Joel Taylor, who starred in Discovery Channel’s reality series Storm Chasers, died suddenly on Tuesday. He was 38.
His cause of death is yet to be revealed but many of Taylor’s friends confirmed his death on social media.
Taylor’s death was announced by his former co-star Reed Timmer on Tuesday, which sent shock waves in the storm chasing community.
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“RIP my best friend and storm chasing partner, Joel Taylor. I am shocked and absolutely devastated by the loss of my incredible, caring friend. We chased so many intense storms, and I wish we could have just one more storm chase. I’ll miss you forever, Joel. We lost a legend,” Timmer wrote on Twitter.
Taylor joined Storm Chasers, a reality series about researchers who follow storms in Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, in 2008.
Taylor, who had studied meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, starred as a driver on Storm Chasers and was often accompanied by Timmer as they chased storms. He worked on the show until it was cancelled in 2012.
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Discovery took to Twitter to express their condolences.
“We are so saddened to hear about Joel’s passing. We will always remember him fondly as an incredible meteorologist and driver of “The Dominator.” Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” the tweet read.
Many of Taylor’s colleagues and other people from the storm-chaser community took to social media to pay tribute to him after the news spread.
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Taylor’s storm chasing team expressed their condolences on Facebook.
“Our community of Elk City and the Storm Chasing community lost a great guy today. Joel Taylor was truly an inspiration to myself and many who knew him. He was one of the most level headed chasers on the roads and truly a classy guy outside of chasing,” Team Western OK Chaser shared.
“He didn’t chase for the glory he chased because he had a true passion for storms. In the last few years he’d load up with his dad and go chase and not even take a camera,” the group said. “Our hearts are hurting for his mom Tracy and dad Jimmy along with his brother and sister and their children. Please know you are in our prayers. RIP Joel.”
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