Eric Nguyen

[Gerrit Gulden]

Wow, I am absolutely shocked and saddened. I first got the news from Myspace Bulletins, but they didnt explain what Happened. I had guessed the Praying was to help Eric go thru his Divorce which he Mentioned on his website on the main page, Very bottom.

I did not know Eric personally but Coming into storm photography He was the biggest of Idols to myself due to his amazing photographic work. I am deeply saddened and will definetely Pray for him and his family. Lets all hope for a Miracle here.

-gerrit

 

[Jeff Lawson]

It's been a week since I first learned of what happened, and even though I'm now coming to accept the reality of it all, it's nonetheless been a very, very long week full of sleepless nights and alcohol. Still, it's nothing compared to the pain Eric's family must be going through.

Eric and I have been close friends for many years. We chased together often. Many of my favorite memories out on the Plains were made together with him, chasing in his big white van. Distance and my not chasing for the past couple of years has made it so that I haven't seen him in awhile, but we still kept in touch via e-mail and through mutual friends. I was looking forward to seeing him again and kept thinking, "If and when I start chasing again, the first person I'm going to call is Eric... hopefully, he'll leave a seat open for me." The amount of respect I have for him is something I can't really put into words: respect for him as a storm chaser, a meteorologist, a father, and a friend. As others have already mentioned, Eric is one of the brightest, friendliest, and most easy-going storm chasers around. Even bust days were a joy when chasing together. We'd always find a way to have some fun, and even on the worst chase days, he'd be cracking jokes and looking forward to what the next day had in store.

I know it sounds cliche, but it just won't be the same without him. A world without Eric is something I can barely comprehend.

 

[Kurt Hulst]

This is truly sad news indeed. When I read Amos’s first post my gut wrenched with agony. I have chased with Eric a few times and I really enjoy his humor and his weather intelligence. I have learned a lot from him. I remember the first time i met him. Amos, Scott Currens and Eric were headed to a target near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. My chase partner David Diehl and myself had been in radio communication. We stopped at a flying J to take a leak and I remember when Eric started vigorously flushing the toilet to create a vortex, he then proceeded to call out tornado. And who could for get his hail burger. Amos I know in away how close you two are I hope you are holding up okay.

He will indeed be missed. But I pray that by some miracle he will make it through this.
God Bless

One more memory I have with him and the Scott's. I remember taking helium ballons to observe the wind over the river in Chamberlain South Dakota and later floating them over cows and scaring them away when they popped. And that same day throwing bouncy balls at eachother going 90mph down the road. Positive memories are the best ones to have.

 

[Eddie Natenberg]

Wow I am shocked, I am at a loss for words.

I met Eric online before I came to OU, he was very much an inspiration for me. He was a gifted meteorologist, storm chaser, and gempak guru.

My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

 

[Simon Brewer]

Terrible... I hope the best for Eric's family. He's a great guy and I'm both shocked and sad for him and his family. He must have been in a really bad place, and that tears my heart up; apparently the situation is bleak, but I hope he comes through.

I can still remember the first time I noticed Eric in Intro to Synoptic class way back in 2002 at OU! Since that first meeting we had a few chases together and had a hell of a time passing a summertime Calc 4 class. Eric, our friend James, and I were at the Vista one night before one of the exams trying to study, after becoming frustrated we thought it was wise to take Tequila shots; we all got very drunk and bombed the exam the following day, but we passed the class. We spent alot of time together the summer of 2002 and I'm sad we didn't stay as close afterwards, but we still bumped into eachother from time to time out in the field and at OU. I will always miss my friend Eric.

 

[Karen Politte]

Paralyzing

Thank you Amos for posting this to Stormtrack. I believe this to categorically be the right thing to do. Eric's close friends - and acquaintences through chasing - need a table to which to bring their grief, their sorrow and their appreciation for this extraordinay person.

What has happened to Eric struck very close to home for me and is paralyzing. Jason is a great friend of Eric's, and the news hit us the day after it happened like a slow, agonizing, pealing thunderbolt. After we went through the denial, the disbelief and the why's and wheretofores, we were left with the knowledge that chasing will never mean the same to us ever again.

