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Local ghost
hunter yearns for close encounters - 20081107
By ERIKA WURST
Craig Cady's never seen a ghost, but he would like to, and
he's going to great lengths in his pursuit.
"It's always nice to prove or disprove
(a phenomenon)," said the amateur ghost hunter. "I've
always thought ghosts and the paranormal were interesting,
and, although I don't necessarily believe it, it still fascinates
me."
So, when he's lurking through old houses, dilapidated
graveyards and other creepy, local haunts, Cady keeps his eyes
wide and his ears alert, ready to catch anything out of the
ordinary.
It was just last year that the former security
guard and two co-workers were working the graveyard shift
together and casual chit-chat turned toward the topic of all
things eerie. Having found an interest all three had in common,
paranormal banter became the topic of many hours of conversation
and, eventually, a future pursuit for the co-workers.
"I think sometimes people are so depressed
with their world, they want to see what's on the other side,"
Cady said of the current spike in ghostly interest. Paranormal
investigation shows are popping up on broadcast and cable
television channels like hokey dating shows did several years
ago. A once taboo topic was now a part of a growing pop-culture.
So, with digital recorders and cameras in
hand, Cady and pals Don Campbell, Maria Rios and Maricela
Franco set out to begin their own investigations, and what
better place to start than historic Aurora where clusters
of creepy buildings have beckoned ghost hunters for years.
The Leland Towers in the city's downtown -- where, according
to some online bloggers, spirits lurk -- has been a hot spot
for ghost hunters and a location Cady and friends would like
to visit.
But, as Cady cautiously warns, "Just
because you think it's haunted doesn't mean it is. I like
to maintain a little distance."
Like when the floor creaks, for instance,
or when phantom voices speak through walkie-talkies and residents
claim other-worldly events, Cady searches for ways to de-bunk
the testimonial.
"I keep a heightened sense," he
said. "But I try not to think about it too much, otherwise
you start hearing every little sign. It's good to stay skeptical."
Investigations begin with a walkthrough of
the supposedly haunted abode. Cady and Co. will talk to residents,
if there are any, about experiences they've had with the paranormal,
and if the person is deemed "sane" and void of an
overactive imagination, the hunters will return to investigate.
With the help of the Aurora Historical Society, Cady will
sift through old census records and other clues to help give
validity to his cases.
One of the crew's first investigations was
at the home of cousins Rios' and Franco's grandmother, where
a long-haired women is seen walking the halls, and grown men
are afraid to step into the restroom solo. The cousins claim
everyone in their extended family has had a paranormal experience
at grandma's, making it one place the girls are genuinely
creeped out by.
"It just makes me nervous," Rios
said. "I haven't been afraid of any other house so far,
but my grandma's house still scares me." And, she's not
afraid to admit it.
For Campbell, though, an eerily creepy encounter
is his greatest wish.
"I suppose if you didn't want to meet
a ghost or see one, then this would freak you out. But for
me it's a wish," Campbell said.
When he was a boy, the St. Charles resident
was greeted in his bedroom by a ghostly presence. Almost 30
years later, the same spirit returned, and Campbell was hooked.
"Ever since then, I've thought I had
to check into it. There's clearly something there."
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