Episode Transcript
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Hello friends, Steve Stockton here withyou. Welcome to our latest episode.
Today we bring you five mysterious unsolveddisappearances. Join me, let's walk and
see first up. Aaron Holmes Silverman. Seventeen year old Aaron Holmes Silverman enjoyed
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playing guitar and fishing. Sadly,he did not get along well with his
parents, who were separated and strugglingfinancially. However, according to his best
friend Sean Gwen, while he arguedwith him, they did not have severe
relationship problems. Aaron was not interestedin high school and would sometimes use illicit
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substances. In nineteen ninety three,Aaron's parents became increasingly worried about their son's
behavior. They claimed that he oftenpartied excessively and would go missing for days
without a word. Despite their effortsto regulate his behavior, Aaron believed that
he knew what was best and continueto be disobedient like many teenagers. On
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June five, nineteen ninety three,Aaron and his brother Drew attended a house
party in Norfolk, Virginia. Accordingto Drew, everyone at the party was
under the influence. Drew said thatAaron spent most of the night with a
go go dancer who was fascinated byAaron's charisma. The go go dancer,
whose name has not been disclosed,left the party with Aaron that evening.
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She was believed to be one ofthe last to have seen him. Aaron's
parents were used as partying and rebelliousbehavior, so they were not immediately worried
when he failed to return home afterthe party. Everyone assumed that he had
stayed the night with a girl orstated a friend's place. His family believed
Aaron would show up a few dayslater, as he'd done before, but
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something was different this time. Accordingto the Virginian Pilot newspaper, Aaron didn't
take anything with him, no genes, no underwear, no toothbrush, not
his beloved guitar, Norris's favorite fishingrode. He didn't tell anyone he was
leaving, not his best friend,Sewn Gwynn, Norris's brother Drew, with
whom he had party Norri's sister Naomi, but had spent many afternoons fishing with
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Aaron. Eron's brother Drew said hesaw Aaron leave the party with a dancer.
He told the girl we had aboat and that he could take her
out, Drew said. When anentire week had passed without any sign of
erin, Ron Silverman looked at hisson Drew and said, something's wrong.
After a couple of weeks, Ronreported Aaron missing to the Norfolk Police.
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Since there was no evidence of foulplay, the police initially thought that Aaron
had run away with a go godancer, as he had a history of
being away from home for extended periods. However, the police's lack of interest
in the case prompted Aaron's parents tobegin their own search for their son.
Aaron's parents were separated at the Tiger'sdisappearance, and appears that Aaron had been
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going through personal hardships. Aaron's mother, Debbie told The Virginian Pilot quote,
I figured he'd show up. Thenas time went on, I thought maybe
he'd run off with a group offriends to do something wild, like all
the grateful dead around. That's thekind of thing Aaron would do. End
quote. Aaron's father, Ron startedfrequenting different bars in the Newport area in
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hopes of finding out what happened tohis son. He learned about a woman
who was a dancer and whose boyfriendresembled Aaron. She lived in a trailer
park and drove a red Pontiac transam. However, it's uncertain whether she
had any connection with Aaron, astheir identity was never established. Unfortunately,
his father was unable to track thiswoman down. Ron contacted the National Center
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for Missing and Exploited Children, whocreated and distributed a missing person poster of
Aaron across the country and sent astack to the Silverman's The family members put
up posters in various locations where theybelieved Aaron could be found. These locations
included fishing spots in Willoughby, conveniencestores and Ocean View, and festivals that
Aaron had previously attended with his friends. Furthermore, Debbie sent flyers to truck
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stops in San Diego after consulting witha psychic who told her that Aaron might
be living in southern California. Debbietold The Virginian Pilot, quote, you
worry. You go through periods thinkinghe couldn't be alive. It's a little
something that's always there, but yougo on. You can't walk around in
despair. End quote. Since nineteenninety three, there have been a few
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updates in Aaron's case. And heremains missing. Aaron Holmes Silverman is described
as a Caucasian male with blonde hairand blue eyes, five foot ten inches
tall and one hundred and thirty pounds. He has brown mules on his body
and was last seen wearing a whiteshirt, faded jeans, black converse tennis
shoes, and a coral necklace.Anyone with any information regarding Aaron's disappearance or
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whereabouts dis asked to con BacT theNorfolk, Virginia Police Department at seven five
seven sixty sixty four three two sevenseven and reference case number two three sixty
six or one next. Sabrina BrieTaylor Sabrina Brie Kaylor was a twenty year
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old woman known for her loving andcaring nature. Despite having a mild disability
that left her with a mental capacityof a fourteen year old, Bree was
excelling in life. However, hercondition often made her more trusting in naive
than others her age, and intwo thousand and two, she went missing
under mysterious circumstances. On June twentyfourth, two thousand and two, Free
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left her home in Erie County,Pennsylvania, and entered twenty six year old
David Sherman. He's red and blackfor Bronco. She wore bathing suit,
shorts and gym shoes and said she'dreturn by four pm that afternoon. David
was a friend of Bree's living boyfriend, and due to her disabilit she was
incredibly trusting, even towards those shebarely knew. David and Sabrina drove to
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a local swimming hole at Eagley Park, where several witnesses saw them. The
pair swam briefly, but their peacefulday was disrupted when David's ex girlfriend arrived.
As per news reports, David hada heated argument with his ex girlfriend,
whose name has not been given.The dispute between the two had been
ongoing and even thought the previous day. David and Brie left the swimming spot
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to avoid further trouble and went tothe Tasty Twist ice cream stand. There,
David contacted the local authorities to reportthe altercation with his ex girlfriend.
The official reports state that a statetrooper arrived at the location and took them
back to the swimming spot to settlethe matter. David and his ex girlfriend
finally agreed to leave each other alone. However, What happened to Brie after
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this incident is still a mystery,as she has not been seen or heard
from since. Witnesses reported saying BrieDavid at the swimming hole earlier that day,
and the state trooper remembers escorting themback. According to David, after
resolving the matter with his ex girlfriend, he drove Brie to the west Erie
Plaza movie theater so she could watcha movie. David said they were going
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home, but Brie wanted to watcha movie, so he gave her money
for the film and a ride home. However, there's no record of Brie
entering the cinema, and investigators doubtwhether she even made it to the plaza.
Investigators have considered David a suspect inher disappearance from day one, but
there has never been enough evidence toimplicate him. Brie may have been spotted
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in the Elk Creek access area onJune twenty fourth, two thousand and two,
although this witness report has never beensubstantiated. After Bree disappeared, David
was arrested and charged with burglary.In two thousand and nine, Bree's parents
made the heartbreaking decision to have herdeclared deceased in Absnsia and hope that one
day her case will be solved.Brees's sister said her blue eyes were so
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bright and full of life, andI'm afraid that this man has taken that
away from her. But we haveno proof, for he would have called
by now. She would have certainlycontacted my mother or brother, Scott Sabrina
Brie May Kaylor is described as aCaucasian female with dark blonde hair and blue
eyes, five foot one to fivefoot three inches tall and one hundred and
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twenty five to one hundred and thirtyfive pounds. One of her ears is
pierced and she has braces. Shewas last seen wearing a two piece bathing
suit, a pink or red top, blue shorts, and white sneakers.
Anyone with any information regarding Bree's disappearanceor whereabouts is asked to contact the Erie,
Pennsylvania Police Department eight one four eightseven zero one one two five and
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reference case number zero two two threeeight six three. Next, we have
Melanie Marie James. On April twentytwenty fourteen twenty one, one, near
old Melanie Marie James left her homein Farmington, New Mexico to search for
a job and never return. Accordingto her mother, Leilah Melman, Melanie
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was walking down the street when shedisappeared. Melanie was known for her friendly
and outgoing personality, which made iteasy for her to make friends with everyone.
She was also affectionately described as agoofball and was always lively and bright.
According to Melanie's sister, the lastconfirmed sighting of Melie was near McKinley
Elementary School, located on twentieth Streetand Butler Avenue in Farmington. Melane's sister
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saw her in the company of anunidentified man. Her sister did not recognize
the man and Melanie was no longerthere when she circled back to the school.
When Melanie failed to return home,her mother immediately called and texted her.
It wasn't usual for Melanie to disappearfor a few days without any communication,
so her mother became worried. Melaniealways got back in contact with her
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family after a few hours or day. This time, something felled off.
Layla's motherly instincts kicked into overdrive,and after failing to reach her daughter or
find her in the community, shesought the assistance of the Farmington Police Department.
In an interview with a Durango Herald, Leila recounted how the on duty
police officer declined to take report sinceMelanie had not been missing for more than
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forty eight hours. Layla informed theofficer that had already been two days since
she had last seen or heard fromher daughter, but the officer still refused
to file the report. According toLayla, the officer said, quote,
the clock starts from the time youwalk into my office end quote. Frustrated,
Layla had to wait two more daysbefore involving the Farmington PD. Melanie's
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loved ones and community members searched anxiouslyfor while waiting for the authorities. However,
nothing was found during the search.Later in the investigation, someone handed
in a bag which possibly belonged toMelody to the Farmington Police Department. The
bag was spattered with what appeared tobe bloodstains and contains two phones and a
letter addressed to Melanie. Whether thebag was analyzed or simply discarded and stored
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in the evidence locker is unclear.In twenty fifteen, there was a potential
sighting of Melanie, but the locationis unknown. Witnesses claimed to have seen
her at a family Dollar store inSeptember of that year. However, very
little information is available about this sightingand Melanie's case remains unsolved. Melanie Marie
James is described as a Native Americanfemale with brown hair and brown eyes,
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standing five foot one to five foottwo inches tall and weighing between one hundred
and fifteen one hundred and twenty pounds. She has a spade tattoo on a
right bornered finger knuckle, and waslast seen wearing a blue bandana shirt,
light blue jeans, and black snakers. Anyone with any information is as to
contact the Farmington, New Mexico,Police Department at five zero five five ninety
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nine one zero seven zero in referencecase number three to zero one to one
dashed fourteen next. Jeffrey and ALTHEABlankenship. On March twenty seven, nineteen
seventy three, three year old JeffreyDean Blankenship and his mother, twenty three
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year old ALTHEA. Blankenship, werelast seen in Port Towns in Washington.
Their roommate, Glenn Alan Bagley,claimed that he drove Althea and Jeffrey to
the Seattle Tacoma International Airport so theycould board their fight to Greece. Altha
was of Greek descent, and thefamily often traveled to Grease to visit her
side the family. According to theavailable records, there is no evidence that
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Jeffrey or Althea ever boarded a flightfrom the Seattle Tacoma airport. Several years
later, Althea's parents stumbled upon herpassport, which was hidden away and had
no entry stamps for Greece. Althea'smother also noticed that she stopped receiving letters
from her daughter in April nineteen seventythree, as they used to write each
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other almost daily. His mother sincesomething was wrong when the letter stopped coming.
Althea's mother contacted the roommate, GlynnAlan Bagley to inquire about her daughter's
whereabouts, why she and Jeffrey didnot arrive in Greece, and why the
letters stopped abruptly. Lynn told herthat he dropped Althea and Jeffrey off at
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the airport and they were headed fromNew York City and then on to Greece.
Lynn maintained his innocence until he passedaway in twenty sixteen, although he
was also possibly connected to other disappearances, Glynn. Alan Bagley is suspected of
being involved in the disappearance of hisex wife, Esther Goessler, who vanished
from Auburn, Washington are March thirteenth, nineteen seventy six. Under my serious
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circumstances, Esther's case deserves special attention, and Beagley is the only suspect in
her disappearance. Despite being questioned,Bagley never provided details about Esther's, Althea's
or Jeffrey's disappearance. With Beagley's passing, the truth may never be known.
Some articles suggests that Bagley and THEAwere romantically involved, while others claimed they
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were just roommates. Since Althea andJeffrey disappeared, various age composite sketches have
been created showing what they might looklike now. Jeffrey's described as a Caucasian
male with brown hair and brown eyes, three foot five inches tall and seventy
five pounds at the time of hisdisappearance. Althea is described as a Caucasian
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female with brown or blonde hair,blue eyes, standing five seven and one
hundred and forty pounds. Anyone withinformation is asked to contact the Kent Washington
Police department at two five three eightfive six five eight zero zero in reference
case number seven six NASH seven zerofive. Lastly, Dorothy Dottie Kaylor.
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On June twelve, nineteen eighty five, Jewel Kaylor drove his forty one year
old wife, Dorothy Dottie Kaylor totrain station in pleasant Hill, California.
After arriving at the station, Dottypurchased a train ticket, the simple task
that means of people do every day. However, for Dotty it was a
test of her courage. Dotty sufferedfrom agoraphobia, an overwhelming fear of being
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in public places. It is unclearwhether or not Dotty boarded the train,
as she has not been seen orheard from since that day. Initially,
Dotty's friends assumed she had left herunhappy marriage behind to start a new life
in another city. However, astime passed without any news from Dotty,
her sister Diane Rusnak, began tosuspect Jewel from her sister's disappearance. I
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think that Dotty could have disappeared toget even with her husband, who disappeared
on her for half of their marriedlife, Diane said. Dotty married Jewel
Kayler in nineteen seventy three. Accordingto Jewel, as she grew older,
her home and conquered became a selfimposed prison. Jill said, quote Dotty
would stay inside most of the time. She wouldn't even apply for a job,
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much less hold one down. Itwas a real problem. End quote.
Dotty and Jeel's marriage gradually worsened overtime. Due to Jewel's work,
he was often away from home andDotty was often left alone. However,
things took a violent turn on ThanksgivingDay in nineteen eighty one, when their
relationship reached a boiling point. Dotty'sfriend Paula Powers recall the first time Dotty
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and Jeel had a physical altercation.Quote she told me that they got in
an argument. It escalated to thepoint where he finally hit her with a
board or something end quote, Paulasaid. According to Jewel, it was
Dottie who initiated the fight. Innineteen eighty four, Dotty joined a women
in transition support group and attended meetingsfor over a year. Jewel was unaware
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that Dottie had joined this group.Dotty's friend, Shelley Wilson, noticed an
instantaneous change in her friend. Shelleysaid quote As time went on, I
would notice she was adding a littlemore color to her outfits, hut her
hair in a new style, whichwas a very scary thing for her.
It was if a new Dotty wereemerging. Dotty took some secretive actions without
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Jewel's knowledge. She rented a postoffice box received her mail secretly. She
also opened a personal bank account andtransferred five thousand dollars into a cashier's check.
Jewel was shocked to learn about hiswife's deceitful behavior. Jill said,
quote she had secret lives, asecret existence that I knew nothing about,
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and she wanted it that way.I wasn't even aware of it. I
was just suspicious. End quote.One month prior to Dotty's disappearance, Jewel
notified her that he'd accepted a jobtransferred to Salt Lake City. Dotty told
him she was not interested in goingwith him. Jill said, quote,
Dotty had said, in the eventthat I got transferred, she was not
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interested in going with me. SoI wasn't expecting her to go with me,
and wouldn't even have wanted her to, I guess end quote. On
Wednesday, June twelfth, nineteen eightyfive, Dotty set off on a trip
to visit a friend just a fewdays before Jewel was scheduled to leave for
Salt Lake City. Jewel drove Dottyto the train station and was confident that
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Dotty had her purse an overnight bagwith her as she walked in. However,
it is unclear whether Dotty boarded thetrain or not. Juell said,
quote, I dropped her off,and she walked around the corner of the
station and disappeared end quote. Thefollowing day, Juel took the train back
home from work. He was surprisedto find Dotty's blue nineteen sixty three Volkswagen
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Beetle beside his car in the trainstation parking lot. I walked over and
looked inside, and there I noticedher purse, and that was very,
very strange, Juel said. Dotty'sdriver's license, thirty dollars, and library
card were inside the vehicle. ShelleyWilson also found it odd that Dotty left
her purse behind. He told mehow important it was to her to have
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her purse with her all the time. That's one of the things that made
me feel so terribly upset when Irealized she had not taken her purse with
her, Shelley said. Juell leftnotes on Dottie's car for the next four
days asking her to contact him.He expressed his love for her in the
notes and pleaded with Dotty to comehome. Jeel waited for five more days
before filing a missing person's report.Jewel moved to Salt Lake City two weeks
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later rebuilt a comfortable new life.Juel said, quote, it was hell
living with Dottie. It was hellhaving her disappear the way that she did.
And yet since I've gotten here andgotten settled into a new job and
that whole problem is behind me,things are really pretty good. End quote.
Jeel never contacted Dotty's family or friendsto see if they knew her whereabouts.
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Jewel proposed to a coworker just sixmonths before Dotty disappeared. He later
wrote a letter to his fiance stayingthat he had gone to great links for
them to be together. He alsowrote that he had never been in love
before he met her. Shortly afterDotty was reported missing, Jewel moved to
Utah and put his and dottie sharedhome up for rent. He ensured that
all Dotty's belongings were stored, andthat the house was thoroughly cleaned and redecorated
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before the new tenants and the policecould see it. Then, in January
of nineteen eighty eight, the ConqueredPolice Department received a strange letter from Gary,
Indiana. The police determined that DNAfrom saliva on the stamp and envelope
belonged to a mail. However,they were unable to match it to anyone.
A document examiner believes the letter's handwritingwas similar to Jewels. The letter
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accused Jule of being responsible for Dotty'sdisappearance and provided details on where he remains
could be found. The search wasconducted in the area, but Dottie was
never found. There's not enough evidenceto conclusively linked Jewel to Dotty's disappearance.
Now, it is unknown whether DottieTaylor left to escape her trouble marriage or
was the talk of a crime.According to Detective Donald Mage of the Conquered
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Police Department, if the case turnedout to be more than a simple disappearance,
Jewel and anyone close to Dottie atthat time would be considered suspects.
Dottie Dorothy Kaylor is described as aCaucasian female with brown hair and blue eyes,
standing five foot nine inches tall andweighing one hundred and forty pounds,
says a scar above her left eyeand wears plastic framed glasses. Anyone with
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any information regarding Dottie's disappearance and whereaboutsis asked to contact the Conquered California Police
Department at nine two five six sevento one five zero seven four and reference
case number eight five one two fiveseven five. Well, friends, there
you have it. What do youthink of these five mysterious unsolved disappearances?
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As always, I look forward toyour comments, but please keep it friendly
and respectful. Until we meet again. Be good to yours elves and each
other. Stay safe out there.As for me, I'll see a little
further on down the trail. I'mSteve Stockton and I'll talk to you next
time. And please tell your animalsI said. Hi, Hello friends,
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Steve Stockton here with you. Welcometo our latest episode. Today we're going
to take a look at some mysteriousunsolved Canadian disappearances. Now Canada, with
its breathtaking wilderness and captivating beauty,has also been a backdrop to inexplicable vanishings
that continue to baffle investigators, families, and communities. As we embark on
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this exploration, we will uncover storiesthat defire explanation, leaving us with more
questions than answers. Join me,let's walk and see. First up,
we have the case of Aaron Derbyshire. Aaron Derbyshire disappeared on September thirtieth,
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two thousand and six, when hewas twenty two years old. Is originally
from Coloonna, British Columbia. OnSeptember twenty nine, Aaron went to the
Level nightclub with his friends. Theclub was formerly known as Splash's Nightclub and
is located at two seventy five LyonAvenue in Cologne. At one am,
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Aaron's friends left the club to watcha fight, while he stayed inside.
He hasn't been seen since. Aaron'scousin, Nicole Hamlin, was interviewed by
Info News. According to her,she and her brother had planned to meet
up with Aaron on the night hedisappeared, but he did not reply to
their text messages. Aaron was reportedmissing when he failed to attend a planned
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rafting trip on the night end question. There was no record of any money
being withdrawn from Aaron's account. Additionally, the cameras at Level nightclub were not
functioning, meaning there was no footageof him leaving the establishment. Despite interviewing
nearly three hundred individuals, the RoyalCanadian Mounted Police have not received helpful information
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regarding Aaron's potential whereabouts. Aaron,a young man with a promising future ahead
of him, had recently graduated fromcivil engineering at o'canagan College. He was
in a loving relationship with his girlfriendand had plans to get married to her.
It was highly unusual for Aaron notto return home, and there seemed
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to be no apparent motive for anyoneto harm him. Aaron is described as
a Caucasian male, standing around fivefoot ten inches tall, weighing one hundred
and sixty pounds, with curly brownhair and blue eyes. On the day
of his disappearance, he was wearinga dark blue, possibly plaid pattern button
up shirt and dark jeans. Anyonewith any information regarding Aaron's whereabouts has asked
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to contact the Kilowna RCMP at twofive zero seven sixty two thirty three hundred,
or you can remain anonymous by callingcrime Stoppers at one eight hundred two
two two eight four seven seven.If you provide helpful information, you could
be eligible for a cash reward ofup to two thousand dollars. Next,
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we have the case of Michael Donahey. Michael Wayne Donahey was born on Well
nineteen eighty six in Victoria, BritishColumbia, Canada. On March twenty fourth,
nineteen ninety one, when Michael wasonly four years old, he disappeared
from the playground at Blanchard Park ElementarySchool in Victoria, BC and has never
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been seen since. Michael was lastseen around twelve thirty PM that day while
playing at the playground as his mother, Crystal, was participating in a women's
football practice and his father was aspectator. Shockingly, he disappeared from right
under their noses, and no witnessesto his disappearance have ever been identified.
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Michael's disappearance triggered one of the mostextensive police investigations in Canadian history. Even
now, over eleven thousand tips havebeen received by the RCMP. The case
was a significant news story for severalyears and was apported across Canada and the
United States. Despite a large numberof tips received and a reward of one
hundred thousand Canadian dollars. The policehave yeti fied and any concrete leads in
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the case. On the day thatMichael disappeared, his family went to Blanchard
Elementary School for his mother, Crystal'sflag football practice. Michael wore a blue
hooded jacket, a teenage mutant NinjaTurtle's T shirt, rugby pants, and
blue sneakers. When they arrived atthe school around twelve thirty pm, Michael
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requested his mother's permission to go tothe playground, which was located near the
field where the football practice was takingplace. Cristel had a gut feeling that
something was off, but she stilllet Michael walk alone to the playground.
She instructed him to wait there untilhis father, Bruce came to get him.
However, when Bruce arrived at theplayground, Michael was nowhere to be
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found. Concerned, around fifty peoplebegan searching for Michael, while his parents
notified the police. During that time. The investigation into Michael's disappearance became one
of the biggest in Canadian history andremained as one of the largest today.
Since Michael vanished so quickly from apublic area. The police classified his case
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as an abduction rather than a missingperson case. As a result, all
the detectives from the Victoria Police Departmentwere called in to investigate and resolve the
case. Hundreds of tips came inevery hour across British Columbia and North America
during that time. They had tobe written on carbon paper and sorted out
manually. The police believed that thecase might have been solved if they had
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video surveillance, DNA and a computersystem to sort out tips. Detectives investigated
known predators and interviewed anyone who wasin the area around the time Michael went
missing. However, they couldn't gathermuch information except for a witness report that
mentioned a man in his late fortiesor early fifties with a brown van seen
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near the playground. One month afterMichael's disappearance, the police attempted to recreate
the incident at Blanchard Elementary using abrown van, but they were unable to
generate any new leads. In twothousand and six, there were reports of
a young man resembling Michael, whohad been living in the interior of British
Columbia since nineteen ninety However, DNAtesting confirmed that the man was not Michael.
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In early two thousand and nine,police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin discovered a
missing person poster of Michael at thehome of sixty Trio of Vernon Sites,
who confessed to psychiatrist that he hadharmed a child in nineteen fifty nine when
he was twelve years old. Siteswas later found deceased by Milwaukee police,
apparently from natural causes. In twentyeleven, the police received a tip about
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a man in Chase, BC whoresembled Michael. Again, DNA testing later
confirmed he was not Michael. Intwenty thirteen, a post was made on
message board to the official Vancouver Cannuck'swebsite by a user who claimed that the
police were about to conduct a DNAtest. Officials required a blood sample from
a man in Surrey, BC,who, when they suspected might be Michael.
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However, on September ninth, afterthe completion of DNA testing, the
Victoria PD confirmed that the surreyman wasnot Michael. In twenty twenty, a
TikTok user claimed to have found theshirt that Michael was wearing when he disappeared.