I had met and laughed and spoken with Eric on several occasions. At parties, at weddings, and - the chaser's forte - on the side of the road while wondering if we were missing a nighttime wedge in the middle of Kansas, as the inflow warmed our backs and whipped the sea of long grass about our ankles. He was so intelligent, so level-headed, and posessed the dry sense of humor that the Brits would die for over here in the U.S. He would frequently have me doubled-over with hysterics while a few around us wondered just what the joke was. His fascination with a liter bottle of Sprite during my Hogmanay party was always something I wondered about and smiled back on with fondness.

With my experience in the mental health field - I at once understand and lament what Eric has been going through. The "Silent Epidemic" is what it is called. To see someone so vibrant, so clever, so effervescent be failed by the system is just devastating to me.

I will always know Eric Nguyen as the Chaser who was Always There. It didn't matter whether it was dry LPs near Ft. Stockton, TX. or a bowing squall out by Spearfish, SD......if you had a love of chasing and a love of the open road - Eric was one who echoed your passion, and whose vehicle mirrored your own along those lonely, perfect, quintessential stretches of American highway that we all patrol.

I am so very sorry for this tragedy - for Eric, his family, his children, and for his close friends in chasing who I am trying my best to help through this terrible situation. Please, everybody - love those around you like today is your last chance to. It is the least we owe to each other. It is with tears creeping down my cheeks that I write this. My homepage at Stormskies will remain dormant as I try to come to terms with what has happened.

I don't have any photos to hand of Eric, unfortunately, but I believe Jason will be along shortly to post some great ones of his that he has.

We all chase the same castles in the sky.

 

[Angie Norris]

This is totally shocking and beyond belief. I didn't know Eric that well...Shane introduced me to Eric at the Vista one evening when I was out on vacation and I was so impressd at how friendly he was. After I started at OU, I'd run into him in the maproom on occasion and he would always have a good word to say. His photography skills are legendary as he can capture the power of the storm as very few can.
My thoughts and prayers are with Eric, his family and friends.

 

[Jeff Miller]

Karen, your words were very touching and cut to my emotions, and my heart goes out to you Karen, and Amos, and all those who knew/know Eric closely and can only imagine the pain you are feeling at this moment. I wish you as well as others close to Eric strength at this critical time as well. This is such a difficult time.

I only hope Eric can realize how missed he is right now - and can only hope for a miracle - but miracles do happen. I hope for good news for Eric, and for his close friends like you Karen, and Amos - and all who knew him as a brother and friend.

 

[Jason_Politte]

For some reason, pics won't post for me. Links will have to suffice.

http://www.onthefront.ws/images/eric61205b&w.jpg

Eric Nguyen is someone that I always have and always will hold a great amount of respect for. His name is synonymous with the phrase “storm observer.” But of course, there was so much more to Eric, and his life touched so many people, whether it be through his wondrous photography, the casual hello on the side of a lonely highway while watching a storm, or through friendship. For myself, it’s all of the above.

I first met Eric through Scott Blair in 2000. During the past seven years, I was fortunate enough to chase with him on many occasions. Not only is Eric one of the absolute best chasers out there, he is also a friend . . . a friend who helped me through a rather difficult time in my life and one that I knew would always be there, whether it be just a phone call away or out in the field. Sadly, it appears that Eric won’t always be there in this physical reality, but he will always be in the hearts and minds of myself and the others who know him. Every time I take to the Plains, my thoughts will turn to Eric, as he was someone that I always looked forward to seeing, whether it be meeting up with him during the chase, in a restaurant somewhere after calling it a day, or in more social settings such as Scott Blair’s wedding.

I’m going to miss Eric deeply and miss speaking with him about weather, religion, politics, and other assorted going-ons in the world, but what I’ll miss the most about Eric is that he made me laugh.

Eric tring to stay warm on a cold chase day in November 2001 while Scott Blair begins using rocks to create a piece of chaser "art":
http://www.onthefront.ws/images/112301scott&eric2.jpg

Eric decides to make it a joint project:
http://www.onthefront.ws/images/112301scott&eric.jpg

The finished work:
http://www.onthefront.ws/images/112301PDS.jpg

Eric prepares a "weather balloon" for launch while Scott Blair and Rob Hall look on:
http://www.onthefront.ws/images/eric&scottballoon2.jpg

Eric deems Scott the balloon launcher:
http://www.onthefront.ws/images/eric&scottballoon.jpg

Jason Politte

 

[Chris Hayes]

I had the pleasure of meeting Eric on May 15, 2003 and chasing with him and a couple of his chase partners. I'm very sad to hear this news

 

[Amos Magliocco]

What you guys have written means a lot to Eric's family and the people around him right now. He touched many people, even those who met him briefly.

