Eric Nguyen

[Bill Tabor]

Well...somehow I missed all of this and am just now reading this thread and learning of Eric's passing. Obviously this is a shock. I didn't know Eric personally, but I definitely knew of him, and his passion for storms, and his top notch photography skills. From what I read, I really missed out. It would have been great to know him. For instance I too love hitting Pizza Hut's after a storm.

While I never knew him I know our paths likely crossed and paralleled many times. Certainly even this last year near the Seymore Wedge and at Tulia we were nearly a stone's throw, and how many more times has this happened? Perhaps there were times he was parked across or just down the street while observing a storm, and likely we have passed while going to nearby storm targets. Certainly Eric was a Brother of the Sky, and a kindred soul.

To all of you who knew Eric well I can say I have been through a similar instance so I know how you feel. About 14 years ago I lost one of my best friends and adventure companions the same way. It never makes sense - ever..no matter how long. I'm sorry, but you will always feel that missing part of you, that person you've shared and experienced some great adventures with. With time there are more distractions, and while you may not think of them all the time, your mind will always wonder back and you will ask 'Why?'. All I can say is love the times you had, and toast to the guy. Carry on and live your life the way Eric would have wanted you to. Live it in the spirit of what you shared with him, and every once in a while during that perfect storm - perhaps while you are alone, remember him.

Eric - to you I say Bravo!! May we meet on another day, 'on a distant shore, by the wings of dreams...through an open door'.

To Eric's friends, family, and chase community I offer my condolences and heartfelt sympathy. His presence will no doubt be missed, and we are now diminished....

 

[Mark Farnik]

I, too, have just learned of Eric's tragic and untimely passing. While having never met him personally, I am very much aware of his tremendous reputation and had a great amount of respect for his photography skills and his forecasting abilities. His death is absolutely heartbreaking and I can only offer my sincerest condolences and prayers to all his friends, family and acquaintances.

I myself am intimately familiar with depression and suicide. I battled long-term depression from the time I was 8 until I was 15 and I attempted to take my own life in March of 2002 at the age of 12. Thankfully, I failed. I know what its like to feel completely and utterly hopeless and that life is too painful to keep on living. By the grace of God, my family, my friends and my faith kept me going and with their support and a long regimen of anti-depression medications, I was finally able to conquer it three years ago.
I also have lost a very close friend in this manner. The timing of Eric's passing is particularly ironic to me, because it was two years ago on Labor Day weekend, September 2, 2005, when my close friend Josh Mese took his own life at the very young age of 16. He was a lot like Eric: brilliant, charismatic, humble, caring, and witty. Like Eric, Josh was very well liked and respected, and like Eric, his passing was unexpected and devastating.
Like Bill said, the pain of losing someone in this manner never really goes away; it just kind of ebbs and flows. And it never, ever makes sense.

I don't know if anyone on ST is aware of this, but I'm an amateur singer/songwriter. The more I thought about this tragedy, the more compelled I felt to write a song to capture not just my feelings, but the feelings of the ST community as well.
So here it is, my tribute to a man who wasn't just an accomplished weather photographer and brilliant meteorologist; he was a great man whose presence will be terribly missed by all who had their lives touched by him and his work. His spirit will live on in all of us.
I hope this song does Eric justice and helps all of us to begin the healing process...

Chase the Wind​

September morning​

We lost a magnificent man​

September morning​

For reasons I don’t understand​

My heart is heavy with grief ​

An explanation I just can’t find​

You had so much to live for​

Why did you leave it all behind?​

Tears of anger falling like rain​

Now you’re chasing on a higher plain​

But you aren’t really gone​

In our memories you’ll live on​

Someday we’ll converge again​

And together we’ll chase the wind​

Time heals all wounds or so they say​

Well I’ll tell you the truth​

There are some wounds​

That never go away​

Life will go on, years will go by​

But the passage of time will never diminish​

The legacy of a life fully lived​

From start to finish​

Tears of sadness falling like rain​

Now you’re chasing on a higher plain​

But you aren’t really gone​

In our memories you’ll live on​

Someday we’ll converge again​

And together we’ll chase the wind​

Now when the lightning flashes​

And the thunder cracks​

When the wind is screaming​

And the sky is pitch black​

When the tornado shrieks​

And the baseballs fall​

I’ll hear a voice whisper ​

In the midst of it all:​

Tears of gladness falling like rain​

Now I’m chasing on a higher plain​

I’m not really gone​

In your memories I’m living on​

Someday we’ll converge again​

And together we’ll chase the wind




Warmest regards to all,

Mark W. Farnik​

 

[Craig Maire II]

Fabian (fellow chaser from Chicago) just informed me about 30 minutes ago about what happened! I've been active on Storm Track but some how missed this! I too would like to say that words cannot describe how sad this makes me feel even though I never knew him, he was a fellow storm chaser My deepest thoughts, prayers and sympathies go out to Eric, his family and all his many friends...

 

[Bill Tabor]

I write and sing a bit myself Mark. Very nice song lyrics and a great dedication to Eric IMO. I'd love to hear the song with instrumentation sometime.

 

[Robert Tarling]

Hello everyone,

I've only just come across this thread. It has been a sorrowing read for me.

My wife Zoe, our young son Luke, and I offer our sympathies and condolences to his family and friends, and all of those who have been affected.

Our thoughts are with you all.

Bob.

 

[Todd Rittinger]

I too am one who is just (sadly) discovering this thread. As has been echoed by others, I did not know Eric personally, but have benefited immensely from his imagery and digests and greatly respected his talent. My thoughts and best wishes go out to his family and friends.

"Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow."

 

[Jim Zandonai]

Just saw the terrible news. I didnt know Eric personally but recognized his name because I had his page bookmarked on my computer for a long time.
I was amazed at the pictures he took . Incredible. I hate to see this happen to such a gifted individual with incredible potential but my heart goes out to all his family and friends. Definately an inspiration to us all.

 

[Glenn Rasmussen]

I didn't know Eric, but i knew his work. His photos are as amazing as the fact that he and Amos walked away from the Tulia tornado so recently. This is terrible news and my thoughts go out to his wife, kids, and extended family.

 

[Marcus Opitz]

My deepest condolences to him and his family. I was truly captivated by his mulvane footage.

 

[Michael James]

I don't frequent stormtrack very often these days, and only read about Eric's death this morning. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. I can't imagine dealing with something like this.

Eric was a classmate and at one point a student of mine, as I attempted to teach gempak scripting and product generation in an OU meteorology class. Eric quickly surpassed me in this department, and I ended up learning more from him than I think he ever learned from me. He was a very talented person all around - intellectually and artistically. Of the numerous chasers and photographers around this community, I admired his storm photography maybe more than anyone else.

 

[scott r currens]

Eric Nguyen on Youtube

I know that many of you only knew Eric through his photography. With that in mind I put together a 10-minute Youtube video so you can see and hear the Eric that was on the other side of that camera.

You can see the video on the front page of my website.
www.violentplains.com

 

[Tim Vasquez]

It shows how disconnected I've been the past few months that I did not find out about Eric until today. Unfortunately he is among the chasers I have never met, but I am very familiar with him and his work. It is really tragic that he left behind two young kids.

I have to say the support on Stormtrack is phenomenal... as administrator here it makes me proud. I participate in a number of other communities not related to weather, and I have to say that this is a place where we really do take care of each other. I was also happy to hear about the support he had in his final hours amongst chaser friends.

Tim

 

[Matt Grans]

Thanks Scott for posting the video on your site. I had been familiar with Eric's work and decided to find out more about him only to learn that he had passed two days prior. I look forward to seeing more about this individual in your video and send my condolences to all who are bereaved by his absence.

 

[Maggie Kahman]

I knew nothing of Eric, but I feel sooooo badly for his wife and two kids. I had a really dear friend taken from me in a car wreck a few years ago, and the pain that i felt is not something i will soon forget. My heart and my prayers are with his family and his friends.

 

[Patrick Ware]

Me deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Eric's family and friends.
How very tragic and sad.

Patrick