Why are you interested in the paranormal?

[PRI_Nick]

Few people know this story about myself so I decided to share the reason why I become interested in the paranormal in hopes others will do the same.

I can still remember my experience to this day even though I was probably 3 or 4.  I was sitting in front of my television in the living room of this older farm house when my mom asked me to get something out of the kitchen.  I looked up and saw a man in my laundry room which was dark, but the man was letting off a soft glow. He had on a uniform of some sort and was there just looking in at us.  Of course this frightened and I turned to my mom and looked back and of course he was gone.

What is interesting is when I was in fourth or fifth grade we were learning about history and the civil war.  Only then did I realize what I saw when I was 3 or 4 years old was probably a civil war soldier.    To this day without that experience my passion to help people deal with the paranormal would not exist.

Thanks for reading

Nick
Founder of PRI

[PRI_Michelle]

I used to be one of the biggest non-believers out there.  When I would hear people talk about seeing ghosts I would just roll my eyes.  I remember when I worked at Ellis Fischel Caner Hospital people would talk about the "haunted" 5th floor that was vacant.  I thought they were all FOS.  Then when was 23-24, just after I was married I had an experience that changed my views.  It was the middle of the night and I awoke to a man standing at the end of my bed.  I couldn't make out his features, he was just this black shadowy mass looking down at us.  I kept nudging my husband to wake him up thinking someone had broken in.  Finally when the man was gone I yelled for Taylor to wake up.  He searched all over.  The windows were all closed and latched, and the doors were locked.  He figured that I was dreaming, and as scared and sure I was that I had seen someone I thought the same thing.  A couple of nights later the same thing happened, I awoke to a man standing at the end of my bed staring at me.  This continued the entire year we lived at the place.  Although I never lost the fear when I saw him, I became less threatened when he was around.  One night while my husband and I were in our back yard in the hot tub, somebody blew cigerette smoke in my face.  My husband also smelled this.  Neither of us smoke, and we lived in by the woods with no people around.  When we looked around the house, we couldn't find anybody around.  After this experience I began to believe in the possibility of spirits amongst us.  BTW I have never seen a shadow person since then.
Michelle

[PRI_Nick]

Great stuff you two!  Keep it coming!

[PRI_Dave]

In July of 1998, I lost my brother, he drowned in a boating accident. I was devastated. The reason why I started with that is because I was never a believer of the paranormal until he died. My mom, dad and my self were sitting in the living of my mom and dads place with my sister-in-law about a week after my brothers death. My mom and sister in law were getting into a heated agrument about my brother, words were flying back and forth, tempers were high. I was standing in the dinning room by the table when all of this was going on, and in the hall at the dinning room, my mom had mine and my brothers grade school pictures hanging on the wall. While my mom and sister in law were argueing i felt and heard a deep breath by my shoulder as if someone was standing next me. Just after that happend, I had turned to see what was by me, and when I turned something cought my eye, my brothers pic, still hanging on the wall, cracked (the glass) no one was there or moving through the house, the glass just cracked. That sent chills down my back. I had interrupted my my family to tell them what just happend,but that didnt stop them from still argueing, actually I got blamed for it. Well the disagreements kept on going until a glass jar of baby food, that belonged to my neice, was on the counter pushed away from the edge so it wouldnt fall, well it fell and shattered. Kinda freaked us out a little until I spoke up and told everyone to cool it. I felt that that was my brother trying to get everyones attention, and to just stop argueing. That was one of the things that got my interest going about the paranormal. I kept them silent for years until I finaly wanted to know more.
I began watching tv shows and started reading things on line. It was then when I met Derrick and Michelle through KW paranormal. They helped me get a better understanding of what might have happend and again a year later here I am and have been talking with PRI ever since.


Dave

[Jeremiah_EPKS]

We, I really don't know where to start in this topic. There is so much that has contributed to my passion for the paranormal. When I was growing up, it was in a conservative christian environment. I grew up sharing many of those beliefs and still do to this day, however, I just never believed that discussion and exploration of the "spirit world" should be taboo as many conservatives do. I always read up on ghosts and hauntings, and would actively search out any info I could get on the subject. It has always been a HUGE point of interest, but never more than that, just a point of interest. Until the spring of 2007 that is. Prior to then, there are several instances that I remember that may have been paranormal, especially during my teen aged years. However, I spent the next 15 years convincing myself that it was just the alcohol, or the fact that I was at a spooky place with creeped out friends or what ever. To this day, I am not sure which of those experiences were natural or paranormal or if any were. then comes the spring of 2007. It was on a weekday and I was off, but had spent the morning working at the project house. I went home for lunch, and made the mistake of sitting down in my easy chair to eat. Well, it wasn't long before I was snoozing. I awoke to the sound of my daughter coming home from school. I heard her step oonto and walk across the front porch, I heard the screen door open, the heavy door open. I felt the sunlight on my face as the doors opened. I heard her step inside, close the doors, and walk through the living room, dining room, and back to the back of the house where her room was. I did not open my eyes cause nothing seened out of the ordinary. Then I realized that if she was home from school, then I was way late getting back to work at the project house. I jumped up out of my chair and began rushing around getting my things together. Then I noticed the time was only 1:00pm. So why was my daughter home, and why hadn't the school notified me that she was coming home early. I was worried so I went back to her room and she was not there, or in the bathroom, or in my room, kitchen, anywhere. A little confused, I went back to the living rom to sit and process what had just happened, and when I walked into that room, the heavy door which had been closed just a few minutes earlier was open and swing shut. then the dead bolt latched itself. I ran outside, but there was no one outside within a block of the place, and besides that, how did the dead bolt latch by itself. the only way to lock it fromoutside was to use a key, and Jaime had the only key to it with her at work. Well, after that, my interest peaked, but I never really considered investigating unitil Jaime and I and some friends were watching ghost hunters one night a few months later, and we decided to go to the project house and "give it a try". Well, we went down there with an old analog tape recorder and spent a few hours, really jsut kind of goofing off. But when we listened back to the tape, we had a very distinct EVP of a Mans voice whispering "don't take pictures in here". This happened at the same time that everyone "felt " a heavy staticy atmosphere, and I started taking a bunch of pictures. Anyway, after that, we were hooked on investigating, and the rest is history. We investigated a bunch at the project house and anywhere else we got get access to, although, we did not have an official group yet. Then LPI was born in January '08.

