Stormchaser: The Butterfly And The Tornado
October 31, 2011
This is on BBC Three tonight at 9pm.
Documentary which follows tornado researcher and weather fanatic Sam Hall on an epic road trip across the US in search of some of the planet’s most violent storms. This would be a gruelling trip for the toughest of individuals, but there’s an added challenge for Sam as she has a skin condition known as Epidermolysis Bullosa or EB. The layers of her skin don’t stick together and so even the slightest knock can tear or blister her skin. Once out in the States, Sam is intoxicated by the brutal tempests she encounters, but her excitement soon turns to trepidation as she heads right into the middle of America’s worst ever tornados.
28 Comments
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Same Difference 
amazing girl… if you think you have it bad…. think again
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is this lady on here somewhere,what a ruddy inspiration? great programme and such an insight into a lovely little lady
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i have been truely blown away by this wonderful girl who is a gift to us all …..
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Incredible, beautiful, and inspirational.
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I am totally shocked by this lady’s obvious delight and excitement by a storm which caused so much death and carnage! I used to live in Joplin, MO and in fact the house where I lived was totally flattened. I also know of many people who died or who lost everything in this Tornado and it will take a very long time for the surviving residents to return to a normal life!
Tornado’s are not something to look forward to, they are deadly killers and anyone who has ever lived in the Mid West USA knows this!
Yes, I do sympathise with this lady’s health condition, but as a so called expert meteorologist, I would expect of her a more professional approach to her research!
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As other have said, Sam hasn’t trivialised the terrifying nature of a tornatic storm Joplin took a hell of a beating, and I dare say many who lived through the storm, will have had their lives utterly changed, but hey, come on, here is a girl who has waved two fingers at the the worst of bad stuff that life can throw at someone (and that puts my own “troubles” into stark, and minor, perspective), and she is still so positive. Respect.
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Did you not see the show? She was devastated, heartbroken and in tears when she rolled into Joplin. She said specifically that she wants to help people from being harmed by these storms and it’s part of why she does what she does. Storm chasing and the information it has provided has helped warn people ahead of time and prepare for disasters. Sometimes however the storm is just too fast, just too big. No one was expecting it.
And there is NOTHING wrong with being excited and having your adrenaline pumping from watching nature and how powerful it can be. The tornado that harms people was NOT what she is talking about though. She, as all storm chasers love to see nature in it’s true form.
I came here to comment on what touched me most about Sam. Her compassion and how effected she was about the pain of others… when she herself is going through so much. It’s too bad you can’t be as good of a person.
You are incredibly ignorant for speaking with out actually watching the show and if you did you are a fool for not seeing the pain and compassion she has for others.
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Evelyn, not sure if you saw the whole prog but I think it’s a little unfair considering what was so obviously demonstrated towards the end of the show when taking in what Joplin was suffering.
Yes there’s obvious intrigue and delight to see such a powerful force of nature (preferably in open fields, never ever when it endangers lives) but it certainly is not mindless, and as a fellow chaser, I will say the other aspect is that lives can be and indeed are saved by storm chasers and spotters reporting in tornadoes to raise the alarm and give maximum warning time.
Personally I thought it was a well balanced show but I guess there are others that have their opinions biased one way or another. Each to their own!
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Hello David, and thank you for your comment! I wonder how Sam would have felt had she lost friends or family during this Tornado. Listen to the above to hear how terrified the people were when they had to take cover in a freezer in a convenience store!
Yes, of course I understand that storm chasers actually can help to save lives, but a giggling, screaming, sqealing young woman, who says things like ‘ Bring it on’ and ‘I want to see it coming down’ does not suggest that she was there to to help save lives, but rather to glorify herself and her condition to the world! I also wonder about some of the footage used, and some of it was not provided by Sam Hall?? I too have driven the roads from Oklahoma to Joplin and it really is a gruelling journey and I admire Sam if she really did the drive alone, however I somehow doubt it!
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Thanks, I have already seen that clip and not disputing the terrifying situation that happened in Joplin and indeed many other towns and cities over the years.
