Catfish are harmless, at least that was what Storm Slupianek thought until holding one nearly cost him his life. With dark clouds on the horizon, Storm and his dad had to haul in their catch early. Storm, juggling the freshly caught fish and fishing equipment, tripped soon after getting off the boat. Unable to catch himself, he hit the ground hard. It only took a moment to realize that the dorsal fin of one of the catfish had sliced through his bicep, hitting major arteries and muscle. In the chaos of getting the bleeding under control and rushing to the ER, Storm remembers praying. At the hospital, the doctors stood around him in disbelief. The wound had clotted. 

Storm is now graduating with a degree in biomedical science and a minor in nursing. Out of the three colleges he’s attended, and even though he isn’t Adventist, Union has been the place he’s stuck with. Storm said, “Well, I was trying to get into nursing school somewhere and I got in here. After attending nursing classes, I decided I liked it and I wanted to stay. I liked the people.” He stayed with the college but not with nursing.

While reflecting on his decision to switch majors, Storm talked about the hands-on and get-it-done aspect of dentistry. The idea of seeing a problem, fixing it right away, and making someone’s life better had a strong appeal. 

Milary Vicente, a close friend of Storm’s, said, “Storm has a very positive impact on others. He pushes people to be healthier, to grow, and to look for new opportunities like jobs or just new experiences. He’s always willing to help others in any way he can.” Whether it’s helping classmates with upper-level science classes or pulling a friend back into the raft after hitting a huge rapid on a study trip in Costa Rica, Storm is always ready to lend a hand. 

When he isn’t hunting deer at home in Kansas, Storm is up to some sort of athletically involved activity. Growing up, it was wrestling, baseball, and football. Now it’s hitting PRs in the gym and saying yes to whatever afternoon sport the boys might have planned. Even with that scar on his arm, he still goes fishing. Isaiah 41:10 reminds him that God’s looking out for him, even when catfish are on the prowl.