The shirt was a rare teenage mutantNinja Turtle's shirt found under water.
Michael's family reached out to the TikTokerafter seeing the shirt, only to realize
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that it was not the same shirtthat Michael was wearing when he disappeared.
Many Victoria residents recalled the day ofMichael's disappearance as a loss of innocence for
the city. Fier's and concerns aboutchild abduction quickly began to rise among parents,
children and schools in the months afterthe disappearance. Michael's mother, Crystal,
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became an advocate for missing children inBritish Columbia and has served as the
president of Child Fine BC. Intwo thousand and two, Crystal outwardly supported
the RCMPS called to introduce an amberalert system in the province. She believed
that her son would have been foundif such a program had existed in nineteen
ninety one. Since then, thesystem has been implemented in most regions of
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Canada. The Esquimault community hosts anannual charity event called the Michael Donahey Keep
the Hope Alive Fund Run. Theevent is organized by Michael's sister, Caitlin,
to raise funds for Child Fine Intwenty twenty one, Victoria Police released
an h progressed sketch of Michael andan online tip portal. Since nineteen ninety
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one, over ten thousand tips havebeen received, according to Police Constable Cam
McIntyre. In twenty twenty three,Michael's family took to Facebook to say there'd
been some posts by someone claiming tobe Michael, adding some people may have
even been contacted directly of the supposedonline impostor we can confirm he is not,
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the family wrote, We are workingclosely with the police to ensure he
gets the helping. Please do notengage in conversations with him, and most
importantly, please do not send himmoney as he was requesting. Thank you
for your compassion. We're all involved. As of twenty twenty four, Michael's
case remains open, with both thepolice and Michael's family remaining hopeful for an
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ultimate resolution. Anyone with any informationregarding Michael's disappearance or whereabouts as asked to
please contact the Victoria, BC PoliceDepartment at two five zero nine ninety five
seven sixty five four and reference casenumber nine one dash on three or nine.
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Next. We have the case ofEmma Philipoff. Emma Philippoff was born
on January sixth, nineteen eighty six. She went missing on November eighth,
twenty twelve, when she was twentysix years old. She was last seen
in front of the Empress Hotel inVictoria, British Columbia. In the fall
of twenty eive, Emma came toVictoria from Perth, Ontario. She briefly
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worked at the Redfish Bluefish seafood restaurantin Victoria's Inner Harbor. However, the
job was seasonal, which led Emmato quit on October thirty one, twenty
twelve. She promised her colleagues thatshe would return in the spring. Emma,
who police believe was preparing to moveback to Ontario, hired a tow
truck on November twenty one to towher nineteen ninety three Mazda MPV to the
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Chateau Victoria parking garage. Emma's familywas unaware that she'd been staying on and
off at the Sandy Merriman House women'sshelter since February. On November twenty three,
security footage captured Emma at the VictoriaYMCA. She entered left and entered
again multiple times, possibly to avoidsomeone outside. Before she went missing,
(33:51):
Emma had called her mother in Ontariomultiple times, asking if she could come
back home. Her tone would dramaticallyshift during each conversation. During their last
call, Emma's mother discovered that Emmahad been staying at the Sandy Merriman House
and she promptly arranged to fly outto see her. Emma's last words to
her mother were quote, I don'tknow how I can face you end quote.
(34:15):
Her mother arrived at the Sandy MerrimanHouse around eleven p m on the
twenty eighth. On November twenty eighth, Imo was seen in a video captured
by a seven eleven store on GovernmentStreet. She was purchasing a prepaid cell
phone and appeared hesitant while leaving thestore, as if she was checking the
street outside. Later, Emma returnedto the seven eleven and bought a prepaid
(34:37):
credit card worth two hundred dollars.According to reports, She left the Sandy
Merriman House around six p m onthat same day. After that, Emma
held the taxi and asked to betaken to the Victoria International Airport. However,
she could not pay the fare andhad to exit the cab, although
she had the two hundred dollars prepaidcard. Emma was spotted walking barefoot in
(35:01):
front of the Infras Hotel. Aperson named Dennis Quay called nine one one
to report that the woman was insevere distress outside the hotel. When the
Victoria Police arrived, they spoke toEmma for forty five minutes and took her
name. They released her after determiningshe was not a threat to herself or
anyone else. However, no onereported seeing her after eight pm that night
(35:25):
until her report surfaced in June twentyeighteen. Later that evening, the police
met Emma's mother at Sandy Merriman Houseand by midnight, Emma was classified as
a missing person. On September twentyeight, twenty twelve, Emma was last
seen near the Infras Hotel in Victoriabetween seven to fifteen pm and eight pm.
(35:46):
Victoria police had interviewed her before shedisappeared. Her read nineteen ninety three
Mazda MPV, which contained almost allher belongings, such as her passport,
library card, digital camera, cloth, a pillow, assorted ornaments, a
laptop and recently barred library books,was found in the Chateau Victoria parking lot.
(36:07):
Is believed that she had been usingthe van as storage. She had
spoken to Chateau Victoria staff at sevena m. On the morning of her
disappearance. At first, the policeannounced that Emma was quote last seen with
friends several blocks away on Verdett Avenuebetween Blanchard and Quadra Streets end quote.
(36:28):
The investigators followed over two hundred leadsbut found very little information. Although most
evidence indicated that Emma was planning toreturn to her home in Ottawa, there
was no concrete proof that she everleft Victoria. Additionally, the cell phone
she bought was never activated. Accordingto reports, a credit card belonging to
(36:49):
Emma was discovered near the Juan deFuca Community Center, which is located north
of where she went missing. Thecard was found by a stranger who used
it to buy cigarettes. Least tracethe purchase made by the stranger. In
twenty thirteen, Emma's disappearance was featuredon an episode of the television program The
Fifth Estate. Emma wrote poems abouther time in Victoria. None of them
(37:13):
indicated that she was being stalked,even though some of them did suggest that
she was depressed. Experts who appearedon the fifth estate said the writing did
not have the hallmarks of self harm. According to Emma's mother. However,
the Sandy Merriman staff claimed that Emmaquote required both physical and medical intervention end
quote. The Campbell River Courrier Islandernewspaper reported in May twenty fourteen the Gastown,
(37:37):
Vancouver business owners Joel and Laurie Sellenwitnessed a man in a green shirt
throwing out a twenty five thousand dollarsmissing person's reward poster for Emma in their
store. The parent reported that theman said, quote, it's one of
those missing person posters, except she'snot missing. She's my girlfriend and she
ran away because she hates her parents. End quote. The owners immediately called
(38:00):
the police. In twenty seventeen,Emma's case was also profiled on the podcast
The Vanished. In June twenty eighteen, a man reported that he had picked
up a young woman matching Emma's descriptionin nearby Esquimau on the morning followed her
disappearance. The woman seemed distressed andher behavior matched that of Emma. As
(38:21):
a result of this report, asearch of the View Royal area of Victoria
was organized in December twenty eighteen.Despite the search, no additional clues were
found. However, another search wasplanned for twenty nineteen in hopes of finding
new leads. In twenty twenty,Emma's disappearance was featured on the Nighttime podcast.
This series includes interviews with her mother, Shelley, and many of her
(38:44):
closest friends. On November twenty ninth, twenty twenty one, which was the
ninth anniversary of her disappearance, thepolice released some additional images of Emma and
also some pictures of the art shecreated in hope of generating new leads.
In November twenty twenty two, thepolice shared an aged progression photo of Emma,
again aiming to create fresh leads.In November twenty twenty three, a
(39:07):
new initiative to find the Green Shirtman was launched, including a police sketch
of the man. In twenty fourteen, he was caught on security camera at
a Gastown, Vancouver store. Earlier, he told another store owner that the
woman in the fine Ma poster who'sholding was not missing and that she was
his girlfriend. The store owner immediatelycalled the police. Victoria Police now wished
(39:30):
to contact the man. As oftwenty twenty four, Emma remains missing.
Emma's described as a Caucasian female,standing five foot five inches tall and weighing
about one hundred pounds. She hasmedium to light brown hair and brown eyes.
When last seen, she was wearingcamo pants, a knitted hat,
and carrying an orange purse. Anyonewith any information regarding Emma's disappearance or whereabouts
(39:55):
is asked to contact the Victoria PoliceDepartment non emergency line at two five zero
nine nine five seven six five fouror your local police department. Information can
also be submitted anonymously as a CrimeStoppers tip. Next, we have the
case of Nicole Morin. Nicoll LouiseMoran was an eight year old girl born
(40:19):
on April oneh nineteen seventy seven.She was the only child of Arthur and
Jeanette Moron, who had been marriedfor twelve years before her birth. In
July nineteen eighty five, Nicole livedwith her mother in a penthouse apartment on
the twentieth floor in the Ectobicoke boroughof Toronto, while her father lived in
Massagua. Nicholl was enjoying her summervacation from Wellsworth Junior school, where she
(40:42):
was in the third grade. Nichollwas a cheerful child who enjoyed spending time
with her friends. On July thirty, nineteen eighty five, at approximately ten
thirty a m. Nicoll went tothe lobby to collect the mail. She
then returned to her apartment to preparefor a planned swim date with a friend.
The pool was located at the backof their building complex. Before leaving
(41:04):
her apartment, she spoke to herfriend via the intercom and said she would
meet her in the lobby shortly.Nicole left her apartment around eleven am,
wearing a peach colored one piece bathingsuit, a green hair band, and
red canvas shoes. She carried aplastic bag containing a white T shirt,
green and white shorts, sun tentlotion, a hair brush, a peach
colored blanket, and a purple beachtowel. After fifteen minutes, Nicholl's friend
(41:29):
buzzed her apartment to asked why shehad not met her yet. Nicholl's mother,
Jeannette, who was busy taking careof small children near daycare group,
assumed that Nicole had gone to thepool alone and was playing with other children
at the back of the complex.She did not call the police to report
Nicole missing until around three pm.The police investigation initially involved active searches and
(41:51):
canvassing all the apartments in the complex. On the first day, the police
set up roadblocks around the building andused vehicles with public address system to alert
the neighborhood residents about the missing child'sdescription. The police knocked on every door
in Nicholl's four hundred and twenty nineunit complex and entered apartments even if no
one answered the knock. After awoman who lived in the building identified Nicole
(42:14):
from a photograph, the police determinedthat Nicole had traveled down the elevator and
entered the lobby. However, noother evidence was found regarding Nichole's whereabouts from
there. The following day, moreofficers from the Toronto Police Service were deployed
to assist in the search. Apolice drive net, including mounted equestrians,
marine units, helicopters and foot patrolsstarted scouring the area near the apartment building
(42:37):
and Highway twenty seven. Tracking dogswere also brought in to explore the buildings,
underground garages, utility rooms, storageunits, and some pump rooms.
A neighbor remembered seeing an unidentified blondwoman with a notebook on the floor of
Nicole's apartment building about forty five minutesbefore her disappearance. The police tried to
(42:58):
find her as a potential witness,for they could not identify her, and
no one came forward claiming to beher. Over nine hundred residents from the
neighborhood participated in the search for Nicole. The newly established Toronto Crimestoppers took on
the case as their first significance.They offered a one thousand dollars reward,
created posters, and produced a videoreenactment of Nicole's last known movements, which
(43:20):
aired on television A few weeks later. The Toronto Star published six thousand copies
of a poster that displayed Nicole's pictureand the phone number of the Metro Toronto
Police. Additionally, the Toronto Policecreated three thousand copies of a watercolor sketch
of Nicole, which were distributed topolice departments, post offices, and local
stores. Staff Sergeant Madeline Treader saidthe search for the coal was quote the
(43:45):
largest for a missing person in Torontopolice history end quote. The police formed
a twenty member task force that workedtirelessly for nine months, investing twenty five
thousand hours in pursuing leads. ByNovember, that questioned around six thousand individuals.
The first year of the investigation costan estimated one point eight million dollars.
(44:07):
Additionally, the police offered a onehundred thousand dollars reward for Nicole's safe
return, which remains valid today.Police cleared all family members and acquaintances.
An unexplained note was found in theapartment, which Nicole had written in pencil
a few months earlier, stating quote, I'm going to disappear end quote.
(44:27):
Police were unsure of the significance ofwhat Nicole had written, as kids that
age often write all sorts of things, authority, said. Art Moran,
Nicole's father, defied the police adviceand raised funds to hire a private investigator
to search for his missing daughter inboth Canada and the United States. Even
left his job to set up anoffice to aid in the search. After
(44:50):
Nicole's disappearance, Art moved back inwith Jeanette, but they eventually separated in
nineteen eighty seven. Jeanette also triedto locate her daughter by consulting a sig
in Calgary. In two thousand andone, Toronto Crimestoppers circulated an agent Hand's
picture in the coal via the Internetto more than one thousand crime Stoppers programs
in seventeen countries. The picture depictedher as a woman in her mid twenties.
(45:15):
Childfind Ontario has also worked to keeppublic awareness of the case alive by
displaying Nicole's picture, physical description,and Agent Hans photographs on electronic screens and
s gas stations, billing envelopes fromRogers Cable and the Canadian Imperial Bank of
Commerce, Toronto Transit Commission, displayscreens, and on the back of transport
(45:36):
trucks. In two thousand and four, researchers for a Belgian organization announced that
they attentively matched photographs of Nicole seenon a Canadian police website with pictures on
a Dutch website that advocates for missingand exploited children. Using biometrical analysis,
the researchers claimed a strong resemblance betweenNicole and a child in Zandfort. Several
(45:58):
video re enactments of Nicol those lastmovements have been produced, including a reenactment
for gta's Most Wanted in two thousandand seven. On the twenty ninth anniversary
of her disappearance. In twenty fourteen, the Toronto Police Video Unit made another
reenactment, which was also screened atMax Convenience stores throughout Ontario. In twenty
fifteen, the Toronto Police organized afive k run called Nicole's Run in honor
(46:23):
of the thirtieth anniversary of her disappearance. The event included a candlelight vigil at
Centennial Park in a Tobacoke. Thepurpose of the run was to raise awareness
of the case and collect donations forthe Canadian Center for Child Protection, which
operates a missing Child website. Therun was successful in raising three thousand dollars
in donations for the cause. Intwenty nineteen, the Toronto Police's Missing Persons
(46:47):
Unit released an Agent Hans picture ofNicole on the thirty fourth anniversary of her
disappearance, showing what she may havelooked like in her early forties. In
twenty twenty, a woman came forwardand claimed that she had spotted Nicole at
a nearby park on the day herdisappearance. The witness was only twelve years
old at the time and was askedwhy she had waited so long to come
forward. She explained that the manshe saw when the coal had also harmed
(47:12):
her before, so she was afraidto report the lead. The police showed
interest in this lead and investigated thepark with cadaver dogs. They excavated an
area where the dogs detected a hint, but their persistent efforts have yet to
lead them closer to uncovering what happenedto Nicole. Art Moran, speaking to
the Toronto Star in twenty ten,said quote, when the Coole disappeared,
(47:34):
honestly believed we would be able tofind her. I cannot help but keep
my hope that she will service againone day. Nicole's mother, Jeanette,
passed away in two thousand and seven. Despite years of investigations and thousands of
leads, no physical evidence has beenuncovered to solve the disappearance. At the
time her disappearance, Nicoll was fourfeet tall and weighed fifty one pounds.
(47:57):
She has brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with any information regarding to Cole's
disappearance or current whereabouts is asked tocontact the Toronto Police at four one six
eight zero eight twenty two hundred,or you can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at
one eight hundred two two two,eight, four, seven, seven,
and finally, the case of LisaMarie Young. Twenty one year old Lisa
(48:23):
Marie Young was born on May fiveth, nineteen eighty one, in Nanaimo,
British Columbia, Canada. She wasthe eldest child and only daughter of Don
Young and Marlene Joanne Martin. Shehad two younger brothers, Brian and Robin.
Lisa had a close relationship with herfamily. Her mother described her as
(48:43):
a hard working and independent woman witha strong personality and inner strength that was
truly remarkable. Dallas Hully, anacquaintance of Lisa and the last person to
hear from her, described her asoutgoing, confident, and bubbly. He
further said that her ara made herstand out at a gathering or a party.
Lisa was a fitness enthusiast and avegetarian who enjoyed rollerblading at the waterfront.
(49:06):
Lisa and her roommate used to livein an apartment building on Baron's Road,
next to her parents. However,at the time of Lisa's disappearance,
her father was helping her move intoa new apartment in northern Nanaimo, which
she was very excited about. Lisawas getting ready to start a job at
a call center within two days ofher disappearance. She had plans to pursue
higher education become a television sports broadcaster. On June twenty nine, two thousand
(49:31):
and two, Lisa left her parentshouse at eleven pm to go to a
night club with several friends. Herparents found it strange since Lisa had a
busy schedule for the week. Lisaand Hully were invited to a house party
by a man who offered them aride in his red, older model Jaguar.
They accepted the offer and went tothe party. Later, they went
(49:52):
to a second house party in theCather's Lake area of Nanaimo. When Lisa
became hungry, the driver offered totake her to get some food. At
around four thirty am, Lisa calledHoly's cell phone. In the interview,
Holly said, quote it was Lisaon her cell phone. She said,
Dallas, I don't know what's goingon. This guy won't bring me back.
(50:13):
We're sitting in a driveway on BowenRoad and he won't bring me back.
She added, I'm bored. I'mgetting mad. End quote. The
final signal from Lisa's cell phone wastraice to the Departure Bay area of Nanaimo.
On July one, two thousand andtwo, Lisa's parents failed to hear
from her. At first, theythought it was possible Lisa was too busy
(50:36):
to answer her cell phone, butgrew concerned when Lisa's former roommate visited to
ask about her whereabouts. After callingevery phone number in her phone book,
Lisa's parents contacted the RCMP detachment inNanaimo. Lisa's parents were initially told to
call when she'd been missing for overforty eight hours. However, an RCMP
officer came over to the young's householdlater that evening to ask questions and get
(51:00):
a photograph of Lisa. Lisa's motherdid not initially tell the police that Lisa
was Indigenous because she was afraid thatthe report would not be taken seriously due
to stereotypes. A few days later, the RCMP told Lisa's parents that their
Serious Crime unit was investigating her disappearance. Police concluded that foul play was likely
involved, and several searches were conductedin remote areas in and near Nanaimo,
(51:24):
revealing nothing. On July three,two thousand and two, Lisa's family contacted
the local media. The following day, the story was on the front page
of the Nanaimo Daily News. Thestory was in the news in Victoria the
next day and province wide by thefollowing week. Lisa's father's employer printed thousands
(51:45):
of missing person posters, which thecompany's delivery drivers distributed to businesses across Vancouver
Island. Within days, posters werevisible at most island stores and businesses.
Lisa's extended family and First Nation's membersput up a reward of eleven five hundred
dollars for information about the case.In late July two thousand and two,
(52:07):
police questioned the driver of the jaguar. The RCMP took Lisa's mother to a
short meeting with the driver. Shelater stated that she asked the man to
tell her where her daughter was,and he replied, quote I can't.
I'm sorry. I don't mean todisrespect your family end quote. The man
was eventually released and no charges werebrought forth. Police later stated quote the
(52:32):
driver, like many others involved inthis file, is simply a person of
interest end quote. The jaguar waseventually located, seized by the RCMP for
inspection, and later released. Itwas determined that the car was owned by
the driver's grandmother, who subsequently soldthe vehicle and threatened to sue overtalk that
(52:52):
could implicate her grandson in the disappearancebetween July and December two thousand and two.
Dissatisfied with police efforts on the case, Lisa's grandfather organized the tribal Search
and Rescue into several massive search effortsand multiple locations in Nanaimo and other communities.
Search teams comprised up to thirty volunteersand divers who searched a reservoir at
(53:15):
Colliery Dam Park. Searches occurred betweenJuly and December two thousand and two,
and in the spring and summer oftwo thousand and three. The family contacted
Lisa's bank and cell phone provider anddetermined that the account had funds but no
activity. The final signal from Lisa'sphone was sent from the Departure Bay area
(53:36):
of Nanaimo. After Lisa went missing, her extended family received calls from unknown
numbers. Within two weeks. Thecallers claimed to have found Lisa's remains in
Landsville, a nearby town. TheRCMP later confirmed that similar rumors had appeared
on various online chat sites. Aweek later, new rumors service that Lisa's
(53:58):
remains had been found in Ladies Smith, another nearby town. In August two
thousand and three, the RCMP issueda statement refuting these claims as faults.
They explained that these rumors were causingmuch distress for Lisa's family. In two
thousand and three, a one yearvigil was held for Lisa. After that,
(54:19):
Lisa's mother was contacted by psychic ChristineBrandt. Brandt provided some new information
that led Lisa's family to ask TerryTom and Andrew Jackson to search the reservoirs
at Colliery Dam Park. The parkis located between Nanaimo Lakes Road and Harewood
Mines Road. A private dive teamconducted a subaqueous search at the park on
(54:39):
July twenty five, two thousand andthree. The owner and staff of Jungle
Cabaret generously donated a considerable amount ofcash to the search fund. Additionally,
they offered to provide the use ofa billboard near Petroglyph Park to support the
cause. In two thousand and three, another billboard was installed on the side
(55:00):
of the Foundry Pub. An announcementcame in May two thousand and nine that
a crime Stoppers reenactment video would beproduced jointly by Crime Stoppers and Shaw TV.
Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Constable Gary O'Brien said, quote, we're hoping somebody may
remember something. We're hoping it generatesdiscussion end quote. For several months,
(55:22):
beginning in December twenty nineteen, billboardadvertising space was rended alongside the Island Highway
near Nanous Bay with prominent signage statingLisa Marie Young missing brown eyes by four
tattoo flower band on right arm calledNanaimo RCMP. Funding for the rental and
(55:43):
signage was raised through private sales ofbeaded red dress pins and earrings, handmade
by volunteers of the Little Red DressProject. In December twenty twenty, the
RCMP in Nanaimo conducted searches. Thesearch has occurred at two locations in Nanaimo
and part of the Morel Nature Sanctuary. One of the locations searched was a
(56:04):
residential property adjacent to Morrel Sanctuary inless than two hundred meters away from Colliery
Dams Upper Reservoir. In June twentytwenty one, the Nanaimo RCMP hosted a
press conference on the front steps toquote provide an update on the status of
the Lisa Marie Young missing person investigationend quote. Our CMP corporate Marcus Muntner
(56:28):
reported that based on new and historicalinformation, numerous searches for release that took
place, utilizing ground penetrating radar anda police dog, and he said additional
searches at undisclosed locations were planned.In February twenty twenty two, an anonymous
American donor offered a US fifty thousanddollars reward for information. Our CMP Constable
(56:51):
Hailey Pinfold said, investigators quote hopethis might be enough to encourage some people
to bring those final pieces forward endquote. Have stated that they believe that
finding Lisa's remains would be the breakthey need and call the reward offer significantly
important. Despite receiving fifteen thousand documentsand hundreds of witnesses in Lisa's file,
(57:12):
police have made no rests in connectionto her disappearance. Lisa is described as
an Indigenous female five foot four inchestall, one hundred and fifteen pounds,
with brown hair and brown eyes.She was last seen wearing a black shirt
skirt, boots and a silver hoopednecklace. Anyone with any information regarding Lisa's
(57:32):
disappearance or whereabouts is asked to contactthe Coquitlam RCMP at six zero four nine
four five one five five zero.Well, friends, there you have it.
What do you think of these mysteriousunsolved Canadian disappearances? As always,
I look forward to your comments,but please keep it friendly and respectful until
(57:57):
we meet again. Be good toyourselves and each other. Stay safe out
there. As for me, I'llsee you a little further on down the
trail. I'm Steve Stockton and I'lltalk to you next time. And please
tell your animals I said, Hi, Hello friends, Steve Stockton here with
(59:07):
you. Welcome to our latest episode. Now. Hiking and climbing in the
mountains is a fantastic way to enjoythe benefits of nature. The albums can
help us stay fit and or atleast tension. Sometimes our daily routine can
be exhausting and discouragees from going outdoorsAdultimately, advantages of exploring new paths are
(59:29):
too valuable to ignore. Hiking andclimbing can be therapeutic and affordable activities.
