>> On<i> The Haunting Of...</i> >> This is an image that constantly haunts me. I've had dreams about it. I've had nightmares about it. I just want to have closure. I felt a presence of some kind out there. And bam. It was so creepy. >> Going into a place where there's a hotbed of spirit activity is never really easy. >> I never thought I would ever be talking about this right now. >> This is falling into place for me. >> It's like you're reading a book of my life right now. >> Whoa. And I feel like he reached for a gun. >> Oh, my God. >> It's horrible, what I'm seeing. >> I don't know what the hell's gonna happen tonight. [eerie music] ♪ ♪ >> My name is Kim Russo, and I am a psychic medium. When I was nine, I was visited by the first of many dead people who wanted to communicate with the living through me. Realizing that I couldn't ignore my abilities, I chose to embrace them. Many people are haunted by traumatic paranormal events buried in their past. Some of these people have faces you might recognize. You've heard about their paranormal experiences. Now you are about to witness the moment they take me back to the place of the haunted in the hopes of uncovering the truth. This is<i> The Haunting of</i> <i>Greg Grunberg.</i> >> We're driving to San Jose, to the Winchester Mystery House. I am concerned and a little scared about what we're gonna find in there, and... I haven't been back since-- since that day. I had an incredible experience. This Sarah Winchester, she built this crazy house because she was told by a medium that spirits want her to keep building a place for them and a place to keep them active. My friend Sam, she felt that somebody-- or a presence was kind of following us. So there's a side of me that's really kind of scared to open up this-- this jack-in-the-box, but, you know, I just want to kind of have closure. >> We're in San Jose, California. I came here all the way from New York to meet with Greg Grunberg. He's a great actor. He's best known for his TV show role in<i> Heroes,</i> where he plays this telepathic cop who has mind control. We're headed over to the famous Winchester House, and this is a place that is known to attract ghosts, and I've heard about it. I've never been there. I'm very excited. Apparently Greg had an experience that has left him with a lot of questions. He doesn't know what it was. He didn't really understand what he saw, but he wants my help. >> My friend Sam and I drove up from Los Angeles to the Bay Area to try and get an investor. There's a documentary that we're working on together about a child that has epilepsy. We had a couple meetings, and then we were just gonna head back, and on our way out of town, we come across the Winchester Mystery House, and she says, "Oh, my gosh. I've--I've heard of this place. This place is nuts." And she tells this-- tells me this story very briefly about how in the late 1800s, the man who owned and created the Winchester rifle, Mr. Winchester, he passed away, and then his wife, Sarah Winchester, went and spoke with a medium. The medium tells her that, "The spirits are very angry at you. The spirits of the people that have died at the hands of the rifles that your husband created, they want a place to live. They want you to build them a house." The medium said, "As long as you keep building, the spirits'll be happy." So she moves out to the San Jose area and starts building... [sawing wood] and she never stopped construction. So much so, when she died, she had constructed over 180 rooms in this house. Sam says, "Let's just take the tour. Let's stop." So, you know, we take the tour of the house, and... Sam felt as we were moving from room to room, there were ghosts or spirits kind of just following us. I didn't get that sense... But as I left the house, I felt a presence of some kind out there. As we're going to the car, Sam snaps a quick picture of the front of the house... And we leave. We get in the car, and we go. So on our way out of town, we see a psychic, and it's a house with a sign, and Sam says, "Okay, we've got to go in and-- and just ask her opinion of this Mystery House." We sit down with the psychic, and she said, "You guys have had a strong connection." >> No. >> It was definitely a connection. >> You had a very, very strong connection. We said, "No. No, we didn't." She said, "No, you connected with a spirit. You absolutely did." And I'm like, "We didn't hear anything. We didn't see anything. We kind of took the five-cent tour of this place." >> Did you touch anything? Did you take anything? >> We snapped a picture of the outside of the house before we left. >> And then she goes, "Let me see the picture." She had Sam pull out her cell phone, looked at the picture. There's the Winchester House, and there's a rainbow that goes across the photo. So maybe it's a-- a light flare. Maybe that's what happened. But at the end of that rainbow, there is this ghost... And it looks like a soldier to me. Sam and I are freaked out. It was so creepy. Right now I'm getting chills thinking about it. Sam and I are convinced that that soldier