Anybody else watch Stormchasers? Last Sundays episode was dedicated to Matt Hughes, the main meteorologist for Sean Casey and his TIV, and one of the most likeable people on the show. It was a good episode if you missed it.
Matt did an outstanding job guiding the Tornado Intercept Vehicle right into an intense tornado. He did it on his own, with no outside help. They were all on cloud nine.
Then he went home and hung himself.
My god depressioncan be powerful and unpredictable.
Folks that drive straight into a tornado probably have a death wish anyway.
When he survived, he was probably so disappointed not to go out as spectacularly as he planned that he went home and offed himself.
For someone who supposedly wanted to commit suicide by tornado he sure did a good job picking a totally non-tornado proof vehicle to do it with.
OMFG. I wondered what happened, and that is absolutely horrible.
And Two Many Cats: go screw yourself. That was incredibly insensitive.
“Depression” is such a benign word that it utterly fails to do justice to the devastation it brings to people who suffer from it and everyone who loves them. Here it took a husband and father away from his family. That truly sucks. 
You’re in Cafe Society – “go screw yourself” isn’t appropriate. If you wish to say this to someone, take it to the Pit.
Thanks,
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
Well, I’m not going to hurl a personal insult, but, ** Two Many Cats, ** your comment has brought a rancid stench about this thread. Phew!
The comment is also incorrect. He did not have a death wish. He was safely sitting inside the TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle). The TIV is heavily armored and built to withstand the winds and debris damage of a tornado. It was even Mythbusters certified in 250 mph winds. That’s like an EF5 tornado. I would have LOVED to be sitting in there with them during that tornado.
And I don’t have a death wish.
Apologies. I blew a fuse. Put a new one in today.
Wow. I watch the TV show pretty religiously (it’s our Sunday night “crazy” - we DVR it) and saw the dedication. I’d wondered what the “fatal accident” was. It’s such a shame; he seemed a bright guy.
Geez, I must’ve been in a pissy mood. My comment sounds snotty even to me.
I dunno, as a sufferer of depression myself, you’d think I’d have more compassion about those who commit suicide. But sometimes when I hear about stuff like successful folks with jobs they obviously love doing away with themselves, I think, “Damn, here I still am, and my life sucks. WTF dude?”
I can’t help it. I understand depression, and how deep inner darkness can be. But suicide always strikes me as cowardly. That belief, and the thought that I might be wrong about the pointlessness of life kept me going in the days before Prozac.
Suicide might solve the victim’s problems, but it always hurts others. That’s why any sympathy I have is always tinged with anger at the selfishness of such an act. Mental illness is no excuse if you have any conscience left at all for those left behind.
Okay, so I started this to apologize for my flippant words. So, I do apologize, but I don’t guess I’m doing a very good job of it. Suicide makes me angry.
My condolences to his family and friends.