That is me in a nutshell.

[PRI_Ben]

I have always been interested in the paranormal, from when I was a 5 year old kid playing with Ghostbuster toys, and watching the cartoons, all the way to the investigating I do now.

I had always been very adventurous and I have always loved the numerous possibilities of the unknown.  When I was little my cousins would come down from Omaha, NE, and we would make haunted houses in my moms basement (with the help of my older brother of course), and we would send family through it and attempt to scare them in new ways every year.  This would continue until I was about 11-12 and then after that I quit while I was going through changes of who I was and what I liked.  I was always too busy with school, friends, and video games through my middle school years.  A couple years later I met my "high school sweet heart" and she reintroduced me to the paranormal world.  She showed me quite a few places that were deemed haunted by the local high schoolers around Perry Lake out where she lived.  She had a friend who was very into the spiritual world but she believed more in witchcraft than anything.  Over my years in high school we would go to these places, hang out, and chat.  I was interested and wanted to experience something myself.Shortly after I graduated, I found out that my sweet heart wasn't very sweet, lol.  We broke up and I left the paranormal once again.  I used to spend the night at my brother's house quite often and there is a little bit of a story about his house.  Sometime before I could even remember, a family lived there and the teenage daughter went to a party one night and was shot and killed.  The family moved out and it has since passed through numerous families, including my own.  My brother bought this house from my grandfather who used to rent it out, and started remodeling it.  One night when I was there he had the carpet torn off the steps that led straight up to the doors to the three bedrooms upstairs.  The bed I slept in just happened to be one that faced the top of the stairs.  One night I couldn't sleep and I sat there listening to what sounded like a person walking around downstairs.  My first thought was that it was just my brother or his wife, but they were both in bed.  I laid there thinking of what to do when the footsteps started coming up the staircase.  I sort of just froze when they starting getting close to the top, so I just laid there as still as possible, watching and waiting.  The footsteps reached the top and to my amazement no one was there.  Nothing has happened to me in that house since then and no one else has experienced anything that I know of.

I met Claire one day, a couple of years ago, we hit it off, and I made a special trip to visit her in Wichita.  I found out that she was interested in the paranormal too, so she showed me places that she knew of and I showed her places that I knew of.  Things have really changed since then too.  We had our son Landon, we got married, and we decided to get serious with investigating and researching when we met Nick and Keith of PRI.  We all hit it off, Claire and I joined the team, and here we are now.

During my investigations in the past I have seen a shadow person, heard voices out loud, felt cold spots and hot spots, An experiences many other various occurrences.

[ErinM]

Growing up my parents were antique dealers and were always dragging old stuff home.  When I was in high school my father bought 5 old hand carved carosel horses from a family up north.  Their Grandfather Charles had carved them and would take the carosel to different country fairs for the kids to ride.  I was at home alone sitting in the living room reading and looked up to see an old man standing in my parents kitchen.  He did not look ghost like he looked solid and he walked into the living room and exited into the hallway out of sight.  Without thinking I jumped up and ran after him to see who it was and when I got into the hallway he was gone.  Several months later my father received a package from the family with pictures of the carosel and documentation regarding the horses and there was a picture of Charles, that carved the horses and the same man I saw in the kitchen.  He wasn't scary he was just there.  It is something I can't explain and I love investigating the paranormal in hopes to eventually be able to answer how someone can attach themselves to an object, or why can some people see or sense things and other can not.  What conditions have to be met to have a spirit manifest? Why do some people's energies leave an imprint and others do not?  I have tons of questions with no scientific, definitive answers and I am intrigued by the quest for answers and the ability to test theories.

[PRI_Dave]

Hey Erin, great experience story. We all wonder why people attach themselves to objects, we all wonder why some people are more sensitive then others, and hopefully some day we will be able to give a full scientific answer on why these occurences happen. Well you have came to the right place to discous these type of situations. THe PRI group are always doing these types of studies and always researching. Stay here on the forums and give your input, and learn and discouse.


