Five of the Most Outrageously Bizarre Alien Encounters
Just a few weeks ago, on June 25th, 2021, UFO researchers everywhere were excited to finally get their hands on the report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, a flashy new name for UFOs that’s “publicity-friendly”). The report confirmed that they take UFO reports seriously and are taking steps to streamline a reporting process for UFO sightings by members of the armed forces or intelligence community, once again bringing attention back to the leaked 2017 Navy UFO videos just after the Navy finally officially declassified them in 2020.
While indeed this is a major breakthrough for UFO researchers calling for disclosure on the subject, the truth is most enthusiasts have already moved on to more fantastical stories, including the authenticity of leaked documents from astrophysicist Eric Davis that seem to confirm the existence of UFO crash-retrievals and the subsequent programs in place to reverse-engineer the recovered technology.
The truth is, the UFO field is constantly evolving and quickly moving on to whatever the hot new conspiracy is, whether it be MJ-12 documents or the more recent “Roswell Slides.” The Navy videos are “old news” to a lot of people despite still playing a pivotal role in the evolving story of Tom DeLonge’s team of UFO Avengers known as To the Stars Academy of Arts and Sciences. In fact, the Navy videos represent some of the most basic and mundane elements of military-related UFO sightings. Military pilots have been reporting strange aerial phenomena for years, and numerous similar videos were coming out of South American countries years ago.
Those unfamiliar with UFOs might be shocked to hear that confirmed sightings of potential extraterrestrial spacecraft by military personnel could ever be considered “mundane.” The topic is filled with countless wacky and wild stories, some that even bring into doubt their potential extraterrestrial origin. Each account varies wildly, but a thread of similarities can be found weaving itself between them.
What’s really going on here? We may never find out, but at least these five stories make for great entertainment!
5. The Gulf Breeze Sightings
Some of the best and most iconic UFO photographs came out of the 1950s, thanks in large part to what’s known as the Contactee movement. Central to this group were people like George Adamski and Billy Meier, whose alleged pictures of alien spacecraft have ingrained themselves in pop culture.
Unfortunately, it’s all too obvious that these images, along with their accompanying claims of being whisked away by beautiful blonde space brothers to obviously uninhabitable planets, are completely fraudulent.
While Ed Walters’ story shares much in common with these Contactees — and indeed the validity of his claims are dubious at best — he still managed to produce one of the most fascinating accounts of alien abduction ever, along with countless photographs that are just plain fun, fake or not.
Mr. Walters’ story begins on the evening of November 11, 1987 in the coastal city of Gulf Breeze, Florida. Working in his home office, something caught his eye from outside the window. He was astonished to see a saucer-shaped craft hovering just hundreds of feet over his quiet residential street. He quickly grabbed his polaroid camera and ran outside, snapping numerous pictures of the object.
Suddenly, he claims, he was hit and paralyzed by a dazzling blue tractor beam that began to lift him up off the ground and towards the craft. As he struggled to escape, he described being told to stay calm by a telepathic voice before — and here’s where it gets truly strange — mental images of dogs began to flash through his head. Ed, a stubborn man, alleges he was able to put up enough of a fuss that the interstellar visitors dropped him back down on the pavement before he could be taken aboard the craft.
What followed was months of torment by ambivalent extraterrestrial visitors that seemed to be eager to pose their vehicles for photographs — Ed managed to take around 40 photographs and even some video of the craft he claims to have harassed him almost daily. The stories get even more bizarre: during his second encounter with the UFO, he describes being mentally shown various images of naked women in an attempt to entice him into the craft’s powerful “blue beam” — which he also managed to take a photo of.
Some of the pictures are just straight up comical — including one in which Ed screams at a UFO from his deck wearing only a towel (the aliens came for him during a shower), and an image of his wife Frances narrowly dodging a blue beam as she jumps through the front door. The pictures were shot using a Polaroid instant camera, which is noteworthy because it is much harder (but not impossible) to produce convincing hoaxes using one.