However, hiking and climbing in themountains can quickly become perilous for several reasons.
Overconfidence, unforgiving terrain, catastrophic falls, unpredictable inclement weather, altitude,
sickness, exhaustion or dehydration, andeven using the wrong gear can lead to
(59:53):
disastrous consequences. In this video,we'll discuss more cases of individuals who went
missing in the mountains while hiking orclimbing. Some of these individuals have been
found and some sadly remained missing.Join me, let's walk and see.
(01:00:14):
First we have Rich Moore Blackhead Peak, Colorado. On August nineteenth, twenty
twenty three, seventy three year oldRich Moore, Pegosa Springs, Colorado,
left with a planned a summit BlackheadPeak, a twelve five hundred foot peak
in the San Juan Mountains of southwesternColorado, with Finnie, his white Jack
(01:00:34):
Russell terrier. Outside Magazine said Rich'swife, Dana Holby, was in Montana
visiting her sister. Rich had previouslyhiked Blackhead Peak with his friend Bill Milner
in twenty twenty one and talked frequentlyabout going back, according to Outside magazine.
Outside also reported that Blackhead Peak isthe highest viewpoint on the eastern horizon
(01:00:55):
from Pagosa Springs. From the startingpoint, the hike to Blackhead Peak gains
two thousand, one hundred and fiftyfeet in elevation. Rich told Dane over
the phone that he planned to hiketo peak with Finney, and Dana asked
him not to go alone, saidOutside Magazine. Whin Urch failed to check
in that evening, Dana texted BillMilner and her son Caesar. A passer
(01:01:20):
by reported that Rich's car was parkedat the Trailhead parking lot. Caesar and
a neighbor drove to the trailhead thatevening, and Bill Milner met them there
with supplies. They started hiking atmidnight, and I don't think they got
off the trail till three a m. Bill Milner told Outside Magazine. Meanwhile,
Dana drove through the night to getback home. The following day,
(01:01:43):
the Archiletta County Sheriff's Office began atsearch for Rich. In the ensuing sixteen
days, a hundred and seventy sixpeople, including climbers, helicopters, and
drones, searched the peak, anddog teams scoured the trails looking for any
signs of the duo. Ryan Foster, the Emergency Management commander of the Archiletta
County Sheriff's Office, told Outside Magazinethat the mission was one of the largest
(01:02:07):
in county history. You got toget through some steep terrain to get to
the summit, which made the searchingpretty difficult. Foster said a lot of
teams had to be inserted with helicopters. Search teams and personnel searched nearly two
thousand hours for Rich and Finney,the Archiletta County Sheriff's Office said. Outside
Magazine said the incident created a lotof interest in Pagosa Springs. Volunteers posted
(01:02:31):
pictures of rich and Finney around town, and hikers continued climbing Blackhead Peak helping
to find them. According to OutsideMagazine, on the afternoon of October thirty,
twenty twenty three, Officer Robert Hillwas in the Sheriff's office when a
message came through from a garment inReach. The messages from a hunter on
(01:02:52):
horseback who said he had found humanremains and a dog on a wooded ridge
on Blackhead Peak. He said thedog was alive and he was trying to
catch it but couldn't. We wereshocked, Hill told Outside magazine. Outside
also said that Archiletta County Sheriff's officearranged for helicopter transport to the area,
but the sun was already setting.They flew over the ridge where the message
(01:03:15):
had come from and saw nothing,but found a suitable landing spot. The
next day, Foster and another crewmember were airlifted onto the ridge line at
about seven five hundred feet, accordingto Outside Magazine. After some searching,
they noticed Rich's remains and beside Richwas Finny, still alive. She looked
(01:03:36):
skinny, but she was moving well. Foster told Outside she was very protective
of Rich. CBS News said Finneywas reunited with her family after examination and
treatment at a local animal hospital.The Lynde of Vane Brighton with TALS Search
and Rescue said Penny's magnificent story ofsurvival is a testament to her dedication and
loyalty to Moore. Jack Russell's arepretty fierce, to say their tough little
(01:04:00):
dogs. Sadly, Rich Moore succumbedto hypothermia exposure. According to the Archiletta
County Corner Bradley Hunt, he waslost stranded on a steep ridge on the
eastern side of the peak, farfrom the trail. He smashed his glasses
and probably could not see where hewas going. His body was about five
hundred yards from the farthest boundary ofthe search had said. His wife,
(01:04:26):
Dana Hoby told Outside magazine it waskind of a closure, I suppose,
but I don't think there's ever closureon someone you love. Next Svetlana used
Tomnco Colorado Mountains in the summer oftwenty twenty three. Fifty five year olds
Svetlana, used to Minko of BrowdCounty, Florida, had recently been diagnosed
(01:04:47):
with the terminal illness. According tothe Grand County Sheriff's Office. As a
means to cope Spentlana rented a vehicleset off for the mountains in Grand County,
Colorado, and ultimately vanished. Herfamily later reported her missing to officials
in Broward County, according to theSheriff's office, during the week of July
thirty, the Grand County Sheriff's Officenoticed a rental car parked of the trailhead
(01:05:12):
with the Dead Horse Creek Trail,located off County Road seventy three southwest of
Fraser. Upon investigation, deputies anda US four Service law enforcement officer discovered
a white twenty twenty two Nissan CenTrawith Louisiana license plates that appeared to have
been parked there for an extended periodwithout use. According to the Sheriff's office,
(01:05:32):
the car was scheduled to be returnedto the rental car company on August
ten. According to officials, officersstarted searching the area around the location of
the rental car on the evening ofAugust eleven. The search continued on August
twelve and thirteen. On Friday,August eighteen, Grand County Search and Rescue
conducted a three hour small reconnaissance search. Then on Sunday, August twenty,
(01:05:57):
the Grand County Sheriff's Office said anextensive search was carried out with the help
of Grand County Search and Rescue,Front Range Rescue Dogs, Search and Rescue
Dogs of the US or Sardis,and Colorado Search and Rescue, involving over
twenty five individuals and six human remainsdetection dogs. Unfortunately, no clues or
signs of sweat Laanna were found.Grand County Search and Rescue believes spet Lada
(01:06:23):
was not in the primary search area. The Grand County Sheriff's Office said that
despite the use of ground rescuers bothon and off trail and rugged terrain with
steep slopes, dead falls, andthick brush, the use of multiple dog
teams, Sheriff's office investigators covering trainon horseback and drones on various days throughout
the last week, they were unsuccessfulin locating spit Launa. Grand County Search
(01:06:45):
and Rescue estimated that more than sevenhundred hours between volunteers and other law enforcement
staff were devoted to the search efforts. Until additional clues or information services,
the search was suspended by the sheriff'sGrand County Search and Rescue said they may
conduct small scale operations in areas theymay determined to be of higher probability.
(01:07:09):
The Sheriff's office added, sadly,the family has shared that Spaintlana had been
diagnosed to eterninal illness, was strugglingas she tried to cope, and was
attracted to the Colorado Mountains. TheGrand County Sheriff's Office said the trailhead Ortlana's
rental car was found is commonly usedby hikers, mountain bikers, and other
recreational enthusiasts. Although the official searchwas called off, authorities are still investigating
(01:07:33):
and Spentlana remains missing. Anyone withany information regarding Spatlana's disappearance dis asked to
contact the Grand County Sheriff's Office dispatchat nine seven zero seven two five three
three one three next. Eli Micheland nafiin a Wall the Nauli National Park
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and Preserve, Alaska. On FridayMay five, twenty twenty three, thirty
four year old Eli Michel of ColumbiaCity, Indiana and thirty two year old
napion A Wall of Seattle, Washingtonstarted climbing the Moss Tooth Peak at the
Nalli National Park and Reserve. Accordingto the National Park Service, Eli and
(01:08:15):
nappians last communication was at five am. On May five. They checked
in with a friend using an endof each satellite communication device. During the
conversation, they mentioned their plan toclimb the west Ridge route of the Moss
Tooth, a mountain nearly two milestall. The National Park Service describes the
Moosa's Tooth route as a steep andtechnical one leading to the peak. On
(01:08:39):
Sunday, May seventh, twenty twentythree, Eli and Napian's friend reported that
they had not returned as predicted andhad not checked in via in reach.
The National Park Service immediately executed asearch. Search members found Eli and Napian's
tent unattended and subsequently discovered boot tracksleading to a recent small slab avalanche.
(01:09:00):
Temperatures when the pair went missing werebetween five and twenty degrees fahrenheit at night.
The National Park Service said several piecesof the climber's equipment were also sighted
along the thirty two hundred foot fallline, including two ice axes and a
climbing helmet. Eli and Nafion wereonly supplied for a single day in the
wilderness. Their friends sent to menplanned to climb the route in a single
(01:09:24):
long push. The Nauli National Parkand Preserved spokesperson Marine Guiltieri said, as
is typical to minimize way to movefast, they did not take over night
gear, nor likely more than aday's supply of food, water, and
fuel. Mountaineering rangers found evidence thatthe climbers were swept off their feet by
a small slab avalanche Friday evening whilehigh on the West Ridge route. The
(01:09:46):
National Park Service said rangers followed boottracks continuing up the west Ridge, the
tracks do disappear at the Avalanche.Park spokesperson Guiltieri said. By Thursday May
eleven, twenty twenty three, searchleaders determined that survival is outside the window
of possibility for the missing men.According to the National Park Service, the
(01:10:09):
search was ultimately scaled back, andsubsequent intermittent narrow searches of the area have
yet to be successful in finding them. Park spokesperson Marine Gultieri said in an
email to the Tribune, it isthe park's policy and intent to find and
recover the remains as long as theirrecovery does not put the life of the
rescuers in a potentially life threatening situation. At the time of this recording,
(01:10:33):
Eli and Napion remain missing. Next, we have Kwang Trong Than Split Mountain,
California. Quan Trong Than, asixty six year old resident of Newport
Beach, California, along with twoothers, embarked on a climb to the
north slope of Split Mountain on theSierra Nevada Crest from the Red Lake trailhead
(01:10:56):
on Sunday, August twenty one,twenty twenty two. The initial plan was
to summit Split Mountain and returned byInyo National Forest on the same day.
However, according to the Inyo CountySheriff's Department, Klang separated from his group
and assided to return to the trailheadinstead of summiting the mountain. The National
Park Service reported that he was notcarrying any overnight gear. Also, according
(01:11:18):
to the National Park Service, Klangwas last seen on Sunday, August twenty
one, twenty twenty two, betweenthree and four pm, near the peak
of Split Mountain, close to theboundary of King's Canyon National Park and Inyo
National Forest, at an altitude ofthirteen thy two hundred feet. One party
member had waited sixty to ninety minutesfor Klang and the other members to return.
(01:11:41):
Wong had indicated that he would eitherfall behind, wait for them there,
or head down, but the InyoCounty Sheriff's Office said no specific plan
was made. The other two membersreturned to the vehicle around three thirty pm.
Kwang had left his helmet and jacketat Red Lake and had yet to
return to pick him up. Hiscompanion did not see him on their descent
(01:12:02):
on Monday, August twenty second,The Inyo County Sheriff's Department reported that Inyo
Search and Rescue received a call fora missing hiker at Red Lake slash Split
Mountain. The California Highway Patrol searchedfor Quog using high powered optics. According
to the statement from the Inhal CountySheriff's Office, two Search and Rescue members
visited the Red Lake trail and interviewedthe two hikers who were with Kuag.
(01:12:26):
On Tuesday, August twenty three,Sequoia King's National Park helicopters scanned the area
with high powered optics but found nothing. The Inyo County Sheriff's Office reported that
on Wednesday, August twenty four,four Inyo Search and Rescue members were inserted
via the California Highway Patrol. Twowent to the point where Kwan was last
seen and two went to Red Lake. The two inserted where Kwan was last
(01:12:49):
seen, scoured the summit, theRed Lake drainage, the Tin of Maha
drainage, and the lake under myeither Pass. They searched the descent gully
and spoke with a party of threewho had gotten funneled towards the Ram gully.
As the other members of Quang's partydid on their descent. Both parties
were able to turn around and findthe correct descent. The Inyo County Sheriff's
(01:13:11):
Office said that the California Highway Patrolspent the entire day thoroughly surveying the area,
but there was no evidence of Kuong. The Inyo County Sheriff's Office said
that the two search and rescue membersat Red Lake also scared the area with
no trace of Kung. They spokewith one hiker coming down and mentioned getting
funneled towards the Ram Gully. Thehigh elevation of where Kwang was last seen
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and the scorching weather made it challengingfor helicopter operations and ground searchers. Despite
extensive efforts spanning over ten days,Quong's whereabouts remained unknown and the search was
placed in limited continuous mode. Kuwang'sitinerary was highly challenging and few other hikers
were in the area when he wentand missing. The National Park Service said
that simultaneous searches were led by Sequoiaand King's Canyon National Parks and the Inyo
(01:13:57):
County Sheriff's Department, with the assistantsof Inyo National for Wurst. Inyo County
Search and Rescue, California National GuardSeer Madre Search and Rescue, the Air
Force Rescue Coordination Center, Tilarey Countyand Los Angeles County Sheriff's Departments, Yosemite,
Death Valley and Pinnacles National Parks,the Civil Air Patrol, California Governor's
Office of Emergency Management, and CaliforniaHighway Patrol Inland Division Air Ops. Any
(01:14:23):
One hiking in the area at thetime of Quong's disappearance with relevant information is
asked to police contact the Inyo CountySheriff's Dispatch at seven six zero eight seven
eight zero three eight three Option fournext. Barbara Goldberg Blueberry Mountain, Maine.
On Friday, August sixth, twentytwenty one, seventy eight year old
(01:14:44):
Barbara Goldberg from Potomac, Maryland,went solo hiking on Blueberry Mountain in Stowe,
Maine. According to Mark Laddie,the spokes for the main Department of
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Barbara's partner, Stephen Plotkin, dropped her off at
the mountain around nine am and lastcommunicat with her around eleven am via a
walkie talkie. According to the PortlandPress Herald, Stephen reported her missing after
(01:15:06):
she failed to return to the areawhere they planned to meet. According to
the Portland Press Herald, Stephen informedthe police that Barbara said she was almost
at the summit and told them shewould return to the stone House Road parking
lot by noon. However, Barbaradid not return to the agreed meeting place
by two thirty pm. At thatpoint, Stephen contacted the police and they
(01:15:26):
began searching for her. Around threepm that day, The Portland Press Herald
said main officials from various locations ofvolunteer crews from main search and rescue dogs
come nearby trails and roads by landand air. During the search, one
of the main search and rescue dogsfound her walkie talkie near a ledge on
Blueberry Mountain. The wardens used Barbara'siPad to track her cell phone, and
(01:15:47):
the Portland Press Herald said that avolunteer calling her phone during the search heard
a ringing sound. This ultimately ledto the discovery of her remains at the
base of the ledges on Saturday,August seventh. The Main Department of Inns
Inland, Fisheries and Wildlife said Barbour'spassing is not suspicious, but did not
release the cause to the public.Next Tatum Morrell Beartooth Mountains, Montana.
(01:16:11):
Tatum Morrell, a twenty three yeold skilled hiker from Idaho, began her
hike from the West Fork trailhead nearRed Lodge on Thursday, July one,
twenty twenty one. As reported bythe Carbon County Sheriff's Office. She last
contacted her mother using a satellite communicatorat eight pm the same day. Tatum
had planned to hike five mountain peaksin the Bartooth Mountains, home to the
highest forty one peaks in Montana,over five days. According to Red Lodge
(01:16:35):
Fire Rescue, It's believed that Tatumdeparted from her campsite at Shadow Lake on
Friday, July two to hike oneof the peaks in the area. However,
she did not return. Ground teamssearched the routes Tatum may have taken
on Wednesday, July seven, focusingon Sundance, Bowback Castle and Whitetail Mountains.
From Sunday night to Tuesday evening.Helicopter crews from the National Guard and
(01:16:58):
two Bear Air searched the year usinginfrared cameras, cell phone tracking and reco
tracking. At the same time,round crews searched the area of her camp.
Red Lodge Search and Rescue and theCarbon County Sheriff's Office were joined by
rescue teams statewide and from Wyoming,including the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, Galton
County Search and Rescue, Big HornCounty Search and Rescue, Park County,
(01:17:20):
Wyoming Search and Rescue, US FourthService, three search dog teams, and
three helicopters, according to Red LodgeFire Rescue, On Saturday, August twenty
one, twenty twenty one, agroup of hikers located Tatum's remains in the
white Tail Peak area after noticing apiece of hiking equipment on the trail.
Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan said thehikers were aware of the search efforts for
(01:17:43):
Tatum, and a closer look atthe area revealed her beneath what appeared to
be a rock slide in an areapreviously searched. Finding her, especially buried
in that rock slide, answered alot of questions, as the wire ground
crews couldn't find her, why helicopterscouldn't find her, and even why search
dogs couldn't find her. That helpsus a lot with putting the pieces of
the puzzle together, said John Trapp, the Assistant chief of Red Lodge Fire
(01:18:05):
Rescue. The hikers provided authorities withGPS coordinates, and Sheriff McQuillan said they
confirmed the location of the remains Onthe morning of August twenty two, in
a helicopter owned by the Elstone CountySheriff's Office. Two Bear air transported Tatum's
remains from the mountains to the RedLodge Airport. The Sheriff's office believes Tatum
was climbing White Tail Peak when shewas caught in a significant rock slide and
(01:18:29):
suffered catastrophic injuries. The Carbon CountySheriff's Office said we could not be more
grateful and thankful to all the personneland agencies that work together in this effort
to hopefully bring some peace enclosure tothe Morrell family and could not have carried
out this effort without all of theirassistants. Next Cassandra Bravo, Mount Whitney.
Cassandra Bravo, a thirty four yearold nurse and mother of two,
(01:18:53):
went missing on Thursday, November five, twenty twenty, while hiking solo on
Mount Whitney, which is located onthe back und of Sequoia National Park and
Inyo National Forest. According to theNational Park Service, Mount Whitney is the
most frequently climbed mountain peak in SierraNevada. The shortest and most popular route
to the summit is from Whitney Portal, which has an elevation of eight thousand,
(01:19:15):
three hundred and sixty feet at thetrailhead and fourteen thousand, four hundred
ninety four feet at the summit.Cassandra only intended to hike for the day.
Later on Thursday, Cassandra's friends andfamily were concerned after they had not
heard from her. They learned theInyo County Sheriff's Office, which found her
vehicle park at Mount Whitney Portal inthe Inyo National Forest. A gofund Me
(01:19:35):
page for Cassandra's children said that herboyfriend, father, and several close friends
began searching for on Friday, Novembersixth. They were joined by the Inno
County Search and Rescue team the followingday. Cassandra was found alive down a
steep slope of rock on the morningof Saturday, November seven, apparently having
slipped and fallen approximately one hundred feetand had managed to make her way behind
(01:19:58):
a large tree, stumping. Tothe go fund me page, Cassandra spent
two nights in freezing cold temperatures.According to the Nano County Sheriff's office,
she was wearing only a tank topand leggings amid freezing temperatures and a windshill
of minus twenty degrees fahrenheit. Shewas airlifted to a local hospital, but
sadly succumbed her injuries. Those ofus that knew Cassandra knew she was a
(01:20:19):
fighter and strong. The gofund mePaige said, we know she fought to
stay alive. She was an amazingnurse. She leaves behind her two beautiful
children whom she lived for. Shewas an amazing person with a taken to
leave it personality that really enjoyed life. The page said. Next, we
have Mitzi Siu Susan Clements Great SmokyMountains National Park. On Tuesday September twenty
(01:20:45):
five, twenty eighteen, fifty threeyear old Mitzi Sioux Susan Clements of Ohio
went hiking with her daughter on theForny Ridge Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park on the border of Tennesseeand North Carolina. According to the National
Park Service, she was last seenaround five pm that day. According to
Julina Campbell, spokesman for the NationalPark Service, who spoke to WATE TV
(01:21:08):
Knoxville, the pair of returning fromAndrews Bald. The one point eight mile
Andrews Bald trail is considered to bemodern in difficulty, with an elevation change
of around four hundred feet from theparking lot up to the point where it
descends to the Bald at five eighthundred and sixty feet elevation. When they
were about a quarter mile from AndrewsBald, Mitsy's daughter walked ahead of her
(01:21:28):
for a short while since she wasa faster hiker. They made plans to
meet at the parking lot, butMitzi never returned and was reported missing.
The search for Mitzy lasted a weekand involved one hundred and seventy five trained
personnel from five states and some fiftyorganizations, helicopters, drones, and canine
units. Any tracks, any sensethat the dogs could have picked up were
(01:21:48):
pretty much raised in those first coupleof days because of on and off rain
that spokesperson Campbell, you can't seethe person standing next to you. It's
that thick. Search parties comed upwere five hundred miles of trails and ten
square miles of off trail terrain tofind Mitzi. Search crews discovered Mitzi's remains
on October two, twenty eighteen.According to the National Park Service, the
(01:22:11):
remains were found in a dense foliagearea down the steep Huggins Creek drainage in
Swain County. The location was approximatelythree fourths of a mile south of the
Appalachian Trail and two miles west ofthe Cleveland's Dome parking area. The autopsy
concluded Mitzi passed away from complications ofhypothermia due to exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
The National Park Service said she worea light sweater, laggings, nylon
(01:22:34):
workout pants, and a clear rainpunchhow medical examiner's report also listed dehydration as
a contributing factor. Mitzi had noother signs of significant trauma, and there
were no signs of foul play.We just don't know what happened, spokesman
Campbell said. Because it was inthe middle of nowhere, there aren't any
trails nearby. The closest trail tothat would have been the Appalachian Trail.
(01:22:58):
We don't know if she was onthat trail. In a statement, Mitzi's
family said, I want to specificallythank the National Park Service for their incredible
efforts. The cooperation shown between morethan fifty agencies was amazing, comforting,
and very supportive. Next, wehave Eric Lewis Mount Rainier, Washington.
On the morning of July first,twenty ten, the American Alpine Club said
(01:23:20):
Eric Lewis, a fifty seven yearold mountain climber, went missing while ascending
the Gibraltar Ledges route on Washington's MountRainier, the most glaciated peak in the
contiguous US. With a three personteam, the climbers encountered high wind and
low visibility on their journey, andEric unclipped from the climbing rope at some
point. According to the American AlpineClub, Donstorm Junior led the team and
(01:23:43):
was joined by the second climber,Trevor Lane. The pair stopped to wait
for Eric to catch up at thirteenthousand, nine hundred feet. However,
when they reled the rope in theAmerican Alpine Club said they found only a
coil with a butterfly knot. Theysaw Eric on the rope moments before and
immediately so for him on the belowslope. After a thorough local search,
they proceeded to the summit Ridge incase Eric had invaded them, The American
(01:24:06):
Alpine Club said. When they didnot locate him on the Summit Ridge,
they returned to Camp Muir and reportedthe incident to officials. Climbing ranger Tom
Payne and two mountain guides set offfrom Camp Muir to the summit on Thursday,
July one to search Praier. Despitetheir efforts, they were unable to
find any signs of him. TheAmerican Alpine Club reported that the search team
(01:24:27):
returned to Camp Muir while more resourceswere sent to assist and provide support personnel.
The American Alpine Club said that thesearch expanded on Friday, July second,
with more than forty personnel involved.Round Searchers included National Park Service climbing
rangers, climbing guides from ra NearMountaineering, Alpine Ascents, International International Mountain
Guides, volunteers from Mountain Rescue,and helicopters. The American Alpine Club said
(01:24:53):
later on July two, one teamof ground searchers located Eric's backpack at thirteen
six hundred feet and then a asmall snow cave about two hundred vertical feet
above it. According to the AmericanAlpine Club, another search team climbed the
Gibraltar Ledges route along with the upperNisquali and Ingram glaciers. A third search
team concentrated efforts on the west sideof the East Crater Rim, looking in
(01:25:15):
the steam caves when possible. Anothersearch team, consisting of rangers from Camp
Sherman, climbed the Emmons route tosearch the Summit Rim steam caves and joined
the alpine search effort in the vicinityof the Ingram Glacier and the Disappointment Glever.
