Why I Got Into Ghost Hunting

I've been going on paranormal investigations with the Garden State Ghost Hunters for more than 10 years now, and while I've had some unusual experiences over the years, even here at the WOBM offices, I still describe myself as an open minded skeptic.

I'll explain what I mean by that - I don't discount the experiences of others. If somebody tells me that they had a full-bodied apparition shake their whole bed in the middle of the night, who am I to say that it didn't happen?

I come at it with a healthy bit of skepticism. Not because I think that it's ridiculous or impossible, but because I have to take someone else's word for it.

But that's where the "open minded" part comes in. I'm willing to not only listen, but I want to be convinced. Prove it to me.

That's what brought me to ghost hunting in the first place - wanting to see it for myself.

I always give a great example that my mother had years ago - watching paranormal shows on TV is like watching a David Copperfield special. It's amazing to see, but what's to say that there aren't camera tricks going on behind the scenes?

That's why I first wanted to put myself "behind the scenes", as it were, in the places that are apparently haunted with my own senses and my own equipment.

That way, I know who was in the room when something happened, I know what kind of equipment captured whatever the event may have been, and I can try to figure it out for myself.

Now, that being said, you have to take my word for it if you weren't also there.

But I can tell you this much - after a decade-plus, I've had some experiences that I genuinely can't explain.

I feel like I still haven't had that ah-hah moment yet that will make me a full believer, but I can tell you about some awfully strange things, like that girl that was sitting in a chair in a Civil War-era house in Gettysburg that was featured on the TV show My Ghost Story in 2013. I still can't explain that one.

If you'd like to check out just some of my experiences, click here for our Ocean County Paranormal page.