Denise's Story
My interest to join GPPS was something that I eagerly wanted
to do. I have a strong interest in the paranormal all stemming from the purchase
of my house almost ten years ago. It is located in a suburb but you would
never know it because the house sits back very secluded off a dead end street
on a few acres. It was also was not lived in for over a decade, but my husband
insisted we buy it and do all the renovations ourselves to make it the way
we'd like. There was nothing initially spooky looking about a 2 1/2 story
red brick Colonial, but I still had this uneasy feeling whenever I was in
it from day one. We all have felt someone watching us when nobody was home,
footsteps, doors shutting, furniture moving, mists and images appearing,
voices from the basement, and I can go on and on. I know it sounds like a
movie script, but I am truly living through all of this.
There have been over 35 documentations regarding incidents that happened
in the house over the years. Many were witnessed by others outside of my
family which is my husband and three sons. One of the first incidents to
happen was while renovating the house (it took three months of work before
we could move in) was the day I was in the front bedroom with my friend Stacey.
We were sanding the walls to prepare for painting. Stacey was on the ladder
behind the closed door sanding the top half, and I was on the floor sanding
the lower half of the wall when we heard the heavy wooden front door shut
followed by heavy footsteps coming upstairs.. Now keep in mind, it was a
hot summer day, so we had the front door wide open because the house is not
air conditioned. Stacey got down off the ladder and moved it away from the
door so that whomever was coming up the steps would not knock her off it
when the door to the bedroom was opened. I looked out the front window but
only saw her car. The footsteps stopped, so we looked out into the hall.
There was nobody there and my front door was still wide opened as we had
it. To this day, the footsteps continue as does the sound of the doors off
the living room open and close.
I cannot write in length all that happened on here, of course, but I will
add a few more incidents. Our first night sleeping there three months later,
my husband and I were awoken by the loud sound of a grandfather clock that
'bonged' 2:00 AM. It was actually 2:30 AM .... but we do not own a grandfather
clock. Later I found out that the first owner (we are the second owners)
did have a grandfather clock that she prized, as it was a wedding gift from
her father. By the way, the owner died in my bedroom in her late thirties
from cancer leaving behind the children and husband. I did not know this
at the time of purchasing the home. Later I also found out that the husband
practically lost his mind when she died and is estranged from all of the
children for the most part (he has since died, too).
In the basement was a box full of hundreds of love letters expanding over
three years during World War ll. between the original owners while they were
still courting each other. I brought the letters upstairs and have placed
them in protective covers in a binder. One day I was at the kitchen table
with my aunt. We were taking turns reading the letters out loud when a mist
appeared by the sink. It was about two feet tall and spiraling. I assumed
right away something was on fire under the sink cabinet and opened the doors....
but nothing caused the mist to form. I placed my hands through it but it
never lost its shape.... disappeared and then seconds later came back again.
It lasted several minutes before disappearing.
One afternoon during family party, my aunt took her young son indoors to
use the bathroom. At the top of the stairs was a young boy (there were no
children at this party except for a few that were not this boy) and my aunt
thought there was a line..... but he looked at her and slowly turned away
to the bedroom but his head did not turn, he kept his gaze on her before
going around the corner. She thought it odd and continued up the stairs and
ushered her son into the bathroom. I have a small area in the middle of the
three bedrooms and bathroom, so there is absolutely no way he could have
passed her without her knowing. She searched for him in each bedroom but
he was nowhere to be found. To this day, just thinking about him and recalling
his eye contact and body movement scare her. We did find out later that the
original basement (but not the house) was used for coal mining. The first
building on top of the basement was the coal mining office, since torn down
and the house was built over the foundation. It is rumored that the coal
mining owner used to have his son go there with him a lot, but the young
boy died from polio. Not sure if he was the boy whom my aunt saw or not.
This is only a fraction of my story....but this is why I was eager to join
a paranormal group. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one truly
living in a haunted house and experiencing things that cannot be explained.
Submitted by Denise L.
©2006 The Greater Pittsburgh Parnormal Society™