I'll wait to post more about my friend. He continues to rest comfortably but with no change in his prognosis. We're in a hospice mode, for those familiar with the term.

I wanted to put out a call for pictures, not only of Eric in the field but anywhere. Two reasons : Mickey Ptak and Greg Stumpf have been generous enough to arrange time for a small montage dedication to Eric on the Storms of 2007 DVD. This would mean a great deal to him. We want to collect the images for both the montage and to assemble an online photo album of Eric in the field as a gift for his boys, Sean and Chris. They were too young for Eric to ever have taken chasing; this will be a way for them to learn more about their father's passion when they become young men.

On a personal note, thanks everyone who has emailed me or mentioned me in these posts. It means a lot. There's others in the same painful boat with me, a few who were able to drive overnight when things looked immediately dire back on Friday night. Scott Blair, Scott Currens, Bob Fritchie, Rachael Sigler and Paul Stofer have been as solid as you would expect the best friends of a great person like Eric would be. Please think of them as well. I owe them a lot.

 

[Amos Magliocco]

I'll add a few:

Eric in 1998, taking notes

back when we could all still read paper maps

Few things made Eric happier than big hail

 

[MatthewCarman]

I will keep Eric and his family in my prayers.

 

[Jason A.C. Brock]

I never met Eric personally but I have heard great things on ST over the years as well from Jeremy Wilson and Paul Stofer.
The way I always recognized Eric was his photographs......I would always look at the amazing photographs in the weather calanders I would buy every year......I wouldnt even have to look at the credits....I would think to myself....I bet thats that Nguyen..or Nygen guy....I am sure I have never said his name correctly... Sure enough id look at the bottom (c) 2000 or 2001 or 2002 or 2003 Eric Nguyen. Everytime...I would know it was him.....
You could jsut tell he had a passion for the weather and it was so intense it showed in his photography. That sounds odd to some but there is just a hidden talent when it comes to being able to photograph something your passionate about.
Thats what I will remember about Mr. Nguyen
I didnt know and always have been very uneasy sharing poems ive written over the years with much of anyone. I know I dont know all the details and none of us ever will about what has happened to such an amazing person. If we did know we wouldnt be so shell shocked and just have this huge cloud of doubt or why or disbelief.
Anyways I was going through some of my old poems (many of which I have deleted for whatever reason over the years) and I came accross this last night after seeing the post of what happened to Eric on ST.
Its something I wrote years ago....so no I didnt write this just recently...and I have thought if I should post it or share it or nor or whatever.....but anyways...here it goes....
It just makes you always have to remember.....always let those whom you love know that they are loved and that you are the one who loves them. You just never know....an ounce of compassion for just one second can mean something so much to anyone at any time....even if you dont realize it at the time or maybe you never will but it matters...

UNTIL THE NEXT STORM PASSES
ILL SIT AND WONDER WHY
WHY CANT THEY SEE WHAT I SEE
WHEN I LOOK INTO THE SKY

UNTIL THE NEXT STORM PASSES
ILL LOVE AND HELP ALL WHO I CAN
EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T LOVE ME BACK
FOR THAT IS OUT OF MY HANDS

UNTIL THE NEXT STORM PASSES
ILL SIT HERE BY MYSELF
AND WONDER WHOM ELSE THINKS OF ME
AND HOW MUCH MY SOUL IS WORTH WEALTH

UNTIL THE NEXT STORM PASSES
ILL TELL YOU ALL SHES COMING
BUT AS YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO DO
YOU WILL CLAIM THERE WAS NO WARNING

UNTIL THE NEXT STORM PASSES
ILL LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND PAST
AND WONDER HOW MANY MORE STORMS WILL PASS
AND WHICH ONE WILL BE MY LAST

 

[Andy Wehrle]

about sums up my reaction when I started reading this thread. I never really knew Eric, although I e-mailed him a couple of times. All I can say for sure is he is one of the premeire atmospheric photographers out there. What a tragedy.