Why You’re Not Crazy for Believing in Ghosts
Lori Juszak talks ghost and ghost tours
From The Lovely Bones to Beetlejuice to The Conjuring, ghosts are seen in many forms. There’s no denying it. There is a big divide between those that believe and those that don’t. But that’s how it is with anything in life.
I recently interviewed Lori Juszak, one of the owners of Fort Collins Tours,who co-owns it along with her sons and daughter-in-law. She also owns Juszak Realty while managing the tours. Although they offer a variety of tours, I chose to focus my objective on the ghosts(just in time for Halloween). Located in Old Town Fort Collins, I decided to catch up with her about ghosts themselves, her experience, and the ghost tour itself.
Beyond the Oval: Do you truly believe in ghosts? If so:Why do you believe in ghosts?
Lori Juszak: I do — I love science, so naturally a skeptic, but I’ve seen and heard so much that is inexplicable during the tours that I am definitely now a believer. I also was raised in a home that was “haunted” and that swayed me towards believing as well.
What was your first encounter with ghosts and how did that change you?
When I was about five, my parents bought an old house in the country. We kept hearing footsteps in the solitary upstairs bedroom, and when we checked it out, no one was there. One day the footsteps came down the stairs and went right by us in the front room. With our dogs growling and snapping at the air above the footsteps, the front door opened. It was very disconcerting and I slept at my grandmother’s house for a bit after that!
Why do you think other people should believe in ghosts?
I don’t encourage anyone to believe anything — just to keep an open mind and to try to apply scientific reason to explain a phenomenon before going towards paranormal conclusions.
What is the scariest thing you’ve experienced?
It was about 10:00 on a Saturday night. I was alone after a tour turning off lights in one of our underground venues. I went into a back room and was startled by a man in a long black coat standing there facing away from me. I thought it was one of my sons who had been helping with a tour so I said, “You really startled me!” Then, the person just faded away into nothing. I SPRINTED back up the stairs and have never gone back down in that underground venue alone again.
Where do you think is the scariest place in Fort Collins and why?
There are so many “active” haunts — I don’t find them scary as much as fascinating. The underground of Old Town Square and surrounding area has consistently shown us activity that can’t be explained.
Is there a big market for paranormal activity in Fort Collins? Why or why not?
We fill tours year around, so I think there is a decent market. We have quite a few guests who visit multiple times a year, and then we also have tourists, locals bringing family for entertainment, etc.
What tools are used to detect paranormal activity? Are those scientifically proven?
We use electromagnetic field meters, as there is a theory that spirits have electrical energy. I’m not sure there is a way to prove that, but it’s fun seeing if there is electrical current where there are no electrical lines after an incident. It does seem to have correlation. We also record in silence to see if we can get an EVP (electronic voice phenomena). We have one really great EVP but only one over all of these years. It’s in french, which threw us. I do vouch for it because I was in the room with 20 other people who were absolutely silent when the recording was taken. Whether EVP’s can be proven scientifically is another story.
Why do you think that there are ghosts? What causes their presence according to your beliefs?
I’m not sure even what the activity means — if it’s the traditional concept of a ghost, then I think it could be the consciousness of those who have passed on. I’m not sure why some would be available to the “real world” and others wouldn’t, but it does seem that the spirits who inhabit some of our favorite haunts are aware when we come in and some have been known to touch guests, pull hair, etc. I have wondered if it’s a choice spirits make, or if some are just able to and others not.
Why should people go on a ghost tour this year?
Because it’s fun, fascinating and also a great step into the past where you can learn a bit about Fort Collin’s history as well. We hope to see you soon!
Whether or not you believe in ghosts, that’s your gamble. The truth is, when it comes to ghosts, there is no right answer. Here you’re hearing it first hand, some people have seen ghosts. But don’t take it from me, take it from Lori!
So there you have it folks! Straight from an expert. Whether you’ve seen a ghost, have a ghost or are a ghost, I want to hear your story so leave a comment below! And don’t forget to get out on those ghost tours! Stay scared, my friends!