Mr. Walters’ harrowing experience allegedly culminated in an abduction on May 1, 1988. After that, the extraterrestrials seemed finished with Ed and appeared to leave him alone, for the most part. While Ed continued to report UFOs into the 90s and 2000s, his credibility took a hit when a paper model of the distinct UFO he photographed was found in one of his previous houses by a new tenant.
Still, the Gulf Breeze Sightings remain a seminal UFO account not just because of Ed’s tale, but because residents all over the area were reporting and photographing similar crafts in the skies of Gulf Breeze and nearby towns.
Mr. Walters has dropped off the radar since his brief time in the (blue) spotlight, but the legacy of his story lives on as one of the most bizarre and controversial tales of alleged alien contact ever.
Sources:
- http://www.adamskifoundation.com/Rene%20Erik%20Olsen%20-%20Denmark/Rene-Denmark.html
- The Gulf Breeze Sightings: The Most Astounding Multiple Sightings of UFOs in U.S. History by Ed and Frances Walters
4. The Pascagoula, Mississippi Abduction
Considered one of the most convincing alien abduction accounts by UFO enthusiasts, the alleged alien abduction of Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker while they were fishing on the Pascagoula River remains one of the most bizarre and beguiling of all.
The two men, who worked together at a local dockyard, were out on a late night fishing trip on the Pascagoula River on October 11th, 1973. A blue light suddenly caught their attention, and an egg-shaped craft appeared before them, hovering just two feet above the ground. They watched in horror as a door on the vehicle opened and they were approached by three pale humanoid figures with elephant-like skin covering their bodies.
The beings stood only five feet tall, and had no legs that the men could discern. They had small, thin mouths, lacked eyes, and — most bizarrely of all — they had cone-shaped growths in place of their ears and nose. The men described being paralyzed and “floated” into the craft, during which the younger Mr. Parker admitted to passing out. Mr. Hickson stayed conscious throughout the experience and recounted being examined by a giant mechanical eye while hovering in midair.
The whole ordeal lasted only twenty minutes, and they were returned to their spot on the bank of the river and the craft disappeared. Mr. Parker regained consciousness and they fled to the safety of their vehicle, where they sat panicking for 45 minutes. They contacted the nearby Keesler Air Force Base, who directed them to the local police. When they arrived at the police station, all they had to prove their story was a catfish they had caught earlier — but the police suspected the two were drunk. The sheriff left them alone in an interrogation room with a secret audio recorder, assuming the two would slip up and reveal a hoax.
To his surprise, the genuinely distressed men continued to discuss the encounter between themselves, expressing shock and disbelief at what had happened.
There still hasn’t been any logical explanation for the events of October 11th, although some skeptics have proposed that the episode was a result of alcohol-induced hallucinations. They also note that the area where the incident occurred was in full view of a well-travelled highway and no other witnesses came forward to corroborate the gentlemen’s claims.
While we may never know the truth about what happened that night, the men themselves seemed to believe that what they witnessed was a real, physical event and never backed down from their story.
Sources:
- https://www.mufon.com/pascagoula-mississippi-case---1973.html
- https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/I-floated-inside-Man-returns-to-site-of-1973-14050951.php
- https://www.wlox.com/2019/10/01/pascagoula-alien-abduction-nd-chapter-calvin-parker-writes-new-book/
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/06/26/i-floated-inside-man-returns-site-ufo-abduction-it-gets-historical-marker/
- https://skepticalinquirer.org/2012/05/famous-alien-abduction-in-pascagoula-reinvestigating-a-cold-case/
3. The Strange Case of Young Juan Perez
UFO enthusiasts know that documentaries covering the subject can be very hit or miss. In 2018, filmmaker Alan Stivelman released not only one of the most emotional UFO documentaries ever, but perhaps one of the best of the year overall. Unfortunately Witness of Another World seems to have mostly flown under the radar, but the story it tells is easily one of the most important and impactful close encounter tales of all time.
On September 6th, 1978, 12-year-old Juan Pérez was instructed by his father to round up their horses that were grazing in a nearby field. He rode his own horse out into the morning fog, which seemed unusually dense for the time of day. He was suddenly startled as numerous silver craft flew overhead and began projecting multicolored beams of light through the fog. He was barely able to calm his horse and flee back to the ranch, where he was soon scolded by his skeptical father for not completing the task. He was ordered to return to the field and finish the job, which he reluctantly did.