On the third day of the search, air and ground operations resumed.
The American Alpine Club reported that rangersstation at Camp Mirror continued their ground search
(01:25:36):
operations by skiing down to the baseof Gibraltar Chute to look for any signs
of area. They shifted their focusto the Nisquali Glacier side in case Eric
fell while climbing the Gibraltar Ledges orthe Gibraltar Shoot routes. The rangers thoroughly
examined the terrain and the fall line, and explored the base of the Nisquali
Ice Fall and the Muret Rocks ridgeleading up to the Gibraltar Chute, climbed
(01:26:00):
up to and into the Bergshmund underthe shoot, The American Alpine Club said
after searching the area extensively in andadjacent to Eric's last known whereabouts and finding
no additional clues, the American AlpineClub said the likelihood of finding him alive
diminished. Due to the frigid andwindy weather conditions at the time of his
disappearance and the fact that Eric didnot carry emergency gear, the chances of
(01:26:20):
finding him alive became slim. Theweather forecast for the fourth day predicted heavy
wind and precipitation, which would hinderair and ground search efforts. The American
Alpine Club said, although the weatherconditions likely played a significant role in Eric's
disappearance, the contributing factors that ledto it may never be fully understood.
It's unclear why he detached himself fromhis partner's rope, the American Alpine Club
(01:26:45):
said. Some theories suggest that hemay have done so to avoid slowing his
group down to deal with a personalproblem or due to exhaustion, hypothermia,
or altitude sickness. How long Ericsurvived before succumbing to the cold or falling
is also uncertain, as he hadno sleeping bag, tent, or extra
clothing beyond what he was already wearing. Sadly, Eric Lewis has never been
found. Next Joe Halper Rocky MountainNational Park, Colorado. Joe Halper,
(01:27:14):
a twenty two year old graduate studentfrom Chicago, along with his best friend's
brother, Sam Garrick, reached thesummit of Flat Top Mountain in Rocky Mountain
National Park on August fifteenth, nineteenthirty three. As Arrant, Udell of
The Colorado And reported the pair AroanaWestern road trip with Halfred's parents, Solomon
and Fanny. Udel said they traveledup through South Dakota before ending their trip
(01:27:35):
with camping and hiking in Rocky MountainNational Park. Udell, writes said,
after Joe and Sam summoned Flat TopMountain, Joe wanted to continue hiking toward
Taylor Peak. Sam decided to headback, so they went their separate ways
around two thirty pm and planned tomeet back at the Bear Lake trailhead.
Udell said Sam got there at sixthirty pm and waited. Three hours passed
(01:27:57):
without a sign of Joe, sohe called for a ranger. Udel said
a search started that night around tenpm, with rangers taking electric lights into
the area. Days went by withoutany sign of Joe. According to Udell,
Joe was last seen wearing a whiteand blue striped shirt, khaki pants,
and heavy boots. He carried asmall backpack containing a few sandwiches,
fruit, and a nineteen thirty threeguidebook for motors visiting the Rocky Mountain National
(01:28:21):
Park. The weather conditions that weekincluded forty degree nights, rain and windstorms.
After six days of searching, Udellsaid, Sam Garrick wrote a letter
to his brother Isidore in Chicago.I've got some tragic news. Joe Halpern
disappeared in the mountains last Tuesday,and nothing has been heard of him since.
The last couple of days have beenmiserable out here, with a deadly
(01:28:44):
gloom prevailing. Miss Halperin cries allnight long. Udell said many theories arose
about what happened to Joe, includinghit his head and suffered from amnesia.
Udell said an acquaintance claim that hesaw Joe in the winter of nineteen thirty
three begging for meal outside of FoenixRestaurant. According to the Colorado Bureau of
Investigation, unsubstantiated reports placed Joe inPhoenix, Arizona in December of nineteen thirty
(01:29:08):
four, with the Lewis Brothers circusin Michigan in the summer of nineteen thirty
five, or traveling with the CivilianConservation Court near Alliance, Nebraska, in
May of nineteen thirty five. Sadly, no conclusive trace of Joe was ever
found, and his family believed henever made it out of the mountains.
Ronald Halpern, the son of Joe'sbrother, Bernard Halpern, told you No
(01:29:30):
that Bernard never spoke much of hisbrother Joe, but did say, don't
go hiking alone, because that's whathappened to my brother and he disappeared.
No Before you go, if youplan to go hiking or climb in the
mountains, it's crucial to research hereabeforehand, then sure your safety and enhance
your overall experience. Take the timeto familiarize yourself with the terrain, weather
(01:29:51):
patterns, and potential hazards. Keepyourself updated with the weather forecast and be
prepared for sudden changes in conditions,especially in mountainous areas where unexpected storms can
occur, and sure you have appropriategear for your activity and the conditions,
like hiking boots, warm clothes,a first aid kit, a map,
and a compass is recommended. Toalways carry a whistle and a flashlight with
(01:30:15):
spare batteries if you get lost orhurt. These tools can be handy for
calling out for help and signaling othersfor assistance. Inform someone about your destination
and expected return time. This waythey can take necessary actions to locate you
in case of unforeseen circumstances. It'scrucial to recognize your capabilities and avoid exceeding
your limits. If you feel unsafe, returning and attempting the task another day
(01:30:40):
is best. Your safety should alwaysbe your top priority. Stay on designated
trails, properly dispose of trash,and avoid disturbing wildlife. In conclusion,
these stories of individuals have gone missingin the mountains are a poignant reminder of
the unpredictable and challenging nature of theseenvironments. The complexities of searching, rescue,
(01:31:00):
operations. The harsh conditions of mountainousterrain, and the myriad factors contributing
to disappearances underscore the need for increasedawareness, preparation, and responsible outdoor exploration.
As we reflect on these cases,it becomes clear that fostering a culture
of safety, education, and vigilanceis essential for both seasoned adventures and novices
(01:31:21):
alike. By learning from the experiencesof those who have encountered the challenging trials
of the mountains, we can striveto establish a safer and more knowledgeable community
of outdoor enthusiasts. Ultimately, ourefforts to comprehend and prevent potential dangers should
be our top priority. To truethat the mountains, despite their breathtaking beauty
(01:31:41):
and grandeur, are explored with theutmost respect and awareness of their inherent risk.
Well, friends, there you haveit. What do you think of
these cases of people who went missingthe mountains? I look forward to your
comments, but please keep it friendlyand respectful. Until we meet again.
Be good to yourselves and each other. Stay safe out there. As for
(01:32:04):
me, I'll see you a littlefurther on down the trail. I'm Steve
Stockton, and I'll talk to younext time, and please tell your animals
I said Hi, Hello friends,Steve Stockton here with you. Welcome to
(01:33:00):
our latest episode. In this video, we'll discuss some of the most dangerous
hikes in the United States. Joinme, let's walk and see now.
Hiking is a popular leisure activity inthe United States, with more than fifty
eight million Americans hitting the trails intwenty twenty one alone. While the country
boasts hundreds of thousands of miles ofhiking trails, not all hikes are easy.
(01:33:25):
The US is home to some ofthe world's most challenging and dangerous hiking
trails, With its diverse terrain rangingfrom barren deserts to tropical forest teeming with
wildlife. Hiking in the US requiresserious preparation. Some trails are so extreme
that they result in catastrophic injuries everyyear. Narrow paths, cliffs, deadly
water currents, and other hazards arestandard features of these trails. Hikers must
(01:33:48):
be aware of the risk involved beforeattempting these hikes. First, let's talk
about angels Landing in Zion National Park, Utah. Angels Landing is a popular
five point four mile round trip hikeand Zion National Park in Utah is renowned
for offering some of the most breathtakingviews of the Zion Canyon. The trail's
(01:34:12):
name is said to have originated froma comment made by Frederick Yining Fisher,
a Methodist minister who visited Zion Canyonin nineteen sixteen and remarked that it would
require an angel to land there.The trail is not for the faint hearted,
as it is challenging and dangerous.It involves a steep elevation gain of
one four hundred and eighty eight feetand has rocky sections, with a trail
(01:34:33):
being only a few feet wide insome areas. Since the trail is exposed
to direct sunlight, it's crucial tobring proper sun protection. It's not recommended
for young children or people afraid ofheights. Most hikers take around four hours
to complete the trail, but somemay take longer. The Angel's Landing Trail
starts along the distinctly marked West RimTrail and quickly gains elevation before arriving at
(01:34:59):
Refrigerator Canbre. The final part ofthe hike, known as the chain section,
makes angels landing famous and dangerous.It's important to be cautious during this
section, as accidents or carelessness canhave catastrophic consequences, is recommended to dress
in layers to adjust your clothing toyour comfort level. It is also vital
(01:35:19):
to carry plenty of water to stayhydrated and check the forecast and park conditions
before starting your hike. Also bringa flashlight or headlamp with new batteries as
recommended. Although the trail is wellmarked, carrying a park map is always
a good idea. Every individual needsa permit to high angels landing, which
(01:35:40):
park rangers can request at any timeon the trail. If you possess a
permit and shure you download, toprint the confirmation email before starting the track
and always keep it with you.Even with proper planning and equipment, unforeseen
problems can still arise during outdoor activities. In case of an emergency, it's
recommended to call nine one one immediatelyIf sell and data service is available.
(01:36:03):
The call will connect you to theZigon dispatch office, where you can receive
further assistance. The National Park Serviceadvises that most people cannot link to a
mobile network in Zion Canyon. Aska park ranger a volunteer if you need
SELL or data servant. Here area couple of cases from Angels Landing.
(01:36:23):
Corbyn McMillan. Corbyn McMillan, aforty two year old hiker residing in Saint
George, Utah, informed his motherthat he planned to hike the Angels Landing
Trail on Thursday, February eighteen,twenty twenty one. However, he did
not return from his hikers scheduled andhis mother reported him missing. Park rangers
found Corbyn's vehicle parked at the Grottotrailhead around midnight on February nineteen, but
(01:36:47):
it was unoccupied. Later that morning, a formal search began. After confirming
that the vehicle was still parked andunoccupied at the Grotto parking lot, search
team members found corfeless at the baseof Moonlight Buttress, which is located near
Angel's Landing Summit on the West RimTrail. After the initial investigation, it
(01:37:09):
was concluded that Corbin's injuries were indicativeof a fall from a considerable height,
possibly from the peak of Moonlight Buttress. The Washington County Sheriff's Office was tasked
with heading the investigation, and theMedical Examiner's Office notified the National Park Service
that the remains found in the parkdid indeed belong to Corbin. Superintendent Jeff
Brady Boss said, our deepest condolencesgo out to the McMillan family and friends.
(01:37:31):
We are all deeply saddened by thisoutcome. Then we have Jason Hartwell.
On the afternoon of March four,twenty twenty one, Jason Hartwell,
a forty three year old hiker fromDrapery, Utah, went on a hike
to Angels Landing. Later that day, mark visitors reported that someone had fallen
off the landing, and a searchand rescue operation was initiated. On the
(01:37:56):
morning of March five, search teammembers located Jason at the base of the
summit of Angels Landing. According tothe preliminary investigation, Jason sustained fatal injuries
consistent with a high elevation fall.The Medical Examiner's office and formed National Park
Service officials that remains located in thepark Friday morning for indeed those of Jason
Hartwell. Zion Superintendent Jeff Brady Bosssaid, our deepest condolences go out to
(01:38:19):
the McMillan family and friends. Sincethe year two thousand thirteen, hikers have
experienced catastrophic falls from angels, landing, or the trail leading up to it.
According to records compiled by Fox thirteen, if it's not the most dangerous
trail in America, it's one ofthe top five, said Travis Hagey,
an associate professor at Bowling Green StateUniversity and former risk management employee for the
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National Park Service. Next, let'stake a look at Bright Angel Trail in
Grand Canyon National Park. The BrightAngel Trail may not sound intimidating, but
it's one of the most dangerous trailsin Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park and the
entire country. Reports indicate that moreemergency rescues and nine to one one calls
a curl on this trail than anyother trail in the state. Despite this,
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it remains one of the most popularhikes in America, with over one
hundred thousand people completing it annually.Measuring eighteen miles long, the Bright Angel
Trail is one of the lengthiest hikesin the Grand Canyon. Dehydration and heatstroke
are the most significant threats at BrightAngel. The trail can be painfully hot,
and every year, hundreds of rescuesare carried out due to heat related
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problems alone. The intense heat coupledwith over exertion can be deadly if you
get overheated and dizzy. Slipping onthe trail's high unstable ground is easy.
Although the trail is well maintained,hikers often get distracted by the stunning views
of the inner canyon and distant formations, which may cause them to underestimate how
far down the trail they've walked.Keeping track of the distance covered is essential
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avoid difficulties later on the return.Hike up and out of the canyon is
much more challenging and requires considerable effort. Therefore, it is recommended to plan
for at least twice as much timeto hike back up as it took to
go down. The Bright Angel Trailis located deep within a side canyon on
a massive fault, and the trailremains in the side canyon for the first
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few miles. Most elevation change happensin the upper four miles, including a
series of switchbacks. The trail issurrounded by towering cliffs and has abundant plant
and animal life, encountering wild animalsalong the way as possible, so learning
safety precautions before starting the hike isessential to avoid human or animal injuries.
The trail towards Havasupai Gardens is fourpoint five miles or seven point two kilometers
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away from the rim and starts toflat Havasupai Gardens is a breath taking oasis
located within the canyon and was previouslyoccupied by the Habitsupai people until they were
forced to evacuate when the national parkwas established. Once you reach this point,
it's recommended that you take the relativelyflat three mile or four point eight
kilometer round trip hike to Plateau Point, which is exposed but offers a stunning
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view of the sunrise or sunset.If you plan on hiking beyond these destinations,
is advisable to first consult a parkranger before hiking. Conducting thorough research
and ensuring you're well informed about thetrail you plan to take is crucial.
It's also important to tell someone whois reliable about your plan and who can
take necessary action in case of anydelays or emergencies. Remember to check the
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weather forecasts and pack appropriate gear.Encounters between hikers and mules on the trail
have injured both people and mules,therefore taking necessary precautions to ensure your safety,
that of other trail users and thatof meals and their riders. Is
crucial if you happen to come acrossmules on the trail. While these steps
recommended by the National Park Service avoidany potential hazard. One step off the
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trail on the uphill side, awayfrom the edge. Two, listen for
and follow the directions of the wranglers. Number three. Remain completely quiet and
stand perfectly still. Number four returnedto the trail when the last meal is
fifty feet or fifteen meters beyond yourposition. Now, let's look at a
couple of cases from Bright Angel Trail. First up, Milislav Hanasak, a
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sixty six year old financial advisor fromnear the Slovakian border and a Czech traveling
club member, was underprepared for aweekend outing in the Grand Canyon in June
nineteen ninety five. However, heand his companions followed the advice to stay
hydrated and eat well before hiking intothe Grand Canyon. According to the Coconino
County Sheriff's Devities, Miloslav's hike startedat seven point fifteen on a clear and
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cool morning, and his group usedthe Bride Angel Trail to descend into the
Grand Canyon. They reached their destinationof Plateau Point by mid morning, before
the initial signs of the scorching summerheat were evident under the desert sky.
Milislav was captivated by the prickly paracacti in the gardens and paid scant attention
to the mounting heat. As Miloslavneared the finish of the twelve point four
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mile journey, his companion, MarieKagankova, struggled to continue in the rising
temperatures. As Melislav helped the Mariefind a shady retreat, he suddenly collapsed
and succumbed to a heart attack.National Park officials reported that during the summer,
ninety percent of the incidents occur onthe Bright Angel Trail section where it
follows Garden Creek to Pipe Creek,located a mile below the Colorado River.
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Corporal Jim Coffee, a Coconino CountySheriff's deputy, who tried to rescue Milislov,
said, you overload the body andsomething is going to break, and
now we have Melney goodein On Junetwo, twenty twenty two, Melny goodeen,
forty one year old hiker from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, was hiking
on the Bright Angel Trail above thethree Mile Rest House while hiking out of
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the canyon after visiting the Colorado Riverearlier that day. Melny encountered distress,
which was supported to the National ParkService by the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center.
Around five point fifty pm, afterbeing notified of Melney's circumstances, ARK
officials arrived at the scene, wherebystanders had already initiated CPR Search and Rescue
personnel attendant to do ressas state melding, but were unsuccessful. Joel Baird,
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a Grand Canyon National Park spokesperson,told CNN that temperatures where melting was hiking
from around ninety five to one hundredand four degrees fahrenheit. The National Park
Service warned to inner Canyon temperatures couldreach one hundred and six degrees fahrenheit.
National Park Service officials said all visitorsto the Grand Canyon should ensure they are
drinking plenty of fluids, resting inthe shade during the heat of the day,
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watching for signs of distress and travelingcompanions, and dressing appropriately for the
weather, which includes light colored andloose fitting clothing. The National Park Service
does not recommend hiking from the rimto the river and back in one day.
The next dangerous hike we're going tolook at is the Half Dome in
Yosemite National Park. Hiking to HalfDome in Yosemite National Park is a popular
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goal for many experienced hikers. However, it is a perilous endeavor. The
track covers around fourteen to sixteen milesand can take up to twelve hours to
complete. The terrain is consistently challenging, and the final ascent to the top
of Half Dome is considered one ofthe most treacherous hikes in America. Individuals
must pull themselves up a large slopingrock face known as Half Done, which
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since eighty eight hundred feet above sealevel. Two metal cables allow hikers to
ascend the final four hundred feet tothe summit without the aid of rock climbing
equipment. It is not mandatory touse safety harnesses attached to the cables.
There's no vegetation or soil to breakyour fall. Only sheer rock awaits below.
This section of the trail alone hasclaimed the lives of over twenty people.
(01:45:29):
And the entire hike has resulted inthe demise of more than sixty individuals.
While injuries are common, experienced andfit hikers who wear proper footwear and
are vigil about the risk can safelycomplete the high. Presently, thousands of
people have successfully reached the summit.However, park rangers must assist hundreds of
people on the way to Half Domeevery summer. The truth is that most
of these emergencies could have been preventedwith proper preparation and caution. While there
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are no guarantees for your safety,you can do a few things to reduce
your risk and make your hike moreenjoyable. If you plan to hike during
the day, start early in themorning. Starting early in the morning is
highly recommended, preferably around sunrise.Make sure you have a turnaround time.
If you have yet to reach thetop of Half Dome by predetermined time,
check the sunrise and sunset times beforethe hike to know how much daylight you
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have. Carrying a flashlight or aheadlamp with fresh batteries is also crucial,
since navigating the trail after dark withoutone can be challenging. Even though the
trail is well marked. It's recommendedto have a good topographic map and compass
and know how to use them inemergency. Taking your time and having patients
when hiking with slower hikers is essential. If possible, allow faster hikers to
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pass by staying on the inside ofthe cables. Never attempt assent when storm
clouds are in the area, theground is wet, or when the cables
are down for the winter. Itis critical to wear appropriate foot gear and
use climbing gloves for safety. Duringthe summer months, a few visitors may
experience altitude signals, which can causesevere headaches or nause The only way to
alleviate these symptoms is to descend toa lower altitude immediately. Other environmental illnesses
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to be aware of are heat exhaustion, deadration, and low electrolyte levels.
Drinking water, eating regularly, andtaking frequent breaks in the shade are essential.
Now, let's look at a coupleof cases from the area. First,
Danielle Burnette. In September twenty nineteen, twenty nine year old Danielle Burnett
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of Blake, Havasu City, Arizona, fell from the half domed cable section,
and eye witness said they tried toreach out and grab her as she
screamed and slid down the cliff,but she was out of their reach.
Sadly, she fell five hundred feetto her demise. Another hiker who saw
her fall posted an account on Facebook. The witness wrote, quote, Danielle
apparently became worried when light rain startedto fall as she was ascending, and
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she turned around to come down withoutreaching the top, her shoes slipped on
the rock. She fell hard andlost her grip on the cable end quote,
and we have hero Foo meat Ohara. In June two thousand and seven,
a thirty seven year old hiker namedHirofumi Nohara from Japan tragically fell from
the half doned Cables section when hewas three quarters of the way to the
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top. He landed on a ledgethree hundred feet down before falling another one
thousand feet. An investigation later revealedthat Hirofumi was not engaging in unsafe behavior
and the weather was sunny. However, the cables were very crowded and many
hikers were bunched up trying to passeach other, which may have contributed to
the accident. The next dangerous hikewe have is Camp Murr Mountaineer National Park
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in Washington State. The Camp MuirTrail is located on Mount Rainier in Washington
and is considered one of the mosttreacherous hikes in Mount Rainier National Park.
This nine mile trail is a popularstop for climbers attempting to reach the summit
of Ranier, which stands at fourteenfour hundred and ten feet above sea level,
is also a common day hike.The trail is perilous because of its
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unexpected freezing temperatures and storms. Isan extremely high altitude hike, gaining fourth
thousand, six hundred feet throughout thetrail. Hikers must always be prepared for
winter, as you never know whena snowstorm will hit this area. The
entire mountain is hazardous and it hasclaimed the lives of hundreds of people.
Many accidents have happened at an altitudeas high as this hike, even during
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summer. Anyone visiting the trail shouldprepare food, water, and equipment for
an ice track. Now, let'slook at a couple of cases. First,
Alex Fitzgerald. In September twenty twenty, twenty seven year old Alex Fitzgerald
and his hiking companion descended Mount Rainierfrom Camp Muir when Alex became disoriented in
white out conditions. At ten amon Wednesday, rangers received a nine to
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one one call from Alex's companion,who reported that she and Alex were lost
in the high winds, heavy rain, and wide out conditions at around ninety
three hundred feet elevation after spending thenight in a tent at Camp Muir at
an elevation of ten thy one hundredand eighty eight feet. The park rangers
monitored their descent while a quick responseteam assisted him. Fift fifty PM,
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the rescue team intercepted Alex's companion,whom two other hikers were assisting, at
the top of the Skyline trail.She reported that Alex had become increasingly disoriented
and unresponsive. She had tried tomove him or get her cell phone signal,
but was unsuccessful. She then leftto find help. According to a
National Park Service release, rangers locatedAlex at four forty two pm on September
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twenty third, at an altitude ofabout seven seven hundred feet on the Bure
Snowfield. Unfortunately, he had succumbedto the elments. The following day rangers,
an Olympic Tacoma, Central Washington,Seattle and Everett Mountain Rescue volunteers returned
to the scene and successfully recovered him. Now we have Tim and Greg Stark.
(01:50:45):
On Saturday May twenty one, twothousand and five, fifty seven year
old Tim Stark, a retired UnitedAirlines pilot, and twenty seven year old
Greg Stark, Tim's nephew, setout to hike up the Paradise Glacier to
Camp Muir for an overnight's stay whena blizzard hit around four pm. According
to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, onSaturday afternoon and evening, the massive storm
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covered the mountain and two feet ofsnow, which continued through Sunday. Mike
Gothier, the former head climbing rangerat Mountaineer National Park, saw the pair
at four fifteen pm on their wayup to the High Mountain camp. They
were prepared for an overnight's stay,he said. They followed us up for
a portion of the hike. Wewere walking into the storm. The storm
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was as bad as it gets.It was epic conditions. I had to
pay attention every step of the wayduring their climb. Mike Gothier observed that
one of the men was wearing cottonpants while the other had opted for kneeling
shorts. His advice that climbers andhikers avoid cotton clothing, which loses warmth
rapidly when wet. Additionally, theduo could not keep up with the pace
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of Gothier's group. After spending aroundninety minutes at Campmere, Mike Gothier and
his group descended the mountain. Visibilitywas so poor that they had to rely
on DPS devices to navigate the way. On their way down, they encountered
another group of hikers lost in thestorm. We got them back on track
and continued down. He said theydid not see Tim and Gregg. On
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Monday, rangers spotted Tim and Greggabout one hundred yards apart on the Paradise
Glacier east of the Mere Snowfield,about two hundred yards from one of the
most popular trails in the park.They were found face up in the same
clothes they wore Saturday, and theirheadlamps were still on. Dothia speculated that
the men never reached Camp Mirror,which is over ten thousand feet high.