Actually Sam Hall makes it painfully clear how she’d feel losing people, its what made the prog balanced.. I suspect you didn’t see all those bits reduced to tears and reality hitting in many ways.
Of course the reality is the prog is about how Sam, despite having a fragile and life threatening condition breaks the boundaries associated with most sufferers (and an utter inspiration to those that live a very limited life completely dependent on others).
Quite frankly mother nature provides some of the most beautiful looking scenes and who wouldn’t wish to see something in all its glory out in an open field somewhere, so comments like “I want to see it coming down” is a perfectly rational thing when taken in context. I’m pretty sure I speak for Sam and other responsible storm chasers when I say I don’t think anyone would claim to be proud to say anything like that if it were clear it was going to impact or endanger peoples lives. Unfortunately there are too many ‘yahoo’ chasers out there and they are giving the community a bad name.
I respect your views though and I would encourage you to review the sections when travelling through Joplin towards the end, also from around 45 minutes in as it sounds like you only saw the first half.
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Hi, I was the cameraman on Stormchaser: The Butterfly and the Torndado and I’d just like to confirm that Sam did ALL the driving. Thousands of miles behind the wheel and never once complained.
Anything else you said is your own opinion and I wouldn’t like to comment on that, though I think, aside from the driving, Sam and her brother went on quite a journey and witnessed things that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Lee
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Hello David,
Once again, thank you for your comment! I do understand that the forces of nature can be absolutely beautiful and amazing. I have travelled and lived all over the world and have seen many many beautiful and wonderous scenes created by Mother Nature and I certainly would encourage anyone to do the same! My point here was not to crticise Sam for chasing her dreams, but to suggest that as a meteorology research professional and an editor, she present herself in a professional manner, particularly in view of the fact that while she was having FUN, that very tornado was in the act of destroying people’s lives!
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I posted my review of this here.
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Sam Hall was featured on a BBC documentary which can be seen worldwide. She was also with a BBC camera crew and her brother who acted as navigator. I also noted that they had Doppler Radar onboard the vehicle which would have given them the necessary data and information for the team to avoid driving into the Tornado. If Sam Hall and her crew were in danger at any time it was completely voluntarily on their part! With the Doppler Radar they would have also been aware that the Tornado had hit a populated area while she was having FUN laughing, screaming and squealing like a 5 year old!! As a professional Meteorologist and Editor her behaviour was totally inappropriate, particularly so in front of the worldwide audience of the BBC!
The residents of Joplin had no such choices!!! They could not pack up their bags and fly back home to the safety of Warrington and the end of the trip!!
I also noted that when Sam Hall was broadcasted on the local TV station, she did not even bother to offer her condolences to the people of Joplin, she only talked about herself, her condition, and her passion for storm chasing?? The real Hero’s were the Search & Rescue teams, the Police, the Fire Department, etc, and the individuals who worked day and night to assist the various agencies involved!
I have asked friends in Joplin to forward to me their stories and photo’s, believe me some of the stories are really heartbreaking, and I already know that Joplins surviving residents will be highly offended when they watch this BBC documentary!!
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Sorry I don’t agree – I think you must have watched something else. From what I saw I don’t beleive one minute that she would have been claiming to be having ‘FUN laughing, screaming and squealing like a 5 year old!!’ had she known what was happening in Joplin. Where you there at the time? Did you see the local news yourself as I’m sure it would have lasted more than the few seconds that was shown and how you can draw judgement from that beggars belief! It said she went for 3 weeks, are you basing your comments on the entire 3 weeks she was there or just a 60 minute highly cut/sliced/edited tv programme where people like yourself can fixate on things taken out of context?
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Also the BBC footage was the Tornado which devasted Joplin! There are plenty of other videos to show this!
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Fantastic, so brave, so inspirational to others and so moving in many ways. Go girl!
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Here is the list of the known dead persons who were victims of the Joplin Tornado, perhaps this will give readers and viewers alike some perspective of the human suffering that this Tornado caused while Sam Hall was having FUN!!
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110529/NEWS01/105290442/List-known-dead-after-Joplin-tornado
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Unless you were in the car at the time how do you KNOW she was having fun at the time? I think your just out just to make this amazing person look insensitive and your comments could be construed as slander!!!!!!!