When he reached the spot where the UFOs had previously appeared, he was shocked to see one of the craft had landed. Pérez describes a classic “flying saucer” in every sense of the word: a glistening silver disk lined with round portholes and a dome on top. In typical flying saucer fashion, a door slid open and out of it, a ladder descended. Juan watched as a 7-foot-tall humanoid wearing something akin to a metal hazmat suit exited the craft. Attached to the cylindrical helmet it wore was a long tube that led back into the UFO.
The strange being beckoned Juan inside. He ascended the ladder and entered the craft, where he saw machines and panels once again resembling a classic sci-fi ship — something out of Star Trek’s U.S.S. Enterprise. Juan attempted to go further into the craft and touch the being inside, but described being blocked by some sort of invisible force field. As he looked around, he witnessed what he described as a robot that appeared to be butchering a cow on a metal table. This frightened him and he quickly exited the object, with the tall humanoid in tow.
Juan, looking for something to take back as proof of his encounter, asked the being for one of his gloves. It obliged and removed a glove, revealing a green, reptilian claw with long blue nails. As the boy took the glove from the creature, it suddenly reached out and pricked his arm with one of its long nails. A terrified Juan jumped back onto his horse and raced back to the ranch, glove in hand.
The encounter wasn’t over, however, and he was pursued by two silver craft that soon caught up with him. One of the saucers released what appeared to be some sort of probe, which swooped down at Juan, sucked up the glove, and returned to the ship that it came from. Juan went home, his life having been changed forever.
As documented in Witness of Another World, the close encounter continues to have a profound effect on Pérez’s life to this day. He now lives a lonely life on an isolated ranch, with only his faithful animal companions to keep him company.
Sources:
- Witness of Another World (2018) Dir. Alan Stivelman
- http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1248998/pg1
2. Woody Derenburger meets Indrid Cold
The legendary Mothman has once again found his way into popular culture, perhaps due to coverage from the lovable duo over at Buzzfeed Unsolved and its inclusion in the online game Fallout 76. Many know the basics of the classic paranormal legend: a few months prior to the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River, there were hundreds of sightings of an mysterious 7-foot-tall winged creature with piercing red eyes in the sleepy town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
Many believe the Mothman was here to warn residents about the impending tragedy, as after the bridge fell he seemed to disappear as quickly as he came. What many don’t know, however, is there were even stranger events going on in Point Pleasant during that time, including UFO sightings, visits from the legendary Men in Black, and encounters with a strange being who called himself Indrid Cold.
Some may recognize the name as the unseen, enigmatic entity playing phone tag with Richard Gere in the 2002 supernatural drama The Mothman Prophecies. The film was based off of journalist John Keel’s book of the same name, which chronicles the strange paranormal events Keel alleges he experienced leading up to that fateful December evening when 46 people lost their lives. The book contains far more bizarre accounts of otherworldly events than ever could be covered in a single article, but the initial encounter between the being called Cold and a simple sewing machine salesman named Woodrow Wilson Derenburger goes far beyond what many would consider to be a traditional alien encounter.
At 6PM on November 2nd, 1966, Woody was driving from his job in Marietta, Ohio, to his home in Mineral Wells, West Virginia. He was startled when a dark vehicle began to tailgate him, and he pulled over to let it pass. The vehicle suddenly ascended off the ground and quickly passed Woody, landing in the road ahead of him and blocking his way forward.
His headlights gave him a better look at the massive black UFO, which Woody described as looking like a kerosene lamp. A latched door on the craft creaked open and an average-looking man stepped out. His only distinguishing feature was a wide, unfaltering grin on his face. The smiling man approached Woody’s car and began communicating with him telepathically, telling him that he meant no harm and only had a few questions for him. Despite the mental connection, the man requested that Woody roll his window down so they could communicate better.
