It's no secret that we tend to dream the biggest when we are in our youth. It is during this time in our lives where we feel fearless and are naive about the challenges that life will eventually throw our way. So, what is the first thing we do as kids to help validate our ambitious dreams and aspirations? Simple... We look to someone who is already living out our dreams. Names that come to mind might be Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Steve Jobs. For this 7-year-old, it was Tom Skilling. He was an Idol that I immediately looked up to from the early onset of my meteorological interests. My parents would be the first to tell you that I was meant to be the next Tom Skilling one day (I'm sure all bright meteorology kids in the Chicagoland area were told that same narrative). But I didn't want to be Tom Skilling... There was no replacing him and his forecasting lore that bled through Chicagoland TV screens every night. All I wanted was to learn from him. While meteorologists on the multitude of other TV stations gave the traditional 30 second debrief on the weather that was ahead, Tom Skilling sought out to be different. Over the years, a forecast from Tom Skilling on the old number 9 (what local Chicago folks refer to as WGN) would consist of maps and graphics that some would argue to be too confusing. Meanwhile, this aspiring meteorologist oood and ahhed at all of the different variables that made up our weather. Whether or not you fully understood what Tom Skilling was even talking about half the time is a non sequitur. What he really did during every broadcast was tell the viewer a story. I would go as far as saying that he was the Bob Ross equivalent to meteorology. You may not fully understand all the bells and whistles that he was describing to you, but people were still glued to the TV wanting to know more. I can proudly say that I fit into that category of viewers. Regardless of what I did or didn't understand from his broadcasts, I still found myself coming back to the front of my TV screen for the 9 O' Clock news cycle. Over time, I became more motivated to research some of the terms he mentioned on a particular broadcast: mammatus... What is that? CAPE... I thought that was only something Superman wore. Questions turned to intrigue; intrigue turned to research until I knew that being a meteorologist is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! Tom Skilling was my Idol... My role model... Someone who I wanted to be like when I was older. The catch is that I didn't want to be the next Tom Skilling... I wanted to be the next Brenden McGlinn. I wanted to have the same effect on people like he did. I wanted to communicate weather as effectively as he did so that I myself could inspire the next generation of meteorologists. Now at the age of 26, whenever I get told that I'll be the next "Tom Skilling" I smile and remind myself that this person inspired me and other aspiring meteorologists growing up to not be the next Skilling, but rather be the best version of themselves. After 45 years at WGN, I can say on behalf of all Chicagoans who were lucky enough to witness your talents on local TV: Happy Retirement Tom!
--Brenden McGlinn