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Honor Michael's Memory. Support Mental Health Services.

From Rikki, Michael's sister:

Freelance storm chasing was a form of therapy for Michael. He got paid for it and I know for a fact he helped save many lives, for which I am very proud. This passion—touching the wild edges of destruction—also gave him the professional cover to be a little crazy.

Perhaps these storms were a physical manifestation of the battle happening inside his mind. While he could not tame them, he could at least document them, and in a way, make sense of this incredible natural phenomenon.

I wish Michael had taken to conventional therapy, because maybe, just maybe, he would still be taking pictures as gripping as these below.

I initially intended to print and hang this photo I retrieved from his Instagram of one of his storm chases in Lone Grove, Oklahoma in 2013. I wanted a tangible memento of what he called a “beautiful disaster” to bring me closer to my own complicated, beautiful disaster of a brother. Instead, you got in the way. After I posted my intentions on social media, many of you asked to purchase your own copy of this photo which led me to my next inspiration.

Sunbeam Family Services is a counseling service in Oklahoma City that offers sliding scale payments. Their staff tells me there are testimonials of clients who said helping to close that financial gap saved their life. I chose a local charity because I feel confident the donations are going to a place I trust (a dear friend is on the board) and to a city that’s severely impacted by a vicious cycle of addiction, mental illness, and crime. It’s been a long-held goal to produce a documentary that attempts to offer solutions where government has come up empty. I am sure that one day that will be my form of therapy, but for now giving others the opportunity to purchase Michael’s talent as a charitable donation to Sunbeam is my humble alternative.

I cannot bring my brother back, but perhaps together we can help save someone else’s brother, where money may be one of the many obstacles to receiving the mental health support they need.

Your donation covers the cost of printing and shipping, the balance will go to Sunbeam's mental health services. Please specify in the box below which size and color photo (pictured above) you would like.

Color 5x7: $25
Color 8x10: $35

Black & White 5x7: $25
Black & White 8x10: $35

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