He suggested they likely got lost andwandered around in the snow as hypothermia set
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in with temperatures dropping to the lowtwenties. According to rangers, Tim and
Gregg may have attempted to pitch theirtent as the rangers discovered it inside a
backpack covered in snow. The otheritems in their packs, such as sleeping
bags, extra clothes, and astove were still dry. The wind was
howling, so they might have triedto set up the tent and gave up.
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Dothier said at about ten PM,I got a call from a ranger
at the Campmure cabin who said thewind was blowing so hard that snow was
coming through the cracks in the walls. Tim and Gregg, he said,
probably wandered around until they quote ranout of gas and sat down end quote
Greg's friend Brian. She said hewas an avid outdoorsman, mostly a fly
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fisherman. I never knew him todo any mountaineering, but he loved the
outdoors. Family members told Mike Gothierthat Tim had camped overnight at Camp Mure
five or six times before. It'sjust sad. Gothier said it could be
a rough place when the weather turnssouth. Next up, Huckleberry Lookout in
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Glacier National Park. The Huckleberry LookoutTrail spans six miles and is a challenging
hike in Glacier National Park, Montana. The trail is known for its hazardous
conditions due to around three hundred grizzlybears they call the area home. In
every one thousand square kilometers of space, there are approximately thirty bears. The
grizzly love to feed on the huckleberriesthat grow along the trail, making it
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a perilous hike for humans. It'scrucial to exercise caution while trekking on this
trail. The initial part of theHuckleberry Lookout is relatively flat, allowing hikers
to warm up before tackling more challengingsections. After walking a quarter of a
mile, you reach McGee Creek,the only notable water source available during the
hike. The trail starts to descendsteadily after about half a mile. The
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canopy is quite thick for this initialpart of the trail. The force begins
to thin as you get closer tothe higher elevations about three miles into the
hike. After hiking just under fourmiles and gaining two thousand feet in elevation,
you'll arrive at a small pass.The surrounding mountains offer a beautiful skyline
view, and you may even spotthe Huckleberry Lookout in the far distance to
the northwest. The pass provides aperfect spot to take a break and rest.
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However, in early summer, youmay need to turn around at this
point due to snow. If thepath is clear, it's possible to reach
the look out approximately two miles further. The final leg of the trail is
stunning. Notable peaks such as LongfellowPeak and Paul Bunyan's Cabin can be seen
towards the north, while Mount SaintNick and the Great Northern are visible towards
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the southeast. The hike to HuckleberryMountain Lookout offers some respite, as the
elevation remains steady until the final scentof four hundred feet towards the end.
It is highly recommended that hikers alwayshiking groups, make noise while hiking,
carry bear spray, keep it accessible, and know how to use it.
Keeping the campgrounds and developed areas cleanand free of food and trash is crucial.
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Regulations require that all food items,containers, and cookware be stored in
a hard sided vehicle or food lockerWhen not in use, whether day or
night. Bareproof containers should be usedfor all trash disposal. Do not burn
waste in fire rings or leave litteraround your campsite before leaving the grounds,
ensure that the fire rings are trashfree. And now here's a case for
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the area. Matthew Reid. OnFriday, May seventh, twenty twenty three,
nineteen year old Matthew Reid arrived atthe Huckleberry Lookout trail head. Excited
to take advantage of the beautiful weather. He planned to hike as far as
possible before snow made it impossible tocontinue. When he failed to return his
schedule, his mother contacted the NationalPark Service and a search and rescue operation
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was initiated. An article by MaggieDresser for the Flathead Beacon recounts the following
events. After starting his hike,Matthew had conversations with several groups who cautioned
him about the trail's instability beyond thefour mile mark, which they had turned
back from. However, he choseto continue and eventually reached the snowy section
of the trail that could not withstandhis weight, causing him to sink into
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the snowpack and become trapped. Afterstruggling for twenty minutes, he freed his
leg by wiggling his foot and couldmove again. Matthew had just escaped a
problematic situation when he slipped off thetrail again with only one shoe on his
other foot plunged into the snow,leaving him completely unshod. Matthew tried to
said back up the slope to returnto the trail, but his efforts were
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in vain. He postholeeds through thechest deep snow, with each step slipping
further down the slope. Matthew,wearing shorts and no shoes, decided to
move to a dryer area as abackup plant. However, due to the
slippery ground, he was unable towalk and therefore had to slide on his
butt, using his feet to breakuntil he reached the end of the snowfield.
(01:57:30):
Unfortunately, he lost his phone andwater bottle on the way. Matthew
was following a drainage when inclement weathermoved into the area and it began to
drizzle. He stopped to create ashelter and rested there for about four hours.
Once the weather cleared up, hisnext goal was to head east and
locate Cavas Road, which intersects thetrailhead Matthew had been tracking through heavily forced
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to train for hours, but realizedhe was not progressing. He decided to
wait in one location make it easierfor search teams to locate him to new
shelter, where he stayed put untilrescue crews found him alive. Three days
later. Officials in a helicopter noticedfootprints in the snow on the ridge line
where Matthew had slid. Rescuers tracedthe prints from the trail to the drainage
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and pieced to Matthew's travel path together. When he came down, I was
so relieved, Matthew said. Iwas starting to be unsure if they would
actually find me, and to havethe helicopter drop the lights and have someone
next to me, it's about tobe over. That was what was going
through my head. Matthew was treatedfor frostbite and hypothermia and was told he
may have to have both legs amputated, but he was grateful to be alive.
(01:58:38):
In conclusion, some of the mostperilous hiking trails are in the heart
of America's pristine national parks, eachboasting breathtaking views and formidable challenges. However,
that adventure comes with risks. Thesetrails demand respect, preparation, and
a keen awareness of your surroundings.Where they're navigating sheer cliffs, treacherous terrains,
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for unpredictable weather. These trails area testament to the untamed beauty and
inherent dangers of the great outdoors.So if you're ready to embark on an
adventure that pushes your limits, treadcarefully and embrace the thrill responsibly. Nature's
wonders all wait, but safety shouldalways be your most trusted companion on these
daring trails. Happy hiking, andmay your journeys be as odd inspiring as
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they are unforgettable. Well, friends, there you have it. What do
you think about these dangerous hikes?I look forward to your comments, but
please keep it friendly and respectful.If you've been on a dangerous hike,
let us know. Until we meetagain, be good to yourselves and each
other. Stay safe out there.As for me, I'll see a little
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further on down the trail. I'mSteve Stockton, and I'll talk to you
next time, and please tell youranimals. I said, Hi, Hello
(02:01:09):
friends, Steve Stockton here with you. Welcome to our latest episode. In
this video, we delve into theenigmatic world of strange wilderness disappearances, cases
that defy explanation and challenge our understandingof the great outdoors. From uncharted forest
to remote mountain ranges, these mysteriousvanishings have left investigators baffled and communities haunted
(02:01:33):
for the unanswered questions that linger.Join me, let's walk and see First
up Barbara Bollick. Fifty five yearold Barbara Bullock and her husband's cousin,
Donna Biles, and Donna's boyfriend JimRamicker planned to hike Barber's favorite trail on
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July eighteenth, two thousand and seven. The Bear Creek Overlook Trail was about
a fifteen minute drive from her homeand as a four point five mile out
and back trail near Victor, Montana. This trail is rated moderately complex and
is frequented by hikers. It offersa breathtaking view of Bear Creek and the
surrounding mountains and both stunning wildflowers.Donna woke up feeling unwell on the morning
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of the hike and decided not tojoin. However, Barbara and Jim still
wanted to go, so around eightthirty or nine am, Barbara informed her
husband Carl that she and Jim weregoing to the overlook and would return later
for lunch. Carl then spent themorning working on a carpentry project. Donna
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grew concerned around noon when she realizedthat Barbara and Jim had not returned from
the hike. However, Carl reassuredher that Barbara was an avid and experienced
hiker who knew the area well,so there was no need to worry.
He was confident that they would returnsoon. Additionally, Carl informed Donna that
Barbara was always cast and that shebrought a backpack with her containing food,
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water, and a firearm for protectionagainst predators. Around two pm, Carl
received a phone call. It wasa forced service law enforcement officer. She
asked me if my wife's name wasBarbara, and I instantly thought something terrible
had happened, Karl said. Afterfinding out that Jim had reported his wife
missing, Carl rushed to the BearCreek Overlooked trail, hoping to find her.
(02:03:27):
However, she was nowhere. Tobe found. Jim Bramiker reported that
he and barbarahked the entire Bear Creekoverlook and stopped for lunch. During their
hike, they encountered two young menon the trail and spoke to them for
about half an hour. After finishingtheir meal, Jim and Barbara started to
head back to the trailhead. Atone point, Jim stopped to admire the
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view and looked back for around fortyfive seconds. When he turned back around,
he discovered that Barbara, who hadbeen walking ahead of him by about
twenty or thirty feet, had Despitecalling her name and searching the surrounding area,
Jim found no sign of Barbara orher backpack. As Jim was searching
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for Barbara around the Bear Creek overlookedtrail, he noticed that the area had
loose shale rock, which would havemade it difficult for anyone to move about
quietly. Despite this, Jim didn'thear any screams or cries for help,
which made it less likely that Barberhad fallen over the overlook. Jim eventually
gave up his search and headed backto the trailhead. However, he found
(02:04:31):
that the road leading to the trailheadwas closed for maintenance that day, and
construction workers were there. Jim brieflydescribed Barbara to them and asked if they
had seen her, but they saidthey had not. However, the workers
did recall seeing two young men witha black and white dog leave the trail
earlier. Jim reported Barbara missing shortlyafter this. After two weeks of intensive
(02:04:54):
searching an investigation, Ravalli County SheriffChris Hoffman said Barbara Ballock's disappearance was a
mystery. Quote we are perplexed.We have combed the area in the vicinity
of the disappearance very well. Notrace at all has been found. We
would like to verify, if wecan, that Ballock was even on the
mountain that day. End the quote. Now. Theories on Barbara's disappearance ranged
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from an intentional disappearance to an animalattack to foul play. Barbara Ballock was
last seen near the Bear Creek Overlookin the Bitterroot Mountains west of Victor in
Montana on Wednesday, July eighteenth,two thousand and seven. She's described as
a Caucasian female, standing five feettall, weighing one hundred and fifteen pounds,
(02:05:40):
with brown eyes and red or auburnhair. She has pierced ears,
and was last seen wearing a pastelcolored shirt, tan shorts, and carrying
a black colored backpack. Anyone withany information regarding Barbara's disappearance or whereabouts is
asked to contact Missoula County Sheriff's OfficeSpecial Agent Leoli four zero six eight three
(02:06:00):
zero eight zero two zero or MissoulaCounty Sheriff's Office Special Agent Norman White at
four zero six eight three zero sevenzero zero six or Ravelli County Sheriff's Office
Lieutenant Za Hudson at four zero sixthree seven five four zero two zero.
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Next, we have Arvin Walter Nelson. On August sixth, twenty fourteen,
fifty one year old Avid hiker ArvinWalter Nelson was dropped off by a friend
at China Camp near Tassahara Road,high and deep in the Los Padres National
Forest. Arvin had lived in theBig Sur area for years and was familiar
(02:06:44):
with the surrounding wilderness areas. Hewas possibly en route to Pine Valley,
Pine Falls or the Black Cone Trail. Arvin was supposed to finish his hike
at Big Shar Station from Sikes andthe Pine Ridge trail and contact his friends
on August fourteen. When Arvin failedto arrive at the Big Search station on
August fourteen as expected, a massivesearch and rescue operation was initiated. On
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August sixteen, the Monterey County Sheriff'sDepartment, in cooperation with the National Guard,
US Force Service, California Highway Patrol, and the Coastguard, scoured the
area with helicopters, dogs, andground crews. Despite their best efforts,
the search and rescue operation was unsuccessfulin finding Arvin. Sadly, authorities were
(02:07:30):
forced to call off the search forArvin on August twenty five. Commander John
Thornberg of the Monterey County Sheriff's Officesaid, quote the reason the search has
been going on as long as ithas a He's an experienced hiker, He
took equipment with him, and heplanned to be gone for a long time
end quote. Commander Thornburg also saidArvin may have gotten lost or injured,
(02:07:53):
and he may have been waiting forsearch teams to find him. He had
food, water, and equipment foran extended stay in the wilderness, but
he was hiking in a large wildernessarea with dense vegetation cover. The last
people to see Arvin may have beenJack English, who lived for thirteen years
in an isolated cabin in the VentanaWilderness, and his son Dennis, according
(02:08:15):
to Stan Russell. Russell said DennisonJack had gone out to visit their cabin
in Pine Valley on August sixth,A couple hours after they arrived. Dennis
was sitting inside the cabin playing guitarwith his father, Jack English. He
heard a voice outside asking to approachthe cabin. It was Arvin, who
had heard the guitar playing and cameup and introduced himself. Dennis welcomed him
(02:08:39):
in and befriended Arvin. They hungout, played music, and hiked around
Pine Valley for a couple of days. Dennis and Jack were picked up by
helicopter on the eighth, leaving PineValley. Arvin saw them off. He
told Dennis he was going to bestaying through Saturday, the ninth, and
then hiking the eleven miles to Sikeson Sunday morning, the tenth. Arvind
(02:09:01):
Walter Nelson is described as an AfricanAmerican male, standing six foot three inches
tall and weighing two hundred pounds.He has black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing brown hikingboots, a dark blue backpack, and
was carrying leather flip flop sandals.Anyone with any information regarding Arvin's disappearance or
(02:09:22):
whereabouts is asked to contact the MontereyCounty Sheriff's Department at A three to one
seven seven five three seven two twoin reference case number one four dash zero
five three zero one next. DavidDave Cook. On September nineteenth, twenty
(02:09:43):
sixteen, forty nine year old DavidDave Cook, an accomplished mountaineer from Albuquerque,
New Mexico, was going for hisforty seventh summit of a fourteen er
by solo climbing either Pyramid Peak,Maroon Peak, or North Maroon Peak,
or possibly all three in the WhiteRiver National Forest in Aspen, Colorado.
(02:10:03):
Dave, a former marine with awealth of experience in the back country,
was well equipped for this trip.Unfortunately, when Dave failed to return home,
his family immediately knew something was wrong. His wife, Marine described Dave
as a kind and caring person whowouldn't just leave his family. Dave was
(02:10:24):
reported missing to the Pitkin County Sheriff'sOffice on Tuesday, September twenty, twenty
sixteen. During the investigation, deputieslearned that Dave arrived at the Maroon Bells
snow Massed Wilderness area shortly after elevenam on Monday, September nineteenth. Dave
was seen on Monday September nineteenth hikingnear the trail to Maroon Peak. Additionally,
(02:10:46):
Dave's cell phone pinged cell towers andAspen and Gunson Counties later on Monday.
The Sheriff's office set is not unusualfor cell phones and high elevations to
ping sell towers from the wilderness.Dave was also reported to have been seen
on Tuesday morning by a US ForestService employee near Maroon Lake, the last
confirmed sighting of him. This sightingand other details directed search teams to focus
(02:11:09):
their effort in the Maroon Bell's snowMassed Wilderness area. After eight days of
searching with no results, the PitkinCounty Sheriff's Office suspended the search. The
incident management team conducted multiple ground andair searches over the eight days following Dave's
disappearance. In the wake of Dave'smysterious disappearance, Maurene, Dave's wife,
(02:11:31):
and other members of Dave's family setup the Dave Gives Back campaign to help
raise funds and awareness for search andrescue teams in Colorado and New Mexico.
Maureene wants to ensure that Dave isnot forgotten and that other families do not
have to endure the same ordeal.David Dave Cook is described as a Caucasian
(02:11:52):
mail approximately five foot ten inches tall, one hundred and seventy five pounds,
with short, brown and graying hair, and light eyes. He was last
seen wearing an earth tone colored shirt, a blue jacket, a black backpack,
and khaki pants. Coke was reportedlycarrying a blue climbing helmet and is
described by his friends and family asfriendly and outgoing. The Pitkin County Sheriff's
(02:12:16):
Office requests anyone with any information regardingDave's disappearance or current whereabouts to please contact
them at nine seven zero nine twozero five three zero zero. Next,
we have delmert Wayne Sample. DelmertWayne Sample, a fifty three year old
pharmacist, was a well known andrespected community member in on Alaska, Washington.
(02:12:41):
He was an avid out doorsman andwas always in good shape. He
loved spending his weekends in the wilderness, but always remembered to keep in touch
with his family and co workers.Delmert was also known to make last minute
changes to his plans, but healways informed those who needed to know.
Therefore, it was highly unnews usualwhen he went missing and didn't show up
for work. His family and friendsknew that something was wrong and began to
(02:13:05):
worry. On the weekend of Marchfour, two thousand and five, Delmert
planned a RESTful trip to the woods. According to witnesses, he was seen
at a gas station around eleven amon March four at the intersection of Interstate
five and Harrison in Centralia, Washington. Is believed that delmer then continued his
journey to Tillamook, Oregon. However, three days passed without any contact from
(02:13:30):
delmer and when he failed to showup for work, his employer reported him
missing. A press release by TheChronicle reported that an employee at the Chehalis
Walmart failed to show up for work. The Lewis County Sheriff's office was notified
the situation. The article also mentionsthat the employee delmer had never taken an
unexcused absence in the fifteen years he'dworked at Walmart. As a result,
(02:13:56):
the Lewis County Sheriff's Office launched aninvestigation and initiated a search for Delmer.
Delmer's friends were interviewed extensively, andthis is where the police would obtain their
first clue. Delmar told his friendsthat he planned to travel to Tillamook,
Oregon, over the weekend of Marchfourth, two thousand and five, to
visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Tillamookis around one hundred and fifty eight miles
(02:14:20):
from Old Alaska and would have takenalmost three hours to drive there. With
this new lead, investigators focused theirefforts on Tillamook and the roads that Delmer
would have taken to get there.During the early stages of the investigation,
officers received an important tip. Accordingto records, Delmer's red and white nineteen
ninety two Ford Ranger pickup truck hadbeen inspected by a park ranger in the
(02:14:43):
Olympic National Park close to Lake Quino. The ranger taken not of the vehicle,
as had been parked there for quitesome time. Only after Delmer's disappearance
was reported through the National Missing PersonsDatabase to the ranger and investigators connected dots.
Over the next few days, theLewis County Sheriff's Office searched the wilderness
in Olympic National Park, and twodays after Delmer was reported missing on March
(02:15:07):
seventh, a new discovery was made. On March nine, the Lewis County
Sheriff's Office and the Jefferson County Sheriff'sOffice found Delmer's abandoned nineteen ninety two Ford
Ranger in a roadside pullout on SouthShore Road near Lake Quinnock. Unfortunately,
Delmer was nowhere to be found,and the only items in his truck were
(02:15:28):
his sleeping bag and food. TheLewis County Sheriff's Office was joined by the
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, as wellas search and rescue teams from Jefferson,
kits Up, Grace, Harbor,and Clallam Counties. After discovering his truck,
investigators continued searching an Olympic National Park. However, despite their best efforts,
(02:15:48):
no sign of Delmer has ever beenfound. Now, some speculate that
Delmer may be a victim of theinfamous Israel Keys Reddit user u slash sleuthings.
Something commented on a thread quote,I knew Dell. He went to
my church in Schahallis and worked asa pharmacist at our local walmart. He
said he was going to the tulmulkfactory in Oregon, yet his truck was
(02:16:11):
found north near Lake Quinnaul They founda diet mountain dew bottle beside it.
Israel Keys was known to be anavid diet mountain dew drinker, but Dell
didn't think synthetic drinks were healthy anddidn't drink any soda. Keyes also lived
in Nea Bay at the time,frequently camped near Lake Quino, and he
can't be accounted for in the daysleading up to Dell going missing end quote.
(02:16:35):
Since Delmer disappeared in two thousand andfive, little progress has been made
in his case, but his lovedones remained hopeful. Delmer weigh and sample
is described as a Caucasian male,standing five foot eight inches tall, weighing
one hundred and eighty pounds, withgray brown hair and hazel or blue eyes.
(02:16:56):
Delmer had a beard and mustache atthe time of his disappearance. He
has a scar on his big toeand a healed fracture on his left arm
and he won. With any informationregarding Delmer's disappearance of whereabouts as asked to
contact the Lewis County Sheriff's Office atthree zero six seven four eight nine two
eight six in reference case zero fiveC two seven seven four. Next,
(02:17:24):
we have the case of Patricia SuePatty Towhurst. Patricia Patty Towhurst, a
forty eight year old woman who ownedPatty Shack Restaurant in East Sonora, California,
was known for her kind and lovingnature. Unfortunately, she faced financial
hardships which took a toll on herboth physically and mentally. On April eighteen,
(02:17:45):
twenty fourteen, Patty was lasting intwain Hart, California. However,
she was in contact with her friendsafter that. On April twentieth, twenty
fourteen, she wrote a letter toher friends informing them that she was going
to Kennedy Meadows, which is locatedalong the Pacific Crest Trail desert, and
was going to quote put her feetin the water end quote. Kennedy Meadows
(02:18:09):
is often referred to as the PromisedLand, as hikers have to hike over
seven hundred miles to reach this beautifulsite. When Patty later failed to contact
her friends and family. The TuolommeeCounty Sheriff's Office was notified that she was
missing and initiated a search. Twodays into the investigation, a clue was
discovered. On April twenty two,twenty fourteen, Patty's white Toyota fore Runner
(02:18:33):
was found unoccupied at don Elvistapoint onHighway one O eight. Her purse and
other personal items were found inside thevehicle. There were no clues as to
where Patty might have gone, andthe Sheriff's office thoroughly searched the surrounding areas.
Unfortunately, these searches yielded no results, and as of twenty twenty four
(02:18:54):
Patty remains missing. Patricia Siue PattyTolhurst is described as as a Caucasian female,
approximately five foot seven to five footeight inches tall, between one hundred
and twenty one hundred and thirty pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes.
She has a scar on her ankleand a scar on her left cheek that
resembles a dimple. Paddy was lastseen wearing a black pull over top,
(02:19:16):
blue jeans, a brown leather necklacewith a charm, and a California State
University at Santas LAU two thousand andsix Class ring. Anyone with any information
regarding Patty's disappearance or current whereabouts hasasked to contact the Twallhomee County Sheriff's Office
at two zero nine five three threefive eight five five and reference case number
(02:19:37):
C one four DASH one one eightfour and now the case of Paul Calucci.
Sixty year old Paul Calucci was lastseen on September eighth, twenty twenty
one, at the Rolling Brook Campgroundin Baxter State Park, Maine. He
had booked a two nights day atthe Russell Pond campground had arrived there around
(02:20:01):
nine forty five am on September eight. He parked his light green twenty fifteen
Toyota Prius at the Roaring Brook parkinglot where intended to leave it during his
stay. The vehicle was backed inwith a key fab inside and it was
unlocked. A park ranger spoke toPaul some time between ten thirty eleven am
regarding the park and Paul's plans forthe trip. After the conversation, Paul
(02:20:26):
continued on the trail toward Russell Pondand was not seen or heard from again.
The day after, on September nine, Paul's family received concerning letters prompting
authorities to initiate a search. Despiteextensive efforts by park rangers, officers,
and volunteers to find any clues,paulse whereabouts remain unknown. Paul Calucchi is
(02:20:48):
described as a Caucasian male, standingfive foot ten inches tall and weighing between
one hundred and fifty two hundred andsixty pounds. He has gray hair and
blue eyes. He was last seenwearing a red long sleeved shirt, tan
shorts with a tan belt, adark hat, and gray slash green hiking
boots. Pault was also carrying abackpack and a rifle. Anyone with any
(02:21:11):
information regarding Paul's disappearance or whereabouts hasasked to contact the Main State Police at
two zero seven five three two fivefour zero zero and reference case number two
zero two to one dash five totwo Dash ten. Next, we have
the disappearance of Jung Yon one.According to the National Park Service, forty
(02:21:35):
five year Jean Yan Juan's white Toyotacamery was found abandoned at Moran Point on
the south rim of Grand Canyon NationalPark on September seventeenth, twenty seventeen.
