Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown

by Stefan Petrucha

  I can’t stress that enough. There’ve been times when I’ve been certain something paranormal occurred only to wake up a few mornings later and say to myself, “Wait a minute, could there be another explanation?”

  In Matthew’s case, the simplest explanation may be that he was imagining things or making them up. After all, no one else sees Timmy or the mists. While we were there, he wouldn’t even bring them up himself. He never said to us, for instance, “Oh my gosh, I’m seeing them right now!”

  Are they there so often that Matthew just doesn’t bother mentioning it? Despite the history, I had to wonder if at least some of his experiences weren’t real. To go back to that basement scene a moment, first Adam asked if there was something there, which could have led to Matthew’s answer. Then again, during the interview outside, Matthew is often looking over his shoulder, as if something’s there. A close examination of that basement footage also reveals that he moves quickly away from the corner before Adam asks about it.

  Matthew also spoke about things in a way that made more sense if he actually were in touch with Timmy. For instance, he described Timothy as wanting to find “the guy who cut down all the trees.” Why? “Because when Timmy was alive, all the trees weren’t cut down.”

  Other evidence began to mount. The Dopiks told us that Timothy constantly wore Walkman headphones, something I didn’t know until we interviewed them. Yet, Matthew described Timmy as wearing something in his ears or around his neck. It’s hard to imagine how Matthew would know that, or why he’d make up something so specific.

  Mike and Lori Dopik also provided us with a great way to test Matthew’s story. They had a group photo from their wedding, taken years ago, in which Timothy appeared. As far as we were able to determine, Matthew hadn’t seen any photo of Timmy. All we had to do was show this picture to Matthew and ask if Timmy was in it.

  In a pivotal sequence in the investigation, I brought the photo to Matthew in the Seighmans’ backyard. As I walked down to the swing set, I prepared myself for a negative result. “He’s not going to pick out Timmy,” I told myself. “Don’t hype this up. Don’t let him see that you’re disappointed when he can’t do it.”

  It all happened very quickly, on-camera, without any cutting away. I took out the picture, a shot of about twenty people, one of whom was Timmy about ten years before his death. I showed it to Matthew. “One of these people here is your friend.”

  Without missing a beat, he pointed at Timothy and said, “That one?”

  After the episode aired, some viewers pointed out that Matthew was asking, as if he weren’t sure. But it was a photo of Timothy Shirey in his twenties. He was in his midthirties when he died, which is how I assume Matthew would see him. If you knew someone at a certain age, then saw a photo of them ten years younger, would you be immediately sure who they were, or would you ask, as Matthew did, “Is that him?” It seemed to me the natural response.

  It’s not absolute proof. Matthew could’ve somehow seen photos of Timothy, or been coached, but for me it comes down to what’s easier to believe. It’s much harder for me to think that this stressed-out family would use their son that way. To me, it strongly suggested that Matthew really saw Timothy, that he could well be the real deal, a clairvoyant.

  Accepting that possibility also explained a number of other things. The mists may have been drawn to Matthew because of his ability to see them. Timmy and Matthew, meanwhile, shared a childlike quality. Matthew might be someone Timothy could relate to, and vice versa.

  Having done all we could in terms of research, the next step was to try to communicate with any spirits. The best hours for psychic contact are generally considered to be between 9:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., in other words, in the dark. After being involved with demonic cases, I also learned that 3:00 A.M., specifically, was significant. It is considered the antihour—opposite the time Christ is believed to have died on the cross—as if an evil entity’s presence on the earth at that time mocks that moment.

  Due to those extreme cases we’d faced prior to the pilot, we were all very much in a warrior phase. I, in particular, still felt surrounded by what I’d call, for lack of a better word, malevolence. Some of that comes across in the episode, which I imagine is difficult to understand without knowing where we’d been.

  But the situation also gave us reason for concern. Voices were telling Matthew to harm himself and others, and I was increasingly convinced his experiences were real. We all felt there might legitimately be a demonic layer to this case, so we decided to try to communicate at 3:00 A.M.

  The funny thing is that at PRS we never called it Dead Time before the show. Back when I wrote that short outline, I’d jotted down “3 A.M. . . . Dead Time.” It wasn’t a reference to spirits. I just wanted the crew to turn off all their electronic equipment, to keep the house as dark and empty as possible. Dead meant silent.

  When the producers saw “Dead Time,” they loved it and it’s been part of the language of the show ever since.

  For our first “official” Dead Time, I split everyone into three teams. Serg was in the basement monitoring the walkie-talkies and cameras. Eilfie took a team to the field where Timothy’s body was found. I stayed in the house with Shelly and Bryan.

  Though Matthew was the key to the activity, we never considered having him present. If the spirits weren’t real, seeing his parents confront them might be confusing. If they were real, it could be dangerous for him.

  As a standard part of the process, we each took turns trying to speak to the spirits, hoping to elicit some response—an unexplained sound, a voice.

  Shelly put out a lot of energy, warning any evil entities not to try to influence her son. After about forty minutes, she told me she sensed a presence. I asked what it was like.

