close to a few tornadoes when I lived in Tulsa, but nothing comparable to that one in Joplin.

Jeff has been a storm chaser for about 25 years now. At first he just did it "for grins" and to supplement his income by supplying video footage to the local news stations on Tulsa. Now he supplies videos to over 15 different news organizations. Check out his website to see all the news organizations he supplies video to.

He told me once that it's quite thrilling to chase these twisters.

Hey Nibs,

Meant to tell you this, right after I posted my earlier post the other day, I switched on the TV and there he was being interviewed live on the phone/skype by Piers Morgan on CNN. He was chasing another tornado at the time.

He has posted another video on the same link from OK City 2 days ago. Awesome and frightening at the same time. I take my hat off to him and hope that he knows when it's time to go.