Woody described him as an exceptionally average 35-year-old man with dark hair; however, throughout the encounter, his smile never broke and he kept his hands hidden under his armpits. The man introduced himself as simply “Cold,” and began grilling the terrified salesman with questions. He asked about the local city of Parkersburg, and told Woody that where he was from, cities were referred to as “gatherings.” Cold then asked Woody about his job. After Woody explained to him the responsibilities of a salesman, he returned the question to Cold. The strange being replied “I am a searcher.”
The conversation lasted between five and ten minutes and Woody became increasingly uncomfortable with the visitor. Cold sensed his unease, and attempted to comfort him before thanking him for his time. He ended the conversation by telling Mr. Derenburger, “…we will see you again.” The hatch opened once again and Cold was hoisted in by what appeared to be another human’s hand, but the interior was too dark for Woody to make anything out. The craft ascended and zoomed off, leaving Woody in stunned silence.
Woody’s account is strengthened by other reports of people being confronted by a grinning man identifying himself as Indrid Cold in the following weeks. Casting doubt on his story, however, were Woody’s later, absurd claims of being taken to a planet called Lanulos where its’ naked citizens lived in total peace with each other.
Ultimately, Derenburger’s story is only one odd piece of the excruciatingly unexplainable puzzle chronicled in The Mothman Prophecies. Anyone who picks up the book will find that the film only scratched the surface of Point Pleasant’s mysterious 1966 visitor.
Sources:
- The Mothman Parts 1–4, Astonishing Legends
- https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2018/08/the-mysterious-saga-of-indrid-cold/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HxY4suVjSo
1. Antonio Villas Boas Pulls a Captain Kirk
The one story that rises above the rest in terms of sheer weirdness does so for a lot of reasons. UFO enthusiasts find it remarkable for many reasons, not least of which was when it occurred: 1957, 4 years before Betty and Barney Hill had their landmark abduction experience and even longer before their story was publicized and popularized. The date is perhaps the least outstanding thing about this case, however, as it includes one of the only descriptions of an alleged sexual encounter with an otherworldly being.
Antionio’s story begins on the night of October 14th, 1957, as he and his brother Joao were tending to the fields at his family’s farm. They were approached suddenly by a ball of glowing red light, which seemed to react to Antonio’s attempt at chasing the craft down by speeding away and producing multicolored beams of light. It soon retreated into the dark of night, leaving the two brothers wondering what they could have just witnessed.
Two days later, Antonio, alone this time, once again witnessed the glowing red craft. He was able to make out that it was oval-shaped and it emitted a blindingly bright light from a dome that sat atop it. Metal appendages suddenly came out of the craft and it landed quietly in the field ahead of him. Antonio attempted to flee after watching a diminutive being wearing a grey suit and helmet exit the craft.
This creature, which almost resembled your typical “grey” alien, was joined by two others, and they caught up to him so quickly it was almost unnatural. He was suddenly paralyzed as the creatures picked him up by the arms and brought him into the landed craft and into an examination room.
He was stripped down and covered in a lubricant-like jelly. Typical tests were done on him such as blood extraction and a physical examination. The small beings eventually left him alone in the room in terrified silence.
Suddenly, a different being entered. She was a beautiful woman with stunning blue eyes and metallic hair, and they preceded to have sex. Mr. Boas claims that while the woman looked relatively human, she did not act it. She did not speak for the duration of the encounter, instead resorting to dog-like barks and growls. After the deed was done, she motioned to her belly and then to the stars. Boas interpreted this to mean that his child was to be raised in space.
The woman exited the room and Boas was led out of the craft by the smaller beings from earlier. Things get fuzzy for Boas, but he claimed to have found himself back at his tractor with burns and markings he did not remember getting.
In the following days, Boas began experiencing symptoms of radiation exposure. He was examined by a doctor from the National School of Medicine, who confirmed that Boas’ issues were indeed consistent with radiation poisoning. Boas allegedly suffered for months after the encounter.
Boas’ story shares much in common with the Pascagoula abduction that occurred many years later. What is the reason for these similarities when the overall stories vary so much from person to person? It is unlikely that we will ever know, but the stories will continue to fascinate us until they are reliably debunked or finally confirmed for good.
Sources:
