Andy Gabrielson killed in traffic accident

Wow, major bummer! I just got back fro blizzard chasing and heard the news. I just met Andy last year while chasing and I was impressed by both his maturity and friendliness. My condolences to his friends and family.
 
Unbelievable. I met him a few years ago before he hit prime-time and was just getting going as a chaser... very good guy, and was willing to make some major sacrifices to achieve the success he attained by the end. It's too bad that the end came so soon. I am shocked tonight to learn of this...
 
So heart broken to see the news. Prayers for his family and extended chaser family. May God bring us comfort. Love you to all of my chaser friends and family. Life is too short not to say thank you and love you to all of you whom I had the honor in knowing here on this site
 
As I dig around online, it is amazing how many people are saying they were almost hit by this "wrong way" driver. The reports say this guy was driving the wrong way on the Creek turnpike, and then continued the wrong way onto the Turner turnpike. All the while, cars diving out of the way. One older couple stated that right after the truck went by them, a few moments later they saw a Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper flying by with lights on, so if this is true it shows that it had gone on long enough for someone to call the police and for them to respond. I say all this because it tells me this guy had plenty of time to realise his "mistake" and stop. The reason Andy couldn't miss the guy was because of fate. Andy met the guy on a left hand curve in the highway with a retaining wall. So, Andy was going around a left hand curve, and suddenly there was a full sized truck coming at him in his lane with no time to react.

There was also one other lady that claimed that as the wrong way driver was headed toward her vehicle, her husband changed lanes, and the wrong way driver changed lanes as if to try and hit them. Again, I have no way to know if this is true.
 
I didn't know Andy like some of the people in the community - my only interaction with Andy was in the parking lot of an Oklahoma Applebee's, and was one of those pseudo-awkward moments where both people say "Hey how's it goin'?" at the exact same time, kind of nod heads in response, and then walk away in different directions. His death still hits pretty hard, because he was one of us. We may not always agree with each other, but heck, we understand each other pretty damn well. It's a sobering reminder that even though some of us lose 40+ windshields getting too close to severe weather - deer, hydroplaning, and other drivers are still far more likely to kill or injure one of us. He had his own unique way of chasing that some people didn't agree with, but he was never apologetic or nasty about any of it. He was out there chasing every turkey tower, ignoring all the drama, getting some of the best footage ever, and seemed to live by the mantra "Shut up and chase". Chasing won't be the same without him. Thoughts go out to his family, friends, and especially a 3 year old daughter that will now grow up without a father.
 
Even though I never met him, I experienced a feeling of shock when I learned of his passing. Out of my collection of approx. 60 chasing DVD's, his is one of my favorites. My parents even enjoyed watching it when they were visiting for the holidays recently. What a shameful tragedy this is!
 
My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to his family. We lost one of the best! So sad to hear that.
RIP Andy!
 
I am saddened to hear of this tragic event that took Andy from us much too early. He was always happy to provide us solid ground-truth information during severe weather events through SN and live streaming. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
 
I think now how lucky I am to have met Andy just the once last chase season. A really nice approachable guy who was willing to talk to you, even though I had a funny accent. Its a crying shame for someone to lose their life like this, to some maniac on the road, and he will be sorely missed amongst chasers, his friends and his family. RIP Andy.

NB: I think it stands as a testament of Andy that word has spread around the Australian chasing community and there is great sadness for his passing (not to mention the response within the Chasing community in general). His work is among the best I have seen and while his style pushed the limits, the guy had a gift for finding the tornado out of left field. It will be a strange feeling to chase the plains and not see his spotternetwork icon, or run into him at a chaser convergence, or grumble when I see his typically amazing footage. You will be missed Mate.
 
I didn't know Andy, but he seemed like a throwback, that for him it was about the storms, and publicity was a byproduct of skill. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
 
Such shocking and sad news. His work never ceased to amaze me. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
 
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