Investigators also found that his car hadbeen seen near the New Hands trailhead,
but nobody could confirm if jiang Yanwas in or around the vehicle. Joan
(02:21:56):
Yon has been missing ever since.Information is available regarding his disappearance. John
Young one is described as an Asianmale five foot seven inches tall, one
hundred and twenty one pounds, withblack hair and brown eyes. Anyone with
information is asked to police contact theNational Park Service at a day eight sixty
(02:22:18):
five three zero zero zero nine.And lastly, we have the case of
Daniel Lynn Dan Campbell. Tracy RBwas eagerly waiting to meet her boyfriend Daniel
Lynn Dan Campbell, who was fortytwo years old, in the Jardine area
outside of Yelstone National Park on Aprilsixth, nineteen ninety one. The couple
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lived in sweet Grass County, Montanaand had big plans for the future.
Two days before their meetup, onApril fourth, Dan had entered the park
with his loyal dog to search forel candlers. On that day, Dan
had entered Yelstone National Park and wasdropped off with this one year old old
Australian shepherd healer mix named Freckles atthe hell Roying Creek trailhead. Unfortunately,
(02:23:07):
this was the last time anyone sawor heard from him. On April eighth,
nineteen ninety one, he was officiallyreported missing and a search and rescue
effort was launched. According to sources, Dan only packed a small amount of
gear as he did not plan onstaying in the park for law. As
the weather changed and thunderstorms rolled in, concerns about his safety and well being
(02:23:28):
grew. Despite being experienced outdoorsman withextensive knowledge and pole cutting, Dan stood
a little chance against the elements withoutproper equipment and clothing. During the search,
authorities failed to uncover any sign ofDan or Freckles, which led his
family to believe that he had metwith foul play. In the months after
(02:23:48):
his disappearance, Dan's brother Billy Campbelltold the Helena Independent Record quote, he
had been running with some pretty shadycharacters. I'm not saying he's an angel
because he's not. Quote. Hisyounger brother, Rod Campbell, further told
the Deseret News in July nineteen ninetyone, quote, if Dan's in the
park, he's buried. I don'tthink Dan is alive. How that demise
(02:24:13):
came, Well, I've got alot of mixed emotions about it. End
quote. Now, there were rumorsthat Dan ran away to start a new
life, but his family denied them. They stated he was going to inherit
a large sum of money, whichhe planned to use to buy a new
house. Due to the lack ofupdates in Dan's case, his family grew
increasingly frustrated with law enforcement. InFebruary two thousand, they filed a federal
(02:24:37):
lawsuit against Park County Sheriff Charlie Johnson. According to news reports, the lawsuit
stated that Sheriff Johnson quote breached hislegal duty to properly and competently conduct the
investigation relating to the disappearance of DanCampbell end quote. As of twenty twenty
four, no trace of Dan Campbellor his dog, Freckles has been Dan
(02:25:01):
Campbell is described as a Caucasian malefive foot seven inches tall, one hundred
and thirty pounds, with brown hairand green eyes. Dan has a healed
fracture on his left hand, ascar on his chin, a scar on
his upper right arm, and agap between his front teeth. Anyone with
any information is as to contact asweet Grass County Sheriff's Office at four zero
(02:25:24):
six nine three to two five onefour three for the Park County Sheriff's Office
at four zero six two two twotwo zero five zero in reference case number
nine one dash six zero. Well, friends, there you have it.
What do you think of these strangewilderness disappearances? As always, I look
(02:25:48):
forward to your comments, but pleasekeep it friendly and respectful until we meet
again. Be good to yourselves andeach other. Stay safe out there.
As for me, I'll see youa little further on down the trail.
I'm Steve Stockton, and I'll talkto you next time. And please tell
your animals I said. Hi,Hello friends, Steve Stockton here with you.
(02:26:52):
Welcome to our latest episode. Thistime we bring you wildlife and care
in National parks. Now, seeingwildlife and national parks is compelling, but
it is important to remember that theyare wild and can be dangerous to provoked.
Visitors are responsible for their own safetyand the animals safety too. In
(02:27:16):
this episode, we'll explore some potentialwildlife encounters in our national parks. Join
me, let's walk and see.First off, the American bison. Now,
bison are not just America's largest landmammal. They're also an integral part
(02:27:39):
of American history, embodying the strongand resilient characteristics of the American people.
That is why they were declared ourNational Mammal in twenty sixteen. At one
point, bison numbered thirty million andwere found all over the United States as
well as in Canada and Mexico.However, they were hunted to near extinction,
(02:28:00):
leaving only a few hundred by theeighteen seventies. With ongoing conservation efforts,
they're currently nineteen herds in twelve statesacross the mare complaints. No other
wildlife species has had as much impacton humans and the ecosystems they occupied as
bison. Bison are known to movearound in response to changing environmental conditions,
(02:28:22):
including drought and deep snows that canmake it challenging to find food and water,
as well as threats like hunting,predation, severe weather, and biding
insects. In addition to movement,masin also exhibit other behaviors such as horning,
which involves rubbing their horns on objectslike trees and shrubs, and wallowing,
(02:28:43):
where they roll in dry, looseground or use their hopes to create
walls in which they can roll.These behaviors help bison avoid biting insects and
display aggressive behaviors. Yellowstone National Parkis home to bison their free roam the
area. Visitors should be aware thatgetting too close to these massive herbivores can
(02:29:05):
cause injuries or even fatalities. Despitewarnings and guidelines, some visitors underestimate bison's
agility and speed, approach them tooclosely for a photograph, or ignore safety
precautions altogether. It is essential tobe mindful of potential danger and respect the
animal's space to avoid harm. Accordingto the National Park Service, bison are
(02:29:28):
responsible for injuring more people than anyother animal in Yellowstone National Park. They're
known for being unpredictable and can runthree times faster than humans. Always maintain
a safe distance of at least twentyfive yards when near bison is vital to
give them space, whether you're neara campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking
(02:29:48):
area, or developed area. Ifnecessary, you should turn around and avoid
interaction with them. Approaching bison canbe threatening and may cause them to bluff,
charge, bob their heads, potthe ground, bellow, or snort.
These warning signs indicate you're too closeand a charge may be imminent.
(02:30:09):
If the animal follows you, usebear spray as you move away. Research
shows that most bison attacks occurred duringJune and July. In July twenty twenty
three, a forty seven year oldwoman from Phoenix, Arizona, sustained significant
injuries to her chest and abdomen whena bison gored her at Yellowstone National Park.
(02:30:31):
According to The New York Times,the woman was walking with another person
in front of a lodging on thenorth shore of Yeostone Lake when they encountered
to bison. The women turned towalk away, but the National Park Service
said one of the bison charged.Also in July of twenty twenty three,
another woman was seriously injured by bisonwhile hiking at Theodore Roosevelt National Park,
(02:30:52):
according to park officials. Park officialsreported she was in serious but stable condition
after some offering significant injuries to abdomenand foot. According to CBS News,
in June twenty twenty two, abull bison going to thirty four year old
man after he moved too close.National Park Service officials said weeks earlier,
(02:31:15):
a bison had flung a twenty fiveyear old women ten feet into the air
after she came within ten feet ofthe animal. In twenty nineteen, a
nine year old girl was sent airbornefrom a bison's headbut that was captured on
video and shared on social media.National Park Service officials said that the girl
was part of a group that stoodwithin five to ten feet of the bison
(02:31:35):
for at least twenty minutes. Nextup rattlesnakes. Encounters with rattlesnakes pose a
significant risk in national parks, asthese venomous reptiles can turn a leisurely hike
into a life threatening situation. Theirhabitats often overlap with popular hiking trails and
camping areas, making the risk ofhuman snake interactions inevitable. These stealthy predators
(02:32:01):
blend seamlessly into their surroundings, makingthem difficult to spot even for the most
vigilant part visitors. Rattlesnakes possess avenomous bite that serves both for hunting prey
and defending against potential threats. Whilefatalities from rattlesnake bites are relatively rare,
the consequences can be severe. Thevenom causes tissue damage, intense pain,
(02:32:26):
swelling, and in some cases,systemic effects such as nausea, dizziness,
and difficulty breathing. Immediate medical attentionis crucial to minimize the impact of a
rattlesnake bite. One of the mostchallenging aspects of dealing with rattlesnakes is their
unpredictable behavior. While some snakes maygive warning science for their characteristic rattling sound,
(02:32:48):
others may strike without any prior indication. Factors such as temperature, time
and day, and the snake's moodcan influence its behavior, adding an extra
life of uncertainty from suspecting park visitors. Encounters between humans and rattlesnakes can lead
to conflict, as fear and panicmay drive individuals to take unnecessary risk to
(02:33:11):
attempt to handle the snake. Disturbingor provoking a rattlesnake increases the likelihood of
a defensive bite, escalating the dangerfor both parties involved. Rattlesnake bites usually
happen when humans try to harm orcapture them. Now it's important to note
that rattlesnakes can strike accurately at adistance of up to one third of their
body length, about twenty five percentof rattlesnake bites are dry, meaning no
(02:33:37):
venom was injected. Although rattlesnake bitesare rare, they do require immediate medical
attention when they happen. National Parkofficials prioritize public safety by implementing measures such
as informative signage, educational programs atsnake bite first aid training. If a
rattlesnake bites you, staying calm andsee king Immediate medical attention is crucial.
(02:34:03):
If possible. Gently cleaned the byearea with soap and water, and remove
any tight jewelry like rings or watchesthat could increase swelling. Keep the affected
area immobilized and below the level ofthe heart. Taking a picture of the
snake can help medical professionals determine thenecessary action. On August twenty seventh,
twenty twenty, the Lsemite Emergency CommunicationsCenter received a notification from a National Emergency
(02:34:26):
Coordinating Center about a backpacker in theGlenalland area. According to USA Today,
the backpacker used their satellite messenger deviceon behalf of another hiker requesting assistance for
a quote snake emergency end quote.According to the National Park Service, USA
Today reported that the previous day,around two thirty pm, another hiker,
(02:34:50):
a barefoot man in his mid thirties, was bitten by a rattlesnake while fishing
in the Grand Canyon of the twoalumni, the man stepped onto a rock,
causing it to shit under his weight, which alerted at rattlesnake hiding beneath
the rock, and the snake bithim on his left foot. USA Today
said the individual was backpacking with hiswife when they attempted to hike together to
(02:35:11):
get help. However, he soonrealized he was unable to continue walking.
His wife saved their location on herphone and later reported the coordinates to the
park rescuers, which helped the respondingCalifornia Highway Patrol helicopters located him quickly,
according to USA Today, while theman's wife went hiking for help, another
(02:35:31):
backpacker stayed with him until help arrived. After being airlifted to the park's hellabase
at Crane Flat, the man wastransferred to an ambulance. USA Today said
a paramedic team treated him for dehydration, nausea, and pain. He was
then taken to an air ambulance,which flew him to a hospital in modesto.
(02:35:52):
The individual received two doses of anavenumand was expected to be discharged the
following day. Artificials said, next, we have mountain lions now. The
mountain lion is a majestic feline speciesnative to the Americas, known by several
names such as cougar, puma,or catamount. It can be found in
(02:36:15):
national parks from California to Texas.The mountain lion is a solitary and elusive
predator that has fascinated the imagination forcenturies. Still, its presence in national
parks has recently sparked debates about itspotential dangers to wildlife and park visitors.
Mountain lions date back thousands of years, with these magnificent cats playing a significant
(02:36:37):
role in the folklore and mythology ofindigenous cultures across the Americas. Revered as
symbols of power, agility, andministery, mountain lions were often portrayed as
spiritual beings, guardians, or tricksters. Mountain lions are carnivores that mainly prey
on deer and eat small animals likeporcupines, rabbits, squirrel marmots, and
(02:36:58):
skunks. Indigenous people recognize these apexpredators important role in maintaining ecosystem balance.
The growth of recreational activities within nationalparks poses new challenges for wildlife management authorities
and visitors. Instances of mountain lionattacks on humans are uncommon, However,
when they do occur, the outcomescan be severe. The National Park Service
(02:37:24):
suggests following these safety tips. Donot approach a mountain lion. Mountain lions
will typically avoid confrontation and fleet whengiven an escape route. Do not run
from a mountain lion, as itmay elicit its instinct to pursue. Instead,
stand and face it while maintaining eyecontact. If you have small children
with you, try to pick themup so they don't pat it and run
(02:37:46):
away. While doing so. Avoidbending over or turning away from the mountain
lion, even if it feels awkward. This will help you appear a larger
and more intimidating, reducing the chancesof an attack. It's not advisable to
crouch down or bend over, asa human standing upright is not the ideal
shape for a big cat's prey.On the other hand, a person whose
(02:38:09):
quats or bends over appears like afour legged animal. Which may attract a
mountain lion. If you come acrossa mountain line, make yourself look larger
to avoid being attacked. You cando this by raising your arms and even
opening your jacket if you're wearing one. Again, be sure to pick up
any small children with you and throwstones, branches, or any other objects
(02:38:31):
you can find without bending down orturning your back. The ultimate goal is
to convince the mountain line that youare not easy prey or that you pose
a threat to it. If youare attacked, it is vital to fight
back. In southern California, ahiker is able to protect his sun from
a mountain lion attacked by using arock to defend himself. Other people have
(02:38:52):
also been able to successfully fend offmountain lions using items such as sticks,
caps, jackets, garden tools,and even the bare hands. As mountain
lions typically try to bite their victimshead or neck, is recommended that you
remain standing and face the animal duringan attack. If you spot a mountain
lion, immediately report it to apark ranger. According to the Los Angeles
(02:39:15):
Times, in July twenty twenty three, an eight year old boy survived to
whit national Park officials called an extraordinarilyrare mountain lion attack and Olympic National Park,
leading to camper evaluations and several trailclosures as experts search for the animal.
Park officials received reports that a childhad been attacked by a mountain lion
(02:39:35):
while camping with his mother at LakeAngels in the Heart of the Hills area.
The cougar casually abandoned its attack afterbeing yelled and screamed at by the
child's mother. Park officials said thechild sustained minor injuries. It was taken
to a nearby hospital for medical attention, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In September twenty twenty two, awoman survived a mountain lion attack while trail
(02:39:58):
running with a friend on the pipelinetrail in Mill Creek Canyon. According to
the Salt Lake Tribune, as themountain lion approached, the woman closest to
it attempted to retreat, but theanimal pounced on her. She lost her
footing and fell backward, and thebig cat scratched her, causing two puncture
wounds on her right leg. Accordingto Faith Jolly, a spokesperson with a
(02:40:22):
Utah Division of wildlife resources. Theother runner hit the big cat with the
rock, and the two women wereable to get away and hike down the
trail together. The pair then callednine to one one. First responders examined
the woman's wounds, and then herfriend took her to a nearby hospital.
According to the spokesperson Jolly, thewoman was in stable condition and her wounds
(02:40:43):
were not life threatening. Next up, Sharks, the apex predators of the
world's oceans, have roamed the Earthfor over four hundred million years. These
magnificent creatures have evolved into a diversegroup, with over five hundred species,
ranging in size from the small dwarflantern shark to the mighty oil shark.
(02:41:05):
Despite their awe inspiring presence and crucialrole in marine ecosystems, sharks often find
themselves at the center of controversy,especially when it comes to their interactions with
humans in national parks. While sharkattacks are rare, certain national parks along
coastlines, such as Everglades National Park, are home to these majestic but potentially
(02:41:26):
dangerous creatures. Swimmers and surfers shouldheed warnings and take necessary precautions. The
National Park Service says swimming and snorkelingare prohibited in all canals, ponds,
lakes, and boat basins within EvergladesNational Park. If you do find yourself
swimming in an area prone to sharks, stay close to the shore, swim,
(02:41:46):
paddle, and surf in groups.Avoid places where there are seals or
schooling fish. Avoid murky or lowvisibility water. Avoid wearing shiny jewelry,
limit splashing, avoid swimming at dawnor dust when the lighting is low.
He adhere to all signage at beaches, and follow lifeguard instructions. In June
(02:42:07):
twenty twenty three, a visitor toEverglades's National Park reported being bitten while washing
his hands in the water in FloridaBay, The National Park Service said in
a statement. The park ranger whotreated the man said the injury was consistent
with a shark bite. According toofficials, these attacks are extremely uncommon for
Everglade's National Park. The individual wastreated by a ranger and taken to an
(02:42:28):
area hospital. A report by ABCNews stated that a video the shark attack
was shared on social media. TheNational Park Service verified that the video captured
the reported incident. The video showsthe shark jumping out of the water and
biting the fisherman's hand. After theattack, the shark drags a man into
the water, but other fishermen quicklypull him back onto the boat. On
(02:42:52):
October one, twenty twenty three,the National Park Service said fifty two euro
Felix Najai was swimming with friends offWildcat Beach at Point Raised National Seashore when
he went missing. His friends toldofficials that a shark was seen in the
area, along with blood of thewater where Felix vanished. An extensive search
for the US Coastguard, Meren CountySheriff's Office, Wren County Fire Department,
(02:43:16):
and Stenson Beach Fire Department found nosigns of Felix. National Park officials said
he was presumed deceased. Next upbears. Bears have a long and fascinating
evolutionary history, dating back millions ofyears. The modern bear family comprises eight
species, each with unique adaptations totheir specific environments. Over time, these
(02:43:41):
creatures have developed diverse characteristics to surviveand thrive in different ecosystems. In ancient
civilizations, bears were often revered assymbols of strength, courage, and wisdom.
Many Native American tribes considered bear sacredand incorporated them into their folklore and
spiritual practices. Similarly, in Europeancultures, bears were prominent figures in myths
(02:44:03):
and legends, often representing both thepower of nature and the unknown Wilderness.
Bears are essential for the health andbalance of their ecosystems, hence they are
considered keystone species. They play avital role in dispersing seeds, which increases
plant diversity and regulates prey populations.Due to their omnivorous diet, bears impact
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both plant and animal communities, shapingthe landscape in ways that contribute to overall
biodiversity. Now, national parks providea haven for wildlife, but the presence
of both bears and humans in theseprotected areas has created challenges. With more
humans venturing into national parks, there'san increased likelihood of human bearer confrontations,
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raising concerns about the safety of bothspecies. Bears are territorial animals and may
become hostile if they feel threatened orsense of potential food source. The National
Park Service recommends several practices to ensuresafety in bear country. One of the
most important of these is to neverhike alone. Instead, it is recommended
that you hike in groups of threeor more and talk while hiking. Is
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also vital to carry bear spray andnever leave your pack unattended. Bears that
come across human food and packs canbecome habituated to it and become problematic in
the future. Stay on maintain trails. Research conducted in Yellowstone National Park found
that people are more likely to havebear encounters when they venture off trail,
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so all food and items of afood like smell away from your tent.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, cooking and keeping food at least one
hundred yards away from your tent isrecommended. If you encounter a bear unexpectedly
and surprising, remain calm and backaway slowly by avoiding direct eye contact.
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Running from a surprise bear may triggera predatory reaction, so it's best to
avoid running all again. Similarly,climbing a tree is not recommended, as
bears are excellent climbers. Speak slowlyand calming to the bear while slowly waving
your arms to show that you area human and not pray. If you
have small children or pets with you, pick them up immediately. Keep an
(02:46:16):
eye on the bear as you leavethe area. Bluff charges are attacked accused
by bears to scare or intimidate.To bluff charge, a bear will raise
its head and ears forward and puffup to appear more prominent. Then it
will bound towards you on its frontpaws and giant leaps, but usually stop
short or veer off to one side. It's common for bears to retreat after
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a bluff charge, or they maymake loud vocalizations. It's important to remember
that aggressive bear charges can be verydangerous. If you see a bear yawning,
clacking its teeth, pounding its frontpaws on the ground, and huffing,
these are clear warning signs. Thesebehaviors indicate that the bear is stressed
(02:47:00):
and may be preparing to attack.It will have its head down, ear
is pointed back, and it maycharge it you with full force. Be
ready to defend yourself and take precautionsto protect yourself from harm. If a
black bear charges at you, it'scrucial to fight back. Do not play
dead. Directly, punch and kickat the bear's face, and use any
(02:47:20):
weapons you can find, such asrocks, branches, or bear spray to
defend yourself. If a grizzly orbrown bear charges you in attacks, the
best action is to play dead.Do not attempt to fight back. Instead,
cover your head and neck with yourarms and hands, lie flat on
your stomach, and spread your legsapart. Keep your pack on as it
(02:47:41):
can help protect you during the attack. Wait for several minutes until you're sure
that the bear is gone. Itis important to note that fighting back during
an attack from a grizzly or abrown bear will usually worsen the attack,
but if it persists, fight backwith everything you Haverding to Emily E.
Smith of Smithsonian Magazine, on Augusttwelve, nineteen sixty seven, two nineteen
(02:48:05):
year olds Julie Hegelson and Michelle Coonswere on separate overnight backpacking trips in Glacier
National Park. Smith said both womenworked in one of the park's lodges for
the summer. Smith said Julie andher friend Roy Doucat hiked the high Line
trail from Logan Pass for approximately eightmiles till they reached the Granite Park chalet.
They ate, packed meals, watchedthe sunset, and went to bed
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around seven pm. According to Smith, the grizzly bear approached the campers shortly
after midnight. Julie saw the bearand woke Roy, advising him to play
dead. The grizzly knocked him outof their sleeping bags and attacked him,
biting each of them. The bearthen dragged Julie about one hundred yards away
and focused on her. Someone helpless, She screamed Roy, his arm badly
(02:48:52):
injured, ran to wake up othercampers nearby. Smith said a helicopter arrived
shortly after with medical supplies. Ranger, who feared putting more visitors at risk,
held up the search party. Nearlytwo hours passed before the searchers went
to rescue Julie. Roy was takento an area hospital. A ranger with
a rifle in the search group followeda blood trail downhill from the campsite.
(02:49:16):
Smith said they found Julie face downnot far away. A doctor staying at
the chalet rushed to her, aidit hurts, Julie said multiple times.
The group carried her back to thechalet, where a helicopter would arrive to
take her to an area hospital.She reached the chalet by three forty five
am, but sadly passed away beforemaking it to the hospital. Smith said
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that as Julie and Roy left fortheir hike, Michelle Coons joined four other
park employees on an eight mile expeditionto Trout Lake. A grizzly stumbled upon
their campsite around eight pm. Asthey cooked dinner. The campers ran away
and waited as the bear ate theirfood and soon sped away with one of
their backpacks. When it was sothe party hauled their gear to the beach.
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They built a fire and got intotheir sleeping bags. Smith writes around
at four thirty am, the grizzlyreturned to Michelle's campsite. It sniffed around,
bit into one of the young men'ssleeping bags, and claud his sweatshirt.
The campers climbed up trees and yelledfor Michelle to join them, but
before she could, the bear toreinto her sleeping bag and began dragging her
(02:50:22):
away. He's got my arm off, the others heard her. Yell,
Oh God, I'm dead, shescreamed. The party stayed in the trees
for about an hour and a halfbefore running down the trail to the closest
stranger station. Smith reported the rangers, Leonard Landa and Burt Gildart knew Julie's
incident hours before they went to sleep. Gildart responded to calls for help over
(02:50:43):
the radio and dispatched emergency responders,while Landa stayed awake monitoring the radio.
Both men were informed of the mauling. Later that morning. Smith said,
Landa and Gildart were sent to searchfor Michelle. Landa left first with some
of Michelle's fellow hikers, and Gildhartsoon joined them. We were all a
little spooked by this time. Gildartsaid, here's a bear that's pulled a
(02:51:07):
girl out of a sleeping bag.What kind of a creature is this?
Juliet was located and there lifted outof the area by helicopter, but sadly,
she did not survive. Smith saidthe day after the attacks, Gildart
and Landa were sent to look forthe bear at Trout Lake. Gildart saw
it at four am when he steppedoutside of the patrol cabin where the men
were spending the night. He calledfor Landa to bring a weapon. Within
(02:51:31):
minutes, the bear charged to himand both men fired, eradicating it.