Dave

[PRI_Derrick]

Growing up my parents were antique dealers and were always dragging old stuff home.  When I was in high school my father bought 5 old hand carved carosel horses from a family up north.  Their Grandfather Charles had carved them and would take the carosel to different country fairs for the kids to ride.  I was at home alone sitting in the living room reading and looked up to see an old man standing in my parents kitchen.  He did not look ghost like he looked solid and he walked into the living room and exited into the hallway out of sight.  Without thinking I jumped up and ran after him to see who it was and when I got into the hallway he was gone.  Several months later my father received a package from the family with pictures of the carosel and documentation regarding the horses and there was a picture of Charles, that carved the horses and the same man I saw in the kitchen.  He wasn't scary he was just there.  It is something I can't explain and I love investigating the paranormal in hopes to eventually be able to answer how someone can attach themselves to an object, or why can some people see or sense things and other can not.  What conditions have to be met to have a spirit manifest? Why do some people's energies leave an imprint and others do not?  I have tons of questions with no scientific, definitive answers and I am intrigued by the quest for answers and the ability to test theories.

PRI is intrigued by those questions too, Erin.  That's a great story too, by the way.  To me, there's nothing like a great ghost story.  It's truly one my favorite parts of what we do and never ceases to amaze me.  Have you had any more experiences as an adult?

DW

[ErinM]

I have had a couple of experiences as an adult.  The most notable one three years ago, was when traveling with a group of co-workers.  We had late fligh into detroit and got lost on the way to the hotel and ended up in a part of town we should not have been in at 1:30 in the morning.  I was in the passenger seat of the car and we stopped at a stoplight and I looked out the window and saw an elderly lady walking a small poodle.  She did not look "ghostish" she appeared solid/normal and I remarked.  What is she thinking? My co workers questioned my comment and I replied, that the lady was crazy walker her dog alone in a neighborhood like this at this time of night.  They looked at me like I had sprouted a 2nd head.  I honestly thought they were messing with me.  They did not see her.  We even turned around and went back and she was not there.  Creeped them out big time.  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for these "sightings"  they aren't scary and they never interact with me. 

[PRI_Michelle]

These are all great stories.  I would also love to hear from some of the newer people to our board.  Please tell us your story.  I am also curious to hear about your inspiration.  Any author, researcher, etc. who you aspire to be like and why?

[PRI_Danny]

Unfortunately I never had any great experiences in the past to fuel my passion for the paranormal.  Actually, my interest began when I was a kid watching "In Search Of", narrated by Leonard Nimoy.  So now you know how old I am!!!  Anyway, because of this show (and shows like it) I have always had a fascination for spirits, UFO/aliens, and cryptozoology.  I've never really done anything about this fascination until recently.  I will have to admit, as obnoxious and fake as some of the newer ghost hunting shows are, they kind of kick started me to investigate on my own and to come to the PRI public investigations.  My first real personal experience happened at the Holton House, and that was enough to seal the deal.  I've always wanted to believe in ghosts, bigfoot, aliens, etc, but I need to have some kind of proof.  The investigations I've been on have fulfilled that need (not that what I have experienced is proof, but I sure can't explain some of the things I've seen, heard or felt). 

[PRI_Mary B]

Some of you know my story, others do not, so here it goes.  When I was about 19 we traveled to Nebraska to see my Granparents. My Grandpa was in the hospital & not expected to live. While we were there my Grandmother got ill & was hospitalized. Being a small town in Nebraska both Grandparents were in the same hospital room. My Dad & I were getting ready to head back to Topeka because both Grandparents seemed to be stable & out of the woods. I was awakened in the middle of the night absolutely FREEZING to the extent I was shaking & shivering!  Then all of I sudden I couldnt move, I looked at the end of my bed, & there stood my Grandma, & she said to me "Don't worry about me, I am going to be teaching school in my little red school house! I love you!" Then she was gone. I got up to go tell my parents & just as I got to the bedroom door, the telephone rang & it was the hospital notifying us that my Grandma had just passed away. We were shocked since it was my Grandpa that wasnt supposed to make it.  Anyway, in the morning I told my Mom about the experience, & she said that she thought my Grandma must have been looking for her but my Mom & Dad were in my Grandparents room. I never knew that my Grandma ever wanted to teach school & that she had always dreamed of a little red school house! I remember the details of that experience so vividly, it was amazing. Of course when Ghost Hunters came on TV I was in awe that this kind of paranormal investigation even existed & I thought this would be something I would like to do to find answers to my questions about lingering spirits, I am pretty skeptical to the degree of if there can be ANY other explanation for an occurence then it probably wasnt paranormal. While I was working for the VA I saw Nick on a tv interview & HAD to talk to him. I went to his office & he shared some EVP's with me & told me more about the PRI team's theories, I thought WOW this is even more amazing than I ever imagined. I am excited to be involved with Researching in the field & I love to find out the history of places so what better place to do it-WITH AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED TEAM!!!