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Sam Hall was laughing and screaming, and squealing with delight on seeing the Tornado touching down, which she referred to as “the icing on the cake”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15479849
Everything I have said is true (not slander) since it is there on video!
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It is January 15th, 2012 and I’m watching the program about Sam Hall and you can not misconstrue her as being heartless as she cries at the devastation she sees and warns people to be careful. By the way my husband was in Edmonton, Alberta when a huge tornado hit there—I might never have met him as he could have lost his life in the position of managing a 7-Eleven where flooding took place. So my suggestion is to be careful in how you criticize people who were actually there when you were not!!!!!!!!
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You think the programme was just about Joplin or one tornado? There were several tornados in that programme and I counted at least 5 different states. I have watched it three times in sheer awe, and I certainly can’t see any place where there is anything other than upset in relation to the events at Joplin clearly impacting her chase later on near Stilwater. Quote narrator: “The reality of what could be happening nearby is hitting Sam hard” Quote a choked and tearful Sam: “I’m worried about people being killed” “this is the first time ever on a chase thats made me upset” “hundreds of people could be killed today”. She went on then to help locals who were worried about the situation and turned to her for help. As for the news clip you linked, it obviously is made of extracts edited together and if thats all you saw I can possibly see how it could be misinterpreted, even then I don’t see what you’re on about, there was no tornado seen there. Sorry but I think your comments are misguided.
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This was a really good documentary and I really enjoyed it!
P.S. Does anyone know the name of the song that starts at 33 mins 50 secs and ends 35 mins. It’s a dance song and fast paced. Thanks! 😀
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what a selfless and inspirational young women,and i find all comments made by mrs Maynard quite upsetting,like alot of comments stated i dont think she watched the whole documentary or wasn’t paying enough attention.Sam was quite obviously very distressed about the situation in joplan.personally i think you are quite mean.
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Hey folks just watching this documentry for the first time. All I can say is – what an amazing girl. What a certain person is over seeing is the bigger picture and although I completely sympathise – open your eyes! Sometimes its not all about the ” obvious ” picture.
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Here’s the deal…. I don’t see Evelyn’s points as invalid. She is not saying that Sam went out of her way to be cruel, as she was likely unaware of the damage and tragedy that the hurricane was causing but she does bring up a valid point as someone whose friends and family LIVED (or unfortunately died) through it. A mere thrill for anyone (whether disabled or not) seems so trivial after seeing hell that such event caused for those around you.
Anyone who chases storms has to realize that while they’re watching something that may keep them on the edge of their seats, that people’s homes and loved ones may be taken away forever at that moment.
I think that Sam is clearly a strong and inspirational person as a whole, but I just cannot condemn someone like Evelyn who in my opinion is looking to respect those lost vs respecting someone’s passion.
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Evelyn Maynard,
What in the heck is wrong with you?! Are you 10? Everything you have complained about has been picked apart and explained to you in full detail including the camera person who filmed the show. You just can’t knock it off and admit you were wrong about this girl. You have to continue to make yourself look like a fool. Seriously how stupid?
Sam Hall, thank goodness that girl has decided to go outside and live her life to the fullest. She has more emotions for people then you have in your pinky.
Try going outside, not everything in this world is black and white. There are many colors, many feelings a person can have. You can’t see two inches beyond your face and your ignorance is mind boggling.
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Evelyn Maynard should go back under the rock she slithered out of. What an awful human being.. Sam Hall is the reason why this film was produced in the first place. She deals with something that most of us could not imagine. The story was about her and a passion she enjoys-chasing storms. I was in tears watching her struggle with eating, driving, and getting from point A to point B. Sam and all of us feel terrible about the deaths in Joplin-but to be critical of her for enjoying being a storm chaser shows what a sick unfeeling person Evelyn is. Keep going Sam Hall, you are lucky to have such a wonderful brother and I am just one of your many new fans. Ignore the likes of Evelyn Maynard-she is fool who gives new meaning to the word “disgusting”!!!!
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