Smith said Glacier National Park implemented astrict pack in pack out policy. After
the attacks, dumps were eliminated andvisitors were ticketed for feeding bears or having
messy campsites. When grizzlies were spottedon trails, those areas were closed until
(02:51:52):
the bears moved on. The parkposted warnings and tips on bear safety,
and forced rules for food storage andinstalled called bear proof trash cans. Smith
also said that the park created anoff the ground storage system for backcountry campers
and a permint system that limit tothe number of campers in the back country,
requiring them to sleep in designated campsitesfar from cooking areas. Next,
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we have crocodiles and alligators. Now, crocodiles and alligators belong to a group
of reptiles known as crocodilians, thelargest living reptiles. They reside in Everglades
National Park, Coastal Park units inGeorgia and South Carolina, and throughout the
Gulf Coast States. Of the twentythree different species of crocodilians in the world,
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only two are native to the UnitedStates, and both of these species
coexist only in South Florida. TheAmerican alligator is found throughout the southeastern United
States, while American crocodiles live inthe coastal areas of South Florida. The
American crocodile is lizard like with along tail and forced legs. Their narrow
(02:53:01):
snout is triangular, with movable skinflaps to protect their ears. Males can
reach up to twenty feet long,while females are usually eight to twelve feet
long. Alligators are more abundant inFlorida than crocodiles. They're darker in color
and have a broader snout. Alligatorsare typically found in freshwater habitats. Now
Crocodiles are rare and secretive creatures thatinhabit coastal, brackish and salt water habitats.
(02:53:26):
Crocodiles inhabiting the Everglades rarely conflict withhumans. Both alligators and crocodiles are
ectothermic, meaning they rely on externalheat sources to regulate their body temperature.
They do this by basking in thesun or moving to an area with warmer
or cooler water. A basking crocodilemay be surprised by an approaching person and
(02:53:48):
quickly and noisily enter the water.This behavior might startle the person, but
it should not be misunderstood. Crocodilesnormally enter the water quietly. Splashing away
indicates that the crocodile is frightened andfeeling stressed. Crocodiles sometimes can be seen
running with their mouths open. Thisbehavior is a way of regulating body temperature
(02:54:09):
and does not mean that the crocodileis acting aggressively toward people. Necessarily,
if you encounter an animal hissing,it indicates that you are too close to
it, regardless of whether it's withinfifteen feet or farther away. Alligators and
crocodiles are more active at night intendto do most of their hunting from dust
to dawn. Although they may appearlike statues, sometimes they are alert living
(02:54:33):
creatures and can react quickly. Touchingan alligator is never a good idea.
Feeding or harassing an animal, includingthrowing objects at it, is considered a
criminal offense that carries a fine.Any action that disrupts the natural behavior of
an animal is considered harassment. InJanuary twenty twenty, an eighteen year old
college student on an excursion with aprofessor at Everglades National Park was bitten by
(02:54:58):
an alligator. According to CBS News, the student was swimming or waiting in
the water at a location known asthe Movie Dome near the Paheokei Trail when
she was bitten in the leg.Park official set. The young woman suffered
two punctured wounds to her leg andrefused to be transported by Miami Dade Fire
Rescue as she wanted to transport herself. The likelihood of being seriously injured during
(02:55:20):
an unprovoked alligator attack incident in Floridais roughly only one in three point one
million, according to the Florida Fishand Wildlife Conservation Commission. Now we have
elk elker, iconic symbols of nativeAmerican wildlife, known for their impressive antlers,
regal stature, and distinctive bugling callsduring the mating season. Elk had
(02:55:43):
become a central attraction for nature enthusiastsin national parks. Witnessing these creatures in
their natural habitat is undoubtedly a thrillingexperience, fostering a deeper connection between humans
and the natural world. While theallure of getting up and close and personal
with elk is undeniable, such encountersdo pose significant risk to both visitors and
(02:56:03):
the animals themselves. Elk or wildcreatures with unpredictable behaviors, especially during certain
times of the year, such asthe rutting season when males are more territorial
and aggressive. Approaching elk too closelycan trigger defensive reactions, leading to potential
human injuries and undue stress for theanimals. Injuries caused by oak encounters can
(02:56:24):
range from minor bruises to severe trauma, highlighting the importance of maintaining a safe
distance of at least twenty five yards. If an elk charges get away,
retreat to shelter in a building orvehicle, or behind a tall, sturdy
barrier as quickly as possible. Accordingto The Washington Post, on June three,
twenty eighteen, fifty one year oldYellowstone National Park employee Charlene Triplet was
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about twenty feet away from an elkthat was defending her calf when she was
attacked. The elk reportedly reared upand kicked Miss Triplet multiple times, with
its front legs hitting her head,torso and back. The National Park Service
set in a statement, Charlene's injurieswere severe, and she was flown to
the trauma center at Eastern Idaho RegionalMedical Center. According to the Washington Post
(02:57:11):
and lastly, moose, the mostprominent members of the deer family, are
renowned for their impressive size, permittableantlers, and seemingly noscile behavior. However,
despite their gentle appearance, moose arewild animals with an unpredictable nature.
In national parks, where they roamfreely, it's essential to comprehend their habits
(02:57:33):
and characteristics to ensure everyone's safety.Unpredictable charges and aggressive displays are not uncommon,
leading to potential injuries. While themost notable dangers of moose encounters is
their territorial nature, particularly during thebreeding season, bull moose in particular can
become highly aggressive when defending their territoryor pursuing a mate. Additionally, cow
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moose can fiercely protect their calves,using a threat to anyone perceived as a
potential threat. It's vital to keepa safe distance when viewing moose. Female
moose, especially those with calves,can be very protective and defensive. During
the summer, moose can easily blendinto their surroundings, making them difficult to
spot despite their large size. Theymay also stand their ground even when they
(02:58:22):
hear people approaching, therefore paying closeattention to your surroundings is crucial, especially
in areas where most are commonly found, such as willow thickets or near streams
and ponds. If you do stumbleupon a moose that has yet to detect
you, keep it that way,Talk to it softly, and move away
slowly, as if it knows you'rethere. Do not be aggressive. You
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want to convince the moose that youare not a threat. If you think
the moose will charge you, runaway or take cover behind something solid like
a tree. If you do comeacross the moose and its ears are laid
back and the long hairs on itshump are raised, it's a sign that
it might charge you. A MOSE'scharge is usually a warning, and you
should take it very seriously. Whena most bluff charges, it is already
(02:59:09):
agitated. If a most charges runaway, they usually will not chase you.
If they do, they will unlikelypursue you very far. If you
can outrun, get behind something solidlike a large rock or a tree.
If a moose knocks you down,curl up in a ball, protect your
head with your arms, and keepstill. Fighting back will only convince the
(02:59:31):
most that you may still be athreat. Only move once the mose is
backed off to a safe distance,or it may renew its attack. You
can help keep yourself and the mostsafe by respecting their space and habitat.
According to Yahoo Life, a couplevisiting Glacier National Park in September twenty twenty
three were frightened after getting too closeto bull moose. The pair were taking
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photos of the most by a lakewhen he spotted them and charged, driving
them back. The incident was recordedby another visitor, Liz Chang, who
was on the opposite bank. Themoose are in their rut right now,
and that bull have been running aroundfor a couple minutes trying to chase away
a baby so he could date tomama. Chang said in conclusion, when
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exploring nature is crucial to remember thatanimals play a significant role in the delicate
ecosystems we aim to preserve. Thesewild animals can be unpredictable, and something
as simple as a new scent orsound could cause them to run or even
charge. To assure both your safetyand theirs, each national park has specific
(03:00:37):
guidelines for visitors concerning the distance theymust maintain from animals. The guidelines suggesting
at least twenty five yards away frommost animals and one hundred yards away from
larger wildlife such as bears. However, please check with a specific park you're
visiting, as some require maintaining aminimum distance of fifty yards. Always remember
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it's your responsibility to maintain the recommendeddistance and follow any additional park specific guidelines
to ensure a safe and enjoyable experiencefor you and the wildlife. By respecting
these animals, adhering to park guidelines, and remaining vigilant, we can ensure
a safer and unforgettable experience for allwho venture into the wilderness. Well,
(03:01:22):
friends, there you have it.What do you think of these creatures in
the wilderness. I look forward toyour comments, but please keep it friendly
and respectful. Until we meet again. Be good to yourselves and each other.
Stay safe out there in the wild. As for me, I'll see
you a little further on down thetrail. I'm Steve Stockton and I'll talk
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to you next time. And pleasetell your animals I said hi. Welcome,
(03:02:46):
dear listeners to Midnight Mailbox, thepodcast that unlocks the eerie secrets hidden
in the shadows of the night.I'm your host, Steve Stockton and Tonight
we embark on a journey into thesuper natural, guided by the tales that
arrive in our mysterious mailbox. Eachepisode we delve into the unexplained, the
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other worldly, and the downright spine, showing experiences shared by you are brave
listeners. Picture this. It's thedead of night and you find yourself alone,
surrounded by an atmosphere thick with mystery. That's when the unexplainable happens.
Maybe it's a ghostly encounter, anextraterrestrial rendezvous, or a brush with the
(03:03:30):
unknown that sends shivers down your spine. Now imagine sharing that story with the
world. Under the cloak of darkness. Join us as we open the Midnight
Mailbox, revealing the emails, thewhispered confessions, and the spine tingling encounters
that defy reason. Each episode isa journey into the paranormal, a peak
(03:03:52):
behind the veil of our reality,and a celebration of the uncharted territories of
the supernatural. So grab a blanket, turn down the lights, and prepare
to be captivated by the tales thatdefy explanation. Midnight Mailbox is here to
make the unexplained a little less lonelyand a lot more thrilling. Are you
(03:04:13):
ready to step into the shadows andexplore the mysteries that'll wait in the heart
of the night, Because, myfriends, the midnight mailbox is now open.
Civil War ghosts, The listener writes, Hey, there's Steven Listeners.
(03:04:35):
So happy that you're doing these listenerstories again. I really miss them.
Gather round because I've got a wildtale from the eighties that'll give you the
he be jeebies. It was meand my buddies Jake and Brent, on
a summer night in Alabama, headedto this haunted battlefield we'd heard about.
I ain't wanted to buy into allthis ghost type, but this night,
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well, it was something else.We set up camp, cracked open some
cold ones, and laughed off theyeerie vibes. But then it was like
the woods started talking whispers, likeold soldiers chatting about war. At first
we thought maybe it was just thewind, but deep down we knew better.
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Suddenly a chill hit us, andwe heard what sounded like distant drums.
Slow and mournful. We followed themto what must have been the battlefield
center, where moonlight danced on ancient, gnarled trees, and there they were
ghostly soldiers, marching with a weightof sorrow in their eyes. One guy
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in a gray uniform gave me whatappeared to be a spectral salute. It
was like they were lost, justlike us. The drums hit their peak
and then poof the soldiers vanished,leaving us in the quiet aftermath, surrounded
by the echoes of a long gonewar. We stumbled back to camp in
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the days, packed up just asdawn was breaking, and high tailed it
out of there. But that hauntednight, it stuck in my head like
a catchy tune that you just can'tshake. So there it is, my
brush with ghostly soldiers in the nineteeneighties. Did we really cross paths with
the past? Who knows? Anyway, keep those lights on and catch you
(03:06:26):
on the creepy flip side. Thanksagain, Signed George College UFO Encounter pay
Steve loved the show and thought I'dtoss my hat into the ring with a
(03:06:48):
wild story that still gives me thechills. So back in college, I
had this totally bizarre run in withthe UFO. Yeah, I know it
sounds crazy, but hear me out. It was crisp all night, and
I'm strolling back to my dorm aftera late night library sash. Everything's chill
until I spot this weird light inthe sky. At first, I'm thinking,
(03:07:11):
Oh, it's just a plain doingplain things. But nope, this
thing's playing hopscotch up there, zigzagging like it's on a joy ride.
I stopped dead in my tracks,try to make sense of the cosmic disco
show. The light gets brighter,and I swear the air feels electric or
something. My heart's about to beatout of my chest. And here's where
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it gets fuzzy. I don't knowhow much time passed, but suddenly it
was gone. The light disappeared fasterthan I could imagine. I shake my
head, try to collect myself andnotice it's completely quiet. No usual night
sounds, just silence. I glancedat my watch and it's like I've lost
(03:07:56):
a pretty good chunk of time,like a plot hole in my life story.
Next day, I told my friends, expected to WHOA, that's nuts,
but instead I get a laugh track. They blame caffeine and stress.
I even hit the books, digginginto the UFO tails, doing like a
character out of a paranormal TV show. I can't explain it. Was it
(03:08:20):
a caffeine induce space trip or didI witness something out of et I've read
up on other folks stories and itturns out I'm not alone in this weird
cosmic club. I'm not saying it'slittle Green men, but hey, maybe
there's more to the night sky thanmeets the eye. Please keep the spookiness
(03:08:41):
rolling on the podcast. Cheers yourfriend Andy Patman encounter. Here's what happened.
One night. I was in bedand couldn't sleep. It felt kind
of weird. You know. Theroom was super dark and it was all
(03:09:03):
quiet and spooky, and suddenly Igot this creepy feeling like I wasn't alone.
I peeped to the end of mybed and guess what. There was
this tall, shadowy figure and abig hat. Yep, the hat man.
He looked pretty scary with that hatmaking his face off shadowy. I
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got really, really scared. Thehat man had this bad vibe, and
it felt like the room was gettingall stuffy. I tried to breathe,
but it was hard. I kepttelling myself it was just my imagination,
but nope. The hat man stuckaround, just standing there at the end
of my bed. I could feelhim looking at me, even though I
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couldn't see his face. And thenthe room got cold and it felt like
something heavy on my chest. Itwas like the hat Man was taking all
the air out of the room andI couldn't breathe right. I wanted to
scream, but I couldn't get myvoice to work. It felt like forever
that he just stayed there. Icould tell he wasn't a nice person.
(03:10:09):
He had this dark and mean feeling, almost demonic. I closed my eyes,
hoping he'd be gone when I openedhim. When I was finally brave
enough to peak again, he wasgone, but I still felt scared.
It was all weird and made methink a lot whether it's just my mind
playing tricks or something spooky. Icouldn't forget about the hat Man. It
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was like this strange thing that stuckwith me. Thank you for letting me
share my story. Signed Anonymous,The Haunted Dairy Farm. Hey Steve,
glad you're taking stories again. I'vegot one about an abandoned dairy farm in
(03:10:56):
rural Ohio that'll make your hair standon it. It was a bunch of
us fueled by a mix of curiosityand some courage, we decided to check
out this old farm that's been sittingthere, almost like a forgotten ghost town.
Rolled up in our truck, parkeda good distance away to board getting
caught trespassing. Armed with flashlights andhopefully nerves of steel, we made our
(03:11:20):
way through this creaky gate that soundedlike it was straight out of a horror
movie. The night was dark assin, clouds hiding the moon, and
the whole scene felt like something outof a Stephen King novel. As we
approached these old barns, the smellhit us, a weird mix of damp,
hay and something sour that made mystomach turn. The air felt thick,
(03:11:43):
and the only sound was the occasionalcrunch of gravel under our boots.
And then we heard it, thislow, creepy moan that sent shivers down
our spine. It wasn't an animalsound, mind you, with something straight
out of a paranormal book. NormallyI don't even believe in stuff like this,
but there was something in the airthat night. There were shadows playing
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tricks. The air felt like itdoes sometimes before a storm. We tried
to laugh it off, made somejokes, but deep down we were all
getting really nervous. We wandered throughthe farm, checking out the barns,
and stumbled upon the old milking parlor, a place that smell like death warmed
over. I swear I heard whispersin the wind telling tales of days gone
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by, and in the flickering light, I caught a glimpse of shadowy figures
moving just out of sight, likein my peripheral vision. Creepy, huh.
But the real freak out happened inthe farmhouse. Inside, the temperature
dropped like crazy, and we startedfeeling watched. Footsteps echoed behind us,
(03:12:54):
but every time we turned around therewas no one or nothing there. Classic
haunted house type stuff. In oneof the rooms, we found this old
photo album that gave us the seriouscreeps. Pictures of family, kids,
cows, like a snapshot of along lost time. And there was this
picture of a woman staring at melike she had a bone to pick.
(03:13:18):
I just couldn't shake the feeling thatshe was the source of those mournful mourns
we'd heard earlier. We decided tobail, but as we headed out,
things got even weirder. Now,the air crackled with energy, and the
shadows in my peripheral vision were goingcrazy, and I swear I felt a
cold hand on my arm. Weran out there like our lives depended on
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it. It was like the whisperschased us out of there. I can't
explain what happened that night, whetherit was the spirits of the past or
just our imaginations running wild, butone thing's for sure, that old dairy
farms got some serious spooky vibes.So if you ever find yourselves in rural
Ohio and hear about an abandoned farm, take my advice and steer clear.
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It ain't a place for the faintof heart. Signed Adam the Haunted Rocking
Chair. Hello people, I've gota crazy story for you. So a
couple of weeks ago I found anold rocking chair in a thrift store.
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Well, it turns out I believeit's haunted. Yeah, I know,
sounds like I'm cooking up a horrormovie plot, but's stick with me.
From the beginning, the chair wasall creaky, and I'd occasionally catch it
rocking by itself, not like agentle sway, but a full on,
i'm doing my own thing kind ofvibe. At first, I thought it
was probably the wind or a draftin the house or something. But then
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I started to hear what sounded likewhispers. I'm not joking, whispers like
the chair had its own secret gossipclub. It sounded like it was saying
things like why did you bring mehere? Or I don't want to be
in this place. I thought Iwas losing my mind. And you know
what else, the chair played musicalchairs. When I wasn't looking, I'd
(03:15:18):
leave it in the living room,and the next day, bam, it'd
be back in my room, rockingaway. I swear it was like it
had a GPS set for my bedroom. Creepy huh. Now, let's talk
about nightmares. Every time I dozedoff near that thing, I had these
crazy dreams about a shadowy figure watchingme. It was like a horror movie
(03:15:39):
marathon in my head every night.I even tried recording the whispers just to
make sure I wasn't going bonkers,but I didn't get anything substantial. Things
really hit the fan one night,and the chair went berserk, rocking like
it was auditioning for a horror movie. The room turned ice cold, and
I saw some sort of shadowy figure. I couldn't even scream. I felt
(03:16:01):
like the star of a low budgetghost movie. That was it for me.
I grabbed the chair and put itoutside like it was on fire,
and the next day dropped it offback at the thrift store. Since then,
it's been all quiet on the spookyfront. No more whispers, no
more ghostly rocking sessions, and definitelyno more nightmares. I did do a
(03:16:22):
little detective work, though, andfound out from the lady to the thrift
store that I'd originally purchased the chairfrom that he used to belong to some
lady who met a super creepy end. Call me crazy, but I'm officially
on team haunted Chair now. Lessonlearned minute charm might come on the side
of ghostly drama. From now on, I'm stinking to the Kia Furniture.
(03:16:46):
At least their chairs don't have aghost mode. Thanks for reading my story.
Annie, Hey there, glad tosee you doing the listener stories again.
Here's mine. Imagine Savannah, Georgiaback in the nineteen eighties. It's
(03:17:07):
a place dripping with Spanish moss whereevery house seemed to whisper secrets. Now
my childhood home, well, itwasn't your typical haunted house. It was
like living in a Southern Gothic horrornovel. I remember one night I was
about ten mind in bed, tryingto fall asleep, when this whale started
(03:17:28):
floating through the air. At first, I thought it was just a whind
playing tricks, but it started soundinglike a ghostly woman singing the blues.
I mean, who knew ghosts hada thing for blues tunes. But that
was just a warm up act.I'd wake up to shadows doing a mysterious
tango in the corners of my room, mischievous little imps, I swear.
(03:17:52):
And there were the footsteps like aninvisible party happening every night. Confederate soldier
with a slow march, flappers witha jittery shovel. Now why didn't we
I tailor out there, you asked, Well, ghosts don't come with eviction
notices. My friend, we werestuck with our spectral roommates would occasionally rearranged
(03:18:15):
my toys like they were having aghostly playdate. It eventually became air normal,
a paranormal like living with the weirdestroommates ever. I finally got the
guts to ask my Grandma about thehouse's history. Turns out it seemed more
action than I ever imagined. ACivil War hospital, a prohibition speak easy,
(03:18:35):
you name it. No wonder wehad such haunted goings on, Like
I said, as the years passed, we just got used to it.
Ghostly Shenanigans were just a part oflife in Savannah. Like sweet tea and
Sunday dinners, we coexisted, eachrespecting the other space for the most part.
(03:18:56):
Sometimes I'd leave out biscuits for theSouthern Bell ghost and hoped that in
return, she'd serenade me with someof those other worldly blues. We eventually
moved out, though, leaving behindthe ghosts and the memories still live in
Savannah. But every time I strolledthrough the neighborhood where we used to live,
I can't help but wonder if thoseghosts are still hanging out on the
(03:19:18):
moonlit balcony of our old house.Well that's my tale of growing up in
a haunted house in Savannah, whereghosts are as real as a moss on
those ancient oaks. If you evercatch a whiff of blues on Savannah breeze,
just know it might be the ghostof a Southern bell getting down with
the afterlife. Thanks for reading mystory, Signed Anonymous. The old truck.
(03:19:50):
Hey there. Years and years ago, I was this little dude tearing
around my uncle's farm in Ohio.Now this farm was like a spooky of
ventured waiting to happen. So oneday I'm out rambling around and I stumble
up on this beat up old pickupin the weeds out behind the barn.
The thing looked like it had surviveda tornado, but there was something off
(03:20:13):
about it. I swear you couldfeel it in the air, had a
huge creep factor. I was justwaiting for mysterious music to start, you
know. Being the brave or maybejust dumb kid that I was, I
decided to investigate this truck closer.When I got up near it, the
air suddenly felt all charged and staticky, and the barn doors started creaking like
(03:20:37):
they're in some movie. I tooka peek inside the dusty window of the
truck, and there, to mysurprise, there's this ghostly farmer dude in
the driver's seat, overalls, wornout hat, the whole deal. I'm
freaking out, thinking my eyes areplaying tricks on me, but he just
sits there and keeps on staring straightahead fear. Oh yeah, it hit
(03:21:00):
me hard, but I can't lookaway. Eventually, the press was broke
and I stumbled my way back tothe farmhouse. I told my uncle about
what I'd seen, but he didn'tbuy it for a second. Kids in
their wild imaginations, right, Butman, every time I passed that truck,
I swear it had this ghostly arapast. Forward to today, thinking
(03:21:24):
about that old Ohio farm gives methe willies. The haunted pick up with
its ghostly farmer. It's one ofthose stories that just stays with you.
Maybe the past really does have away of hanging around, like that old
truck rusting into the ground on myuncle's farm. Signed anonymous the headless Man.
(03:21:52):
Hey, Steve, love your show, So I've got a creepy story
to tell you about this crazy thingthat happened to me. Back in the
day, Iowa, probably around ninetyfive, cornfields had a bunch of clueless
kids thinking they're invincible. There wasa corn maze in the neighborhood and we
decided to wander through it in thedead and night, thinking we were on
(03:22:13):
some next level adventure. But oldboy did it take a turn for the
bazaarre. It was so quiet,it was even as if the crickets took
a break. And then we heardthis creepy thudding sound, like someone stomping
around with no care in the world. Lo and behold, Somewhere in the
middle of the corn maze, therehe was a guy without a head,
(03:22:37):
just strolling around like he was outfor a casual evening walk. It was
the strangest thing I've ever seen.We were frozen just watching this headless guy
doing his thing. He looked disheveled, but he moved with purpose even without
a head. We didn't dare tomake a peep, thinking the thing might
come after us after what it feltlike in a turn, he sort of
(03:23:01):
disappeared into the dark, and thecornfield went back to its eerie silence.
We got the heck out of there, didn't say much, just trying to
process what the heck we just witnessed. It messed our heads for weeks.
We just couldn't shake off that feelingthat we stumbled upon something way beyond our
imagination. It wasn't our mind playingtricks. We legitimately had a supernatural encounter
(03:23:26):
with a headless man in the corn. I guess as time passed, I
kind of buried the memory. Butif I stop and think about it long
enough, it still haunts me.Sometimes when I least expected that cornfield,
that corn maze, or once upona time playground turned into this weird,
mysterious spot. I thought this talemight fit in with your creepy podcast.
(03:23:50):
I hope you enjoyed it. Cheersyour friend, Chester, Massachusetts Shadows.
