Ghost Hunters International: These Are The Folks You're Gonna Call
Ever question a ghost hunter? We did. We caught up with Donna LaCroix and Robb Demarest, both of whom are part of the new team of ghost-hunting experts from SCI FI’s new series “Ghost Hunters International”, a spin-off of the channel’s hit series “Ghost Hunters” (and among the most popular full-episodes on Fancast). Premiering January 9, “Ghost Hunters International looks into haunted hot spots all over Europe. The first episode features an investigation at the 800-year-old Chillingham Castle, widely regarded as the most haunted castle in England. LaCroix and Demarest were about to leave for Europe when we asked how the job has affected them.
After so many investigations, what's your general theory on why things go bump in the night?
DEMARAST: I have two answers to this. The first is that things go bump in the night because floorboards creak, houses shift, wind bangs tree limbs against windows, and on it goes. The problem is that some people give paranormal explanations to normal problems. At 3am a shifting house can sound a lot like footsteps on the stairs.
The second answer is that, in some cases, people depart this world before their time. They might have left in an especially violent way, or they might have had something seriously unfinished in their lives when they past. In some rare cases like this their energy, spirit, or essence seems to be left behind, and we can see, hear, or otherwise experience this presence.
We set out to find the causes of these bumps in both cases. It just so happens that we have been given the opportunity to chase the bumps and bangs in some incredible historic locations around the globe!
LACROIX: It comes down to human consciousness. Science does not yet have the
tools to measure it, but it has proven to exist. Neuroscientists have shown study and study to demonstrate that the mind and consciousness are two separate entities. Human consciousness, I believe, lives on well after the physical body has died. It is the ingredient behind the ideas of ghosts and spirits. Its the "energy" that stays behind the shell of the body. Sometimes, that consciousness becomes attached to a certain location, person, or object. Why? General theories about human consciousness surviving death have centered around deep, traumatic, emotional experiences that the person - while alive or during death - has experienced a significant unsettling. Hence, the idea of unrest, and "things that go bump in the night".
A good analogy I like to compare it to is the discovery of atoms. At the turn of the 20th century, scientists were physically able to prove not only the existence of atoms, but their composition consisting of a nucleus made of protons and neutrons. But before this time, this theory was proposed the greek philosopher Democritus who lived till 370 BCE. He called atoms "invisible units" that made up all matter. It took over 2,000 years for this idea to be accepted into the scientific community.
Until we come up with a machine or tool to measure consciousness, and how it transcends it's physical body, then these events will just be "bumps in the night". However, what we can't see with our own eyes doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means we have to find other ways of seeing it.
Is there an experience you've had that has unnerved you more than any of the other investigations?
DEMAREST: On our second episode Donna and I were sternly warned by a voice with no visible body that we were not wanted in the location (Lucedio Abbey in Italy). It certainly gave us a great indication that we were on to something, but it was a tad unnerving at the same time. This experiences test how much we really want to do this job. We have to take the resulting apprehension and use it to spur us forward to figure out what is really going on.
LACROIX: Recently, I had a very frightening experience on one of our investigations with GHI over in Slovakia. I was literally frozen still, with my heart pounding, but with my eyes sharper than usual and my hearing enhanced. I quieted the part of me that wanted to scream and run, and took in the experience because of the trust of my fellow investigator I was with at the time, Barry FitzGerald. I knew, inherently, that nothing bad was going to happen to me, but it's the fear that you have to keep in check when going through a significant event such as this. As an investigator, I knew it was an opportunity to study, learn, and try to understand everything I could at that moment. It was unnerving, to say the least, but ultimately, nothing has power over you until you give it permission.
Have any of the spirits ever followed you (back home, in the rental car, etc) after the investigation has ended and the cameras have been shut down?
DEMAREST: I have not had anything follow me from a location. I have had some experiences after the cameras stopped rolling, but without proper evidence to document what happened, I’ve had to dismiss the experiences. These times do give me a reason to be a little more careful to always carry some equipment with me!
LACROIX: I should hope not! Just to be on the safe side, if I feel that we had a
dangerous night, I'll say a prayer for protection for all of the cast, crew, and myself. Sometimes I use white sage as a cleansing ritual while saying prayers.
When you put yourself into a situation of exploring the paranormal, anything is possible. You have to be ready for it. Sometimes after an investigation, I'll check in with myself to make sure I'm not focusing too much on the night's events. That, in itself, can be a nightmare. If your mind is whirling like a record on overdrive, you have a problem. That's the delicate part about this type of work. You have to be able to leave everything that happens after an investigation at the door and let your mind settle. If not, it won't be a spirit that haunts you, it'll be you hanging on to the situation that will haunt you.
How has doing the show affected the way you view life and death?
DEMAREST: I have always believed in life after death. This show has helped me discover further evidence that there is more out there than we can explain. The exact nature of the paranormal is still undetermined, but I, personally, hope that this work continues to allow us to constantly explore and examine the line between life and what comes after.
LACROIX: Honestly, being involved with paranormal investigation and research on a
formal basis has taught me how to eliminate fear of the unknown. The Atlantic Paranormal Society instilled a permanent little skeptic in me that I severely needed. Even when I wanted events to be paranormal - if the truth can be uncovered, you have to go with it.
Life is precious, but it doesn't stop after death. It's a knowing, I can't prove it...yet, but perhaps I'll get a little closer in my lifetime. This may not many people's view, it is just the perspective I've adopted according to all the experiences I've had in my life. I've never been afraid to die. I don't know why that is. But I'm not afraid to live either.
Any favorite moments from the new season?
DEMAREST: I have had so many great experiences both on and off screen while making this show. I’ve made some great friends, traveled to some exotic locations, and been given the incredible opportunity to explore paranormal locales the world over. Some favorite moments include having a particularly ominous voice translated from Italian by a client, trekking up the side of a snow covered mountain to get to a haunted castle, and testing out some great new techniques and equipment all over Europe.
LACROIX: As crazy as this sounds, one of favorite moments was when Barry, Robb, and I climbed up a very steep portion of the hill that protected the fortress were we investigating in Romania. We wanted to get a closer look inside it's medieval windows to see something that Barry saw through a crack in the door from the other side. This hill was covered with at least 2 feet of snow, and without reservation, I jumped on it, and started clawing my way up. Soon after, Barry and Robb followed. It was a great moment of a team pushing on, through the harshness of the elements, with the snow coming down like crazy, and with a passion to discover what may be in that one closed off room.
We never made it to the window. It was situated too high on the castle for us to reach, even after climbing the mountain. We even laughed at ourselves that us three investigators could think we could conquer a 1000-year-old fortress built high on the hills. But our victory was the unspoken camaraderie of the team to stick together, under dangerous conditions, to a common end. It was a magical moment, one I'll never forget.
