TV meteorologist’s on-air gesture ahead of severe weather goes viral for all the right reasons
A Minnesota meteorologist is sending the internet into a frenzy over a move he made in the middle of a live broadcast.
Nick Jansen of KTTC News was seen texting his wife during a live weather report on July 28, when severe storms were blowing through the Rochester, Minn., region. In the now-viral clip, Jansen can be seen pulling out his phone while live on air to check on his wife and ensure that she and their infant child had taken shelter before the storm.
After the video went viral, Jansen spoke out on social media in a July 30 Facebook post to address backlash from viewers who deemed his gesture as an “unprofessional” move during a live broadcast.
“I don’t usually post things like this, but after nearly 3 hours of storm coverage Monday night, I wanted to share a quick thought,” Jansen began his post. “I received an email telling me how unprofessional I was during my coverage. The quote that really struck me: ‘That he has to call his wife to make sure she takes the baby to safety? Maybe some people think it’s noble or cute. I don’t.’”
Jansen went on to explain, “I take my job and your safety very seriously. But I’m also a husband and a father.”
“In the middle of severe weather, I decided to take a brief moment to make sure my wife and child were safely in the basement,” he continued. “That’s not me being unprofessional, it’s me being human. I am a husband and a father FIRST.”
“Let’s all try to show each other a little more understanding and respect in life,” he concluded his post.
Meanwhile, tons of fans rushed to the comments to send their support to Jansen, with several commenters applauding him for doing “the right thing” as a husband and father.
“Any meteorologist should feel comfortable doing this in extreme situations,” one user pointed out.
“You took 5 seconds while someone else was talking to check on your family during severe weather,” another user added. “Trolls will troll. Carry on brother.”
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