Dear Midnight mailbox, hope you're doingawesome. Have I got a story to
share with you. It's about somethingthat happened in a super old colonial house
(03:24:13):
in Massachusetts. It was in thewinter of two thousand and three. There
was a chill in the air,and I'm holed up in this ancient house,
knee deep in transcribing manuscripts. Now, this house wasn't just old,
it was practically dripping with history.It all started one evening when I was
(03:24:33):
burning the midnight oil in the study. The fireplace was throwing shadows on the
wall, like it was putting onsome kind of show. And that's when
I first noticed them. Shadows notfrom the fireplace, but shadow figures doing
their thing in the kitchen. Iknow that sounds crazy. These shadows that
I saw, they were weirdly humanshaped, but totally featureless. Imagine a
(03:24:58):
shadow but without the details. Itwas like they were stuck in limbo between
form and no form at all.I was just too curious or maybe stubborn
to be scared at that time.After that, for many nights, these
shadows would just show up, justkind of moving around like they were up
to something. They seemed to lovehanging out and there the fireplace, soaking
(03:25:22):
up the warmth, like they werereliving some old memories. And I'm just
here going through these books trying notto completely lose my mind. Eventually,
though, I went full detective modedug into the history of the house.
Turns out it had more skelet thanin its closet than I thought. Family
sagas, secret affairs, you nameit. This place had seen it all.
(03:25:48):
The shadows, it seemed, werelike the keepers of these ancient stories.
Sometimes they'd do a silent reenactment inthe kitchen, like it was their
own personal stage. Now, thereally crazy part, these shadows weren't just
random lips. They seemed to acknowledgeme in their own shadowy way. It
was like we had this unspoken understanding. I'm typing away with these old stories.
(03:26:13):
It felt like they were saying,yeah, you get us now.
I'm not trying to convince you Iwas hanging out with Casper's extended family or
anything. But there was this strangepeace in the kitchen during those nightly spectacles.
It's like the shadows and I weresharing this unspoken connection, bridging the
gap between the living and whatever dimensionthey were from. Again, it's not
(03:26:37):
about convincing anyone of what was happeningin that colonial kitchen. It's more about
the crazy goings on between what weknow and what's just beyond their grasp.
This old house in Massachusetts, withits creaky floors and dark interior, became
the silent witness to these things thatdefied the ticking clock. Well, there
(03:27:00):
it is, my run in withthese shadows in a kitchen in an old
house in Massachusetts. However you chooseto see it, the mystery lives on.
Here's some embracing the enigma and keepingthe conversation spooky. Thank you for
reading my story, Signed Anonymous,the old house on the outskirts of town.
(03:27:31):
Here's my strange encounter. It wasyears and years ago, when I
was in my teens. I justfinished high school and one of my buddies
lived in this old house on theoutskirts of town. One night, things
got crazy. I was crashing athis place, just shooting the breeze,
and we're playing some tunes on hisrecord player. Suddenly we noticed these weird
(03:27:52):
shadows moving around. Was it justour imagination, Nah, it was something
else. These shadowy figures started appearingout of nowhere, like people made out
of pure darkness. They didn't haveany real features, just dark shapes that
seemed to move in and out ofthe room. I remember the chill running
(03:28:13):
down my spine, like something wasn'tright. We tried to ignore it and
blamed it on the lights or whatever. But these shadow folks they stuck around.
They weren't doing anything, just lingeringand giving us these really strange vibes.
It was like they were watching us, even though they didn't have any
eyes, if that makes any sense. There were times when the room had
(03:28:37):
get cold felt heavy. We triedtalking to them, asking if they were
there for a reason or something,but they just stayed silent. Shadows.
Man, it was a trip.We couldn't figure out what was going on,
We thought about bowlding out of there. We were just kind of frozen,
(03:28:58):
like scared to move. But thenwhen we thought about it, where
would we go? It was myfriend's house. Eventually, after what felt
like forever, the shadows eventually beganto fade away. After they had gone,
we were just left there, scratchingour heads and wondering if we'd just
left through some strange supernatural episode.Never saw those shadow people again. With
(03:29:24):
something like that, it stays withyou, like some kind of weird puzzle
from your past. Even with myhigh school education, I just couldn't wrap
my head around what happened on thosenights. Thank you for reading my story.
If anybody else has had similar encounters, I hope they'll send theirs in
too, Signed Larry Asleep Paralysis Encounter. Hey Steve, hope this email finds
(03:29:58):
you chilling ready for some spooky stories. So here's the deal. I've been
going through some seriously weird stuff atnight, and I figured you or your
audience might appreciate the bizarre tale.On a regular night, I'm out like
a light after day of high schoolchaos. But then I start waking up,
(03:30:18):
or at least I think I am. Turns out my body's on vacation
mode, but my mind is wideawake, playing hide and seek if you
will, that old boy. Itgets weirder. There's this pressure on my
chest, like someone decided my ribcageis the comfyest spot in town. It's
not just the immobility, it's thefeeling that there's some invisible guests sitting on
(03:30:41):
me, throwing a party on mybed without an invitation. Now, the
first time it happened, I thought, Okay, this is just some sort
of freak incident, but nope.It soon became a nightly thing. It's
like my body no longer belongs tome at night when I go to sleep,
and the hallucinations, I guess they'rehallucinations. Shadowy figures in my room
(03:31:07):
gives me the kind of shivers thatyou get from reading the scariest ghost story.
So I googled it and turns outit's called sleep paralysis. Apparently stresses
the trigger, and with the highschool drama and family chaos, it's like
my brain is throwing a sleep deprivedparty. Although some people claim it's a
supernatural thing. I've tried everything new, sleeping positions, calming, bedtime routines,
(03:31:33):
you name it. But this thinggot a mind of its own.
It's like my brain's the puppet masterand I'm just along for a spooky ride.
Some people even call it the oldHag syndrome. Talking to my friends
about it feels awkward. I mean, how do you explain that you're being
haunted by invisible creatures? They probablythink I've been watching too much television,
(03:31:58):
So I'm keeping on the down low, smiling by day and dreading the night.
I've read about therapy and med's helping, but it feels like slapping a
band aid on a deeper issue.Call me stubborn, but I'm not ready
to go down the medical path justyet. Feels like admitting defeat. You
know the reason why I'm spilling thisto you and your audience is I thought
(03:32:20):
maybe putting it into words will lifta creepy cloud. Steve, If you've
got any thoughts or advice or anyof your audience, I'm all ears.
Thank you for letting me share mypersonal horror story. Looking forward to more
spooky episodes, Sincerely, Dwayne.Hi, Steve, I saw your call
(03:32:45):
for stories for Midnight Mailbox, andI thought i'd send you one of my
strange encounters. This is totally seriousand it really happened. It was the
weirdest hiking trip of my life.Was out in the tall trees, the
ones that make you feel like you'rein some giant's backyard, deep dark woods
straight out of a movie, wherethe sunlight barely pokes through. I usually
(03:33:07):
don't get scared, but on thishike, I was frightened out of my
wits. First of all, I'dstrayed from the usual trail, classic mistake,
I know, but curiosity had gottenthe better of me. The deeper
into the woods I went, thequieter it got. Suddenly I noticed there
were no bird sounds, no leafrustling, nothing, just this creepy silence
(03:33:31):
that was all around me. Then, all of a sudden, I stepped
into the clearing sunlight beaming through thetrees, and in the middle an ancient
looking circle of stones. It wasn'tvery big, but it was indeed placed
there by human hands. As I'mcircling these rocks, I spot these funky
symbols etched in to them. Notgonna lie. It looked like some kind
(03:33:56):
of bizarre alien tic tac toe game. And then I hear what. It
sounds like people chatting in the distance. I'm standing there, thinking, what
is happening? It sounded ancient.I felt this weird energy. But that's
what happened. The next strange thingthat was part of this hike. On
(03:34:16):
this narrow trail, trees closing inlike a tunnel, and I hear footsteps
behind me, leaves crunching, butevery time I stop, it stops.
I turn nothing. It's just me, my gooing footsteps and this feeling of
being watched. And then off inthe trees, I see a misty figure.
(03:34:39):
I'm squinting, making sure that mymind's not playing tricks, but no,
it's a shadowy somebody or something juststanding there. I wanted to call
out, but it was like myvoice was gone. I started to take
a step closer, and it wasgone. I'm standing there with my heart
racing, wondering wh But I justhad a close encounter with the last part
(03:35:03):
of this particular hiking adventure. I'dset up camp by a stream and cooked
up some beans out of a canwhen I hear like this soft humming noise,
and again I'm like, what isthat? I followed the sound to
another clearing but this time it wasfull of fireflies. You've ever seen the
synchronous fireflies of the Smokies, That'swhat it looked like. It looked like
(03:35:28):
they were making these crazy patterns inthe air. Then in the same clearing,
a deer wonders, sir, Notan average deer. This deer was
blacker than black, and its eyeswere glowing. And the deer and I
we had this deep moment, lockedeyes and all that, like the forest
(03:35:48):
is putting on a show just forme. Somehow I managed to fall asleep,
and when morning breaks, it's backto normal. I can hear birds
chirping, leaves rustling in the trees. The stone circle's still there, but
it looks benign and old, withthe shadow figure and the whispers all gone,
(03:36:09):
like some kind of bizarre Durham.I packed up my camp, thinking
the trail back home might not evenbe there, but thankfully it was.
I can't explain the things that happened, but it felt like I crashed a
secret party in the woods. EitherI had some sort of weird hallucination or
Mother Nature as hiding some wild secrets. If you'd like to hear more stories,
(03:36:33):
let me know you won't believe theother things that have happened to me.
Thanks again for reading my story,and I looked forward to the show,
signed anonymous, well friends. Iresponded back to this anonymous listener and
(03:36:54):
they sent me another story. Thistime, he writes, I decided to
take a solo hike in the woodsright now. I get chills just thinking
about it. I wandered into thewoods, thinking it's going to be a
chill day of communing with nature.I couldn't have been more wrong. The
air seemed thick, like walking throughmolasses, and the leaves were crunching under
(03:37:20):
my feet a lot louder than theynormally do. But then, somewhere off
in the distance, I started hearingvoices, Not just any voices, the
voices that sounded like my aunt Mary, and my best friend Sarah, and
at once even my own voice.What in the world was going on?
(03:37:41):
So I start calling out, askingwho's there. All I get back is
this echo of my own voice.But it gets stranger. The voices start
mimicking conversations I've had with people,laughing at inside jokes, and even bringing
up in arrassing moments I thought wereburied deep in my memory vault. I
(03:38:03):
finally decided just to sit down andtake a breather on a fallen log,
thinking I'll figure out what's going on. But that's when the voices continued,
whispering secrets, personal stuff like familyskeletons and old crushes. It's like the
woods turned into my therapist. Andif that wasn't enough, I caught a
(03:38:26):
glimpse of something moving between the trees, some kind of shadowy figure that would
occasionally peek out. I tried tospot it, but it's like chasing smoke.
I can see it out of thecorner of my eye, but when
I look directly at it, there'snothing there. I decided the best thing
for me to do was to getout of there, and that's what I
did. As I headed back tocivilization at a steady clip, the voices
(03:38:52):
faded away. It's like the woodsknew that it messed with my head long
enough and decided to let me offthe hook. I don't know what happened,
and I'm not sure I want to. Maybe the woods have a secret
society of their own, or maybeI just stumbled into some ghostly place.
(03:39:13):
Either way, I don't think I'llbe venturing back into the great unknown anytime
soon, not alone anyway. Sowhat do y'all think? Am I crazy?
Or did I stumble into a forest? Freek show. I can't wait
to hear your comments. Signed Anonymousthe Black mass Hi, Steve, so
(03:39:41):
glad you've joined us here in NewEngland. I have a story from my
childhood that I'd like to share foryour new show. During my childhood,
I lived in a small town inMassachusetts that held great historical significance. It
was the birthplace of the term minutemen, which originated during the Revolutionary War.
As I grew older, I learnedfrom a friend who lived nearby that
(03:40:05):
he had seen Revolutionary War soldiers inthe woods behind his house preparing for battle.
When I was three years old,my mother and I moved into an
apartment, and we're excited to haveour own little space. I'm now thirty
eight years old, but I vividlyremember it all as if it happened yesterday.
I remember having problems sleeping immediately afterwe moved in. I developed night
(03:40:30):
tars and would wake up in themiddle of the night at the same time
three am, experiencing utter terror.I was so young that I couldn't rationalize
what was going on. I wouldscream for my mother to get me and
take me to her room. Everynight at the same time this happened,
It'd be like I was woken upout of a sound sleep because of sheer
(03:40:52):
terror and just had to get outof that room. In my mom's room,
I would hear strange music from nowherein the silence of the night,
and see bizarre flashing lights soaring aroundthe room. It's a wonder I ever
slept at all. Flashed forward twoyears. At this point, I'm five
(03:41:13):
years old. This one particular night, I went to bed and woke up,
as you guessed it, at threeam. So I'm just laying in
bed, but only this time,I'm not screaming for my mother. I'm
laying there waiting as if something isgoing to happen. I can sense it
in my soul. All of asudden, in the pure silence of the
(03:41:35):
night, I heard the knob turnand the door to my room opened.
The door just glided extremely slowly acrossthe carpeted floor. Something in my gut
told me not to look. Iknew if I looked, whatever I saw
looking back at me would ruin meforever. So I just lay there,
silently, staring at the wall,while doing everything I could to avoid looking
(03:41:58):
at the door. Suddenly, thedoor slammed shut, the clamorous noise echoing
the darkness. I lay in fear, and eventually somehow rocked myself to sleep.
When I woke up the following morning, I immediately asked my mother if
she'd gone in to check on methe previous night. She said no,
(03:42:18):
because she had been asleep herself,probably ecstatic not to have been disturbed for
once. The look of sheer terroron my face must have been one for
the books, because someone or somethingdefinitely opened that door last night. I
was wide away. I know Iwas. I heard that door open and
(03:42:39):
physically felt someone or something standing therelooking at me. If it wasn't my
mom, then who was it.It was just the two of us living
there. I knew she wasn't lying. She was always honest with me.
I try to forget this experience andgo on with life now. My mom
(03:43:01):
loved having fish tanks and all varietiesof fish. Since we weren't allowed to
have other pets where we lived,the fish would just keep dying. I
know, fish die, and itcould be a coincidence, but my mom
knew how to take care of them, and it was just odd how frequently
it was happening. We came homeone day and all of them were dead,
(03:43:24):
all of them. My mom justshrugged, said she had no idea
what happened, and chalked it offto bacteria or something in the water.
That's not what I think it was. I went to bed that night and
woke up, you guessed it Atthe same time three am. I groggually
looked over to my closet, whichwas directly across from my bed, and
(03:43:46):
saw through the darkness a huge blackshadow or black mass, just hovering over
the closet. This thing was massiveand the blackest black I've ever seen to
this day. I was paralyzed withfear and screamed from my mother and rushed
in to see what was wrong,and to my horror, she saw it
(03:44:09):
too. She hurriedly turned the lighton and the black mass still hovered over
the closet. Looking back, asan adult, I know how terrified she
must have been. She didn't wantme to be scared, though, and
I commend her for this, soshe just got in my bed with me,
pulled the covers up over us bothand held me close until we finally
(03:44:30):
fell asleep. I have no ideahow long that thing hovered there. To
this day, I have no ideawhat we saw that night or what was
actually happening there. Whatever was theredidn't seem to have any good intentions for
us, and we ultimately moved notlong after that terrifying night. It frightens
(03:44:50):
me to think that something was actuallywatching me on all those sleepless nights and
just praying on my innocence. Unfortunately, my mom is not with us anymore,
but I asked her about that nightabout fifteen years ago, and she
remembered it vividly, but could notexplain it. I could tell she was
(03:45:11):
uncomfortable talking about it, and shehurriedly changed the subject. I was hoping
she said she didn't remember, soit could all be chalked up to my
young, wild imagination. But herconfirming that it happened shows me to the
court to this day. If youever find yourself in central Massachusetts, beware
you never know what might be watchingyou while you sleep. I hope you
(03:45:35):
enjoy this story, Signed Parker wigeaboard story. I'd bought this wageboard when
I was nineteen, So in theyear of twenty eighteen, my friend and
I saw it on Amazon for cheapand grabbed it because we were planning a
(03:45:58):
trip to Centralia in Pennsylvania and thoughtwe could use it there. Fast forward
to about a week later. Weend up in Centralia and we were in
a graveyard during sunset, at thegrave of a young girl named Jane.
She was supposedly known as one ofthe first victims there, and I believe
her uncle may have been responsible forwhat happened her in the mines before the
(03:46:20):
fires had started. We soon gota lot of activity. After asking if
Jane was there, uig Board answeredthat it was Jane, but almost every
question it either spelled Jane or thenumber seven, with both the numbers or
letters. We thought it was weirdbecause we didn't understand what seven had to
do with anything. This went onfor almost an hour until we said goodbye
(03:46:45):
and thought to try our spirit box. The spirit box then kept yelling out
the same thing over again, andsoon after went completely silent and wouldn't work
again until we left the cemetery.We thought nothing of it and went back
home to mat Masacusets. The nextday we wanted to try it again to
see if it was real or ifwe were scaring ourselves. So we went
(03:47:07):
to the graveyard that my grandmother wasburied in and tried to reach her.
We did not mention her name oranything, so nothing could try and trick
us, and we only got thesame answers of Jane and the number seven
again. We closed out the sessionand drove to the closest McDonald's because it
was only a mile away and wewanted to be somewhere where there was a
lot of people. Curiosity kicked inand my friend opened the box to make
(03:47:31):
sure we had put it away properly, and as she did that, my
new twenty sixteen Nissan Duke started toidle and the lights went crazy to this
day until I turned it in thatcar, my Duke would do that anytime
it stopped, and it never didthis before that day. We put it
away and left it for a monthor so in the trunk storage in my
(03:47:52):
car. There was a place knownas the Rocking Horse Graveyard in Massachusetts that
we wanted to visit, and wehave visited before. It's nothing scary,
It's just people dropping off rocking horsesand the owner of the land moves them
around in fun designs for a littlegirl that used to run a lemonade stand
there. We've never had a scaryexperience here, but the wage board was
(03:48:16):
still in my car. We wentat night so it was dark, and
we both looked up and saw whatwe thought was a pole in the field,
but then we both saw it move. I moved closer to get a
better look in case it was someonethat needed help. As I got closer,
it disappeared completely in front of me, and we got two spoke to
stay there. The next day,I was at work at four am,
(03:48:37):
and I left around twelve to findout my brake lines were sliced and I
couldn't use them. I don't knowif that was because I was in a
bad area with a Wiji board,but it still made me aware. That
was the last time we noticed anythingfor a couple of months. I soon
quit that job and worked with mysister, but we car pooled because she
had car issues. Some moved intoher apartment with her boyfriend and her young
(03:49:01):
daughter. I had to empty mycar because I was trying to trade it
in, so I brought everything intothe apartment. I didn't end up trading
in that car yet, but Iforgot everything from the car in my room
at my sister's for a while.After about three days of the board being
in their apartment, there was problemswith their Xbox turning on and making strange
(03:49:22):
noises at three am on the dotevery day, even if it was unplugged.
My sister had also taken a pictureof my niece while home alone and
in the background got something standing verystrangely in the hutch reflection behind. There
was no TV or other person aroundat that time. The xbox stopped doing
that today. I moved out andtook the board with me. I moved
(03:49:46):
into my own place within the nextcouple months, and obviously brought the board
with me. Within the very firstnight, my kitchen cabinets would open a
slam shop by themselves every time Ishut off the lights for bed. This
went on for months until my friendwanted to borrow the board because she was
going back to Centralia with other friends. I stayed behind. I do not
(03:50:07):
know experiences with the board in Pennsylvaniathis time, but she came back a
week later and one of her friendscame up to visit from Florida. He
didn't believe this thing would cause usmuch destruction, so he wanted to try
it in his hotel room. Now, his hotel room was right next to
rock wall where it was believed thatsome woman was buried in, so we
(03:50:28):
thought that would be a good spot. We played and got something very cheerful
at first, until it started tospell out Jane and seven. Again.
Being curious, my friend broke outthe spirit box again while me and my
Florida friend kept the board going.She was getting exact same answers as we
were. She put the spirit boxaway and she put her hands back on
(03:50:50):
the board and it started going crazy, going back and forth. I know
Zozo is the demon of the board, but that's all it was spelling,
and I did leave it until thatday. We quickly ended the session and
as we said goodbye, all thehangers in the closet went crazy, and
my friend was too scared to stayin there alone, so I spent the
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night and we did not sleep atall. That night. My sister was
throwing a Halloween party and my friendhad brought the board and we thought it
could be used as a prop,but we never touched the planchet to the
board. It has been at mysister's house ever since, and nothing happened
that night. But since that day, the new xbox has been turning on
and off again, and we've allseen things walking around the house. Things
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are happening to this day as we'veopened the box for the first time since
Halloween, and within minutes, mysister's bearded dragon's tank started to smoke from
the lamp. That has never happenedin the years that they've had him.
Signed anonymous, Hi Steve. Thisis Ajka from the U Tube channel the
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Retrospective Vault. When I was achild, my parents divorced and they both
remarried eventually, and my mother andI, along with my new step family,
moved to a new house. Thehouse was located near a real nice
subdivision named Buck Lake in northern Illinois. This place was a nice place to
move to. It was out inthe country and very quiet. There was
(03:52:22):
also no shortage of children to runaround the neighborhood with. This area had
a pond and creek that ran intoBuck Lake that was man made by a
small dam. People could fish,swim, and canoe on the lake,
and even ice skate in the wintermonths. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary
at first. I don't remember howlong I had been living in the house
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when I had my first encounter.I woke up one night and I could
look out my bedroom door, downthe hall and into the kitchen. There
stood two ghostly looking figures next tothe refrigerator. A third orb looking thing
was racing real fast around the souptain on top of the room refrigerator.
At my age and height, Ithought the refrigerator was tall. The one
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ghostly figure standing next to the fridgewas strangely contorted. It looked like it
was bent in an awkward position.After that incident, I never slept with
the bedroom door open. I don'tunderstand why that house was haunted, but
I could only guess either the previousowners invited the men or the land around
the area has cursed. Strange occurrenceswould happen to things in my room.
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I had a snow globe that wasknocked over on the floor, which broke
it. I would wake up withscratches on my body, and my mother
would ask if I'd been playing roughwith a dog. Another time, I
was in my room, but thankfullynot alone in the house. I had
a mirror that hung over my dresserdrawers that reflected in the hallway outside my
bedroom. The small, pitch blackfigure walked past my room in the hallway.
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It was short, maybe three feettall. It was holding what looked
like a stick with a chicken eggon the end of it. It scared
me real bad, and I ranto the other side of the house where
all the adults were. I don'tknow what was worse, seeing ghosts and
being scared or nobody believing me,but I told them what I'd seen.
As time went on, we movedto another house in town and I could
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walk to school. I didn't seeanything in the new house. It wouldn't
be until years later, as anadult that I would experience paranormal activity again.
To be continued. Thanks AJK forsending that in and absolutely feel free
to send us more stories of yourpersonal encounters. That brings us to the
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end of our first episode of MidnightMailbox featuring your paranormal stories and strange encounters.
Are you someone who's experienced the unexplainable, the eerie, or the downright
mysterious. Have you, dear listener, ever had a paranormal encounter? That
sent shivers down your spine. Ifso, we want to hear from you.
(03:55:00):
For future episodes. We invite youto share your personal paranormal experiences.
Email your stories too Midnight mailbox thirteenat gmail dot com. This podcast aims
to create a space where individuals fromall walks of life can come together to
share their unexplained encounters with the supernatural. Whether you've encountered ghosts, UFOs,
(03:55:22):
cryptids, or anything else that defiesrational explanation, we want to hear your
story. Your first hand experiences canbe a source of intrigue, inspiration,
and even comfort for those who mayhave had similar encounters. Thank you for
being a part of this thrilling journeyinto the world as paranormal. We can't
(03:55:43):
wait to listen to your spooky tales. Stay safe out there. I'm Steve
Stockton and I'll talk to you nexttime. Tell your animals, I said, Hi.