in that photo wants his story told. It's been haunting us for the last two years. There's a story there. We just don't know what it is. The guy I saw in the picture, was he a good guy? Was he a bad guy? This is an image that constantly haunts me. I mean, imagine that. I've had dreams about it. I've had nightmares about it. Why was I the one to see this guy? Why me? >> I hope I can help Greg today. Going into a place where there's a hotbed of spirit activity is never really easy. There's a lot of inventory there, and when I say inventory, yes, I mean spirit inventory. It's my mission to tune in directly to Greg, and I will have a challenge trying to tune everything else out. Unfortunately, there will be a lot of lingering spirits that have been at the Winchester Mystery House before I got there, and they will remain there after I leave. I am only one person. I can only connect to what Greg experienced, and that's my goal. I'm already picking up a lot of weird energy. Oh, gosh. It's not clear to me yet. I can't quite tell the motive, but last night, I woke up with these eyes just looking at me, and I did get the feeling that it was a man, and I felt as if I even felt breathing in my ear. I don't feel safe today. Oh, my God, look at this place. This is pretty. I feel like I'm in Disneyland. That looks like a gingerbread house. Hansel and Gretel. I just want to get a feel. Wow. This place is just lurking with ghosts. That's the only thing I can say. What really has me a little confused-- the one guy that was staring at me... the one with the piercing eyes, and he's-- I don't trust his vibe at all. He has an agenda. All right, well, I'm just gonna wait for Greg. >> I'm really kind of frightened at what I might find out about this guy that's been staring at me through a photo all these years, and I don't know what the hell's gonna happen tonight. Okay. Here we go. >> I'm really kind of frightened at what I might find out about this guy that's been staring at me through a photo all these years, and I don't know what the hell's gonna happen tonight. Here we go. >> There he is. Hey, Greg. >> I'm so excited to meet-- can I get a hug? >> I can't believe it. >> I really need a hug right now. >> Really? Okay. >> Yes. [inaudible]. >> Oh, you're tall. This place is amazing. >> Yeah. I was here two years ago during the day. This--this place is just scary at night. >> You had an experience here, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. And it was captured in a picture, so I want to know if we can possibly, hopefully be-- come across that same spirit that we came across, and I can-- you can explain it to me, 'cause I have no knowledge of what it is, and I've been thinking about it, and it's kind of scared me for a long time just because of the fact that, why--why me? >> So you know the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for?" Legend has it that Sarah Winchester called spirits here every single night, and she lived for 90 years. Think about how many years she called spirits here every single night. She wanted to appease the evil spirits, and she felt that this was more like, "Look, I'm doing what you want." I'm not quite sure that she knew what she was doing, and I believe that she could have attracted any single type of entity. It's--it's like going into a prison saying, "Okay, everybody, just--let's come and have a chat with me." Okay? >> My wife was like, "What happens if you go to this place where all these spirits are supposed to be, all these ghosts, and you bring some home?" Do they ever follow you? >> I want to help you close a door and throw out the key because if you don't, sure, whatever this is can follow you. You won't even know it. It can be subtle. You start becoming lethargic. They start feeding off of your whole energy system. >> Wow. >> And they can hang with you for years. >> Okay. >> We'll take a walk. >> Okay, when I was here, that's exactly how I felt. When we were inside taking the tour, just, I didn't-- I did not sense anything. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt heavy. There was a heaviness on me like I'm carrying something. >> You're carrying energy for two people, like when you're pregnant. Well, not--you wouldn't know about that, but... >> Okay, so the front of the house is where the picture was taken. The photo was taken by Samantha, this woman that I was with. She took the photo of the front of the house. We hadn't looked at the picture 'cause she took it and we got in the car. We stopped--right after here, a woman had a sign in front of her house, you know, for--for readings, and we went in, and she immediately said, "You--I feel that you had-- you just had a major connection with somebody. Did you take anything from the house?" "We took a picture." You'll see. This is the front of the house, and right there, there's the-- >> Oh, my gosh, yes. Look at this. >> Okay, what--first of all, what is this-- what is this light? >> I see parallel lines connected right to this person. >> Oh, wow. >> Okay, and it's energy. It's all energy. This is definitely an image of a--