WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Steve has always been passionate about science and weather forecasting. His meteorology career began with the Weather Service in Nova Scotia and eventually led him to South Florida in 1998. Through more than three decades of tracking ever-changing weather, one part of his life has always remained constant.
"I'm proud of Steve's work every day," said his wife, Karen. "He's so dedicated, and he takes his job seriously, and that's why I love him so much."
WATCH BELOW: Steve and Karen's plans for retirement in Nova Scotia
His wife of 33 years has been by his side throughout his career.
"I met the princess all those years ago," Steve said.
They were just 23 when they met. Steve was working part-time at a photo lab.
"She used to come into the photo store and say hello," Steve said.
"Five months later, I asked him out," Karen said.
"He was painfully shy back then," she added.
But somewhere along the way, Steve found his voice on television.
"Big goofball. He's not very serious at home. I wish I could be, I try," Karen said with a laugh.
It wasn't just his humor and personality that charmed viewers. It was his storm coverage that truly set him apart. Steve earned the respect and admiration of all of South Florida and ultimately, an Emmy Award.
But life with the chief meteorologist meant weathering many storms and many nights apart.
"I called myself the hurricane widow. My best friend Jill, I always went to her house. She always welcomed me and Meeko, our cat," Karen said.
"This is the tough part of the job, leaving her, not really knowing what's going to happen, and going off to work and not seeing her for at least a few days, if not longer," Steve said.
During Hurricane Frances, they remember a scary moment when Jill's townhouse flooded and was badly damaged.
"She called during Hurricane Frances, at the height of it, 110-mile-an-hour winds. She called and then the phone went dead," Steve said.
"We're wading through water and I called him, 'How much longer?' and then the call dropped. I could hear the panic in her voice… not panic, but concern," Karen said.
"She let me focus on exactly what I needed to do, which was really good, and looking back, that was fantastic," Steve said.
"I knew how important your job was, and everyone depended on you. I didn't want to interfere with that," Karen said.
After 27 years of dedicated service to South Florida, it's time for Steve and Karen to enjoy a new season together.
"Spending more time with family, spending more time here in Nova Scotia. Our granddaughter is 5 years old, she has dance recitals and all this stuff we want to be able to attend," Steve said.
And best of all, he'll be home for Christmas this year.
"We're so excited. We've had this house 20 years, and we're spending our first Christmas here," Karen said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
