Jason Hawes and Steve Gonsalves from SyFy’s hit series, Ghost Hunters, visited The University to demonstrate a ghost hunting skit in Wilson Hall and show a video presentation in Pollak Theatre on Friday, October 4.
The Ghost Hunters are a team of paranormal investigators who examine claims of paranormal hauntings. Hawes explained during the presentation the investigations that the team does throughout the world aim to disprove paranormal haunting claims. “The truth is that actual demonic hauntings are extremely rare,” said Hawes.
Hawes is the founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) and star/co-producer of Ghost Hunters. Gonsalves is the show’s technology manager and evidence analyst who is responsible for training investigators and the staff about the equipment.
The University presentation was arranged by Vaune Peck, counselor and coordinator of arts programming for The University’s Center of Distinction for the Arts. Peck, who enjoys the show, explained that she felt like she needed to have the Ghost Hunters come the University and speak.
During the Wilson Hall walkthrough of how the ghost hunting is done, Hawes and Gonsalves listened to stories of paranormal claims while walking through the halls. The group then climbed the staircase to tour the ladies and gentlemen’s lounges of the building. Hawes and Gonsalves asked numerous questions while admiring the architecture.
Following the walk through of Wilson Hall, Hawes and Gonsalves gave a two hour presentation along with an informational lecture on ghosts. The investigators explained the characteristics of different types of ghosts such as demonic, angelic and elemental spirits. Hawes then identified that these types of ghosts can be further categorized by spirits that are intelligent, residuals, and poltergeists. Gonsalves followed this categorization with a brief explanation of the ways they address haunting spirits.
Gonsalves and Hawes also presented electronic voice phenomenon recordings from previous investigation for the audience to hear. From one of the recordings, the audience was able to hear a mother fighting with her 4-year-old girl. During the recording the small voice of a child can be heard saying, “They don’t want us,” when the mother says that she no longer wanted the spirits to leave. The voice recording allows the investigators to hear things they were unable to previously hear.
The recordings were followed by six video clips. An example of one clip showed a loud banging noise and a light spontaneously turning on while asleep in a bed and breakfast in Mackinaw Island. As Hawes begins to lift his head to look around, the bedside lamp flicks on. This was another presentation of the ghost activity that the team works together to investigate.
Following the video was a question and answer session. Samantha Furlong, a Brookdale Community College student, said, “They were amazing, I can’t wait to make [my sister and mother] sit through the six hour live Halloween episode.”
PHOTO TAKEN from www.falon.com