  “Nothing good.”

  She felt it move right in front of her. Several of us heard loud breathing.

  When I’m in the presence of the paranormal, I’ll sometimes get what we call “that feeling.” It’s not simply a sense of being watched, but more like an instinctive sensation that a predator is stalking you. When Adam announced that he saw something moving in the basement, I got “that feeling.”

  Full of energy, Shelly wanted to rush downstairs and confront whatever Adam had seen. I immediately stopped her. She said she wasn’t afraid, but that wasn’t my concern. With that predatory feeling overwhelming me, I worried something wanted to separate us. I’ve had that happen. Out of nowhere, everyone in the team decides to disperse. At times that’s led to near accidents where people could have been badly hurt. So I very much wanted to keep everyone together.

  The activity didn’t stop. Adam heard his name called. I heard a voice, too, soft and male. It may have called out “Adam,” but it was hard to tell. All the more reason to keep together. After a while, nothing further happened.

  Despite the strong personal experiences, our equipment didn’t catch anything. Attempts to record the paranormal can go either way. Sometimes the equipment won’t pick up what we experienced clearly. Other times it’ll pick up things none of us heard or saw at the time.

  Whether the activity was paranormal or not, the family’s suffering was real. Shelly and Bryan felt helpless. They feared that evil influences were hurting their son.

  Some viewers have said that the show has a Catholic or Christian bias. That’s definitely my background and personal belief system, so I do view the world through that prism, but PRS has no religious affiliation and I don’t impose my beliefs on anyone. My relationship to Catholicism, which I discuss in detail later, is complex. Eilfie is pagan. Serg is agnostic. We remain open to all beliefs.

  At the same time, it’s our goal to empower our clients, to ease their sense of helplessness. I believe the best way to do that is by using whatever language they understand, spiritual or scientific. Along the way, when it’s seemed the right thing to do, we’ve used everything from pagan chants to Native American rituals.

  The Seighmans were Christian, so wit
h their assent we performed a Christian cleansing ritual. Adam read from the Bible as we walked from room to room, projecting a protective energy. Upon entering Matthew’s bedroom Adam felt woozy and sensed something trying to stop him. But we soldiered on until the ritual was complete.

  By morning, though we were exhausted, it seemed there was an effect. The house felt lighter. The family, Matthew in particular, seemed relieved.

  As a child, to ward off the things I saw in my bedroom, I’d sprinkle some holy water around. It helped me relax enough to get to sleep. So before we left, I gave Matthew a bottle of holy water.

  There are often cases where I’d like to stay longer and try to do more, but we’d run out of time and exhausted the possibilities. Though the investigation was over, I stayed in touch to see how things were going.

  In follow-up interviews, Shelly told me that before bed Matthew would go up to his doorway and sprinkle a few drops around. It seemed to make his evenings more peaceful.

  Shelly had also always said that Matthew could be outgoing, but it was only during our follow-up visit that he appeared happy and playful to us, smiling in a way Shelly hadn’t seen in years. Matthew even began sleeping in his own bed again.

  Bryan remarked that his son finally felt understood, like he wasn’t abnormal or alone, and that we had given him that. That was especially good to hear, not having been believed myself for so long. While I was pleased to think we’d helped, I was quick to point out that Shelly and Bryan had the real power to protect Matthew, even when it felt like they might not.

  The concluding text of the episode says the Seighmans “continue to adjust” to Matthew’s gifts. That’s true, but as time passed, the family also went through a lot of personal changes. The episode was shot in March 2006. In September 2007, Matthew’s sister, Rachel, after having lived quite a bit longer than doctors expected, passed away. After that, they moved out of the house.

  We were last in touch with Shelly a few months before the time of this writing. Matthew was having trouble for a year or so after our investigation. During our last update, I was told that he no longer has experiences and doesn’t recall anything about them. That isn’t unusual; most children tend to lose their connection with the otherworldly as they approach puberty.

  “Sixth Sense” was intended only as a demo, but A&E was so impressed we ended up expanding it into a full episode. In a way, it became our gold standard. Even looking back years later, I’m very proud of it. It really does get across what I wanted the show, and PRS, to be about—both by presenting an interesting haunting and taking a personal look at the clients.

  It was also the last case I worked with Adam. But along with PRS I’d yet to face some of the biggest changes, like adjusting to shooting not just one episode but an entire series.

  EILFIE MUSIC

  What’s your favorite first season episode and why?

  “Asylum,” which is interesting since I wasn’t thrilled about doing the case. I have an interest in abandoned buildings, especially asylums and hospitals, because of the history behind the walls.

  Such places seem not haunted by actual ghosts, but the memories and the emotions of the patients and workers. The cemetery had the biggest impact on me. It was a field the size of a football stadium, virtually empty besides a few numbered markers. Under that unmarked ground hundreds of people had been buried. Originally, I was worried the show would ramp up the spook factor and forget these were once real people.

  What’s the one thing you’d like people to know about you?

  I’m also an artist. My work ranges from the strange and macabre to the symbolic and lovely, but it’s always slightly dark.

  What’s the one thing you’d like people to know about PRS?

  We’re much more skeptical than we seem. We’re open to new ideas, but we all have our own level of skepticism. Rather than taking anything at face value, we ask a million questions. I like the saying “Be open-minded, but don’t be so open-minded that your brain falls out.” Wish I knew who said that.

  Has working with PRS influenced your beliefs in any way?

  It’s made me more aware of my own beliefs. Everyone in the group has their own ideas. It’s a bigger benefit than if everyone believed the same thing.

  How do you think you’re different now than when the show began?

  I used to hide under a hoodie and sunglasses. I’m much more open in front of the camera now, but only to an extent. Ryan still has trouble getting me to perform any type of ritual or talk about my beliefs on-camera.

  SERG POBEREZHNY

  What’s your favorite first season episode and why?

  “Vegas”! Why? Because we got to go to Vegas. The best part was that due to the weather conditions we had to spend an extra night. That was the best excuse I’ve ever given my teachers on why I missed class. Plus I made a few hundred bucks from craps. To this day, I have no idea how to play.

  Has PRS been an influence on your photography?

  Most definitely. Not only have I been fortunate enough to receive free camera gear, but we’ve gone to some really amazing locations. Production has a director of photography, so I not only study how they set up lighting; I use their lighting for my shots.

  What’s the one thing you’d like people to know about you?

  I have a strong passion towards photography. Each season, not only do I improve, I also take more pictures. With all the other hectic things in my life, photography does a great job at keeping me grounded.

  What’s the one thing you’d like people to know about PRS?

  Hmm . . . I think the show already depicts us as being pretty f-ing awesome.

  How do you think you’re different now than when the show began?

  I believe if you work hard and are proud of what you do, you get wiser. I don’t only mean in the paranormal arena. I feel as if I’ve learned and grown from all sorts of experiences: dealing with people, building business relationships, becoming more self-aware.

  For me all this leads into my spirituality, which has definitely blossomed since the beginning of the show. I’m particularly fascinated by all the beliefs I’m confronted with, how those systems evolved and how they continue to change.

  Which piece of equipment do you think has produced the best, most reliable results?

  Bah! A tech question . . . It’s hard to answer without overthinking. Who am I trying to produce the results for? Most of the time, I prefer paranormal phenomena that is meant for me. I’m not here to make skeptics into believers, or to prove to believers that they’re not crazy.

  But looking back, video surveillance allowed us to catch a chair that moved by itself. Then again our audio recording caught some pretty intense growls. Ahhhh . . . can’t decide.

  What’s the biggest technical challenge in trying to record a spirit?

  The fact that we don’t know anything about the “other world.” What if there aren’t spirits? What if it’s multiple dimensions crossing over? Honestly, I am glad that this area is still unknown. I feel like a Columbus or a Magellan of the spiritual realm. I love it.

  Without considering it a “final word,” what do you think a ghost is?

  Part of my personal quest for discovery.

  Chapter 3

  The Storm Before the Storm

  Why don’t you want to do PRS anymore?

  After we shot the pilot, months passed without word from A&E about whether or not there would be a series. There was a lot for them to consider, I was told, beyond just a good pilot. Our show was very different from any other paranormal show out there, and they had to figure out if they could market it to advertisers and viewers.

  After the first month, I decided to let it go and worry about the rest of my future. I’d just graduated with a degree in journalism. I’d also completed some credits for a second degree in forensic anthropology, a subject that always fascinated me. My mom had only been willing to pay for one degree, but now I hoped to complete a second. I planned to stay enrolled in th
e fall, but I needed money. It was time to look for a job. I applied to a few places, with no luck whatsoever.

  With no job in sight, I headed down to South Carolina to get away for a couple of months and think. The biggest thing on my mind wasn’t the show or even a job. It was the same question I’d asked myself since those extreme demonic cases: Should I quit being a paranormal investigator and start finally living a normal life?

  Serg came with me that summer. He’d never been away from the Northeast, and found my family, as he called it, “interesting.” Growing up as an only-child immigrant from Ukraine, I guess he’d never seen many family feuds or sibling rivalries.

  We spent the majority of the time at my family’s lake house, which was fine by me. Being near water, especially down South, always calms me. I tried to hide my struggle over my life quest, but one evening after a few games of cards, Monopoly, and Apples to Apples with my siblings, I couldn’t shake the pressure. My insides were tired of being in limbo. They were begging me to choose. I had to take a walk.

  I headed to the dock and watched the sun slowly fall into the water. People around the lake community were heading indoors. It was quiet everywhere but inside my skull.

  I’d seen plenty of things that should’ve made me feel vindicated, that I was right all along. There are unexplained forces. Others are being affected. I wasn’t alone! It wasn’t just all in my head. Why didn’t I want to go on?

  “You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind,” a familiar voice said. Down the dock, Serg was smiling as he walked toward me in his swim trunks and an open, button-down shirt.

  Apparently, I wasn’t as good at hiding things as I had hoped. I looked back out at the lake. Storm clouds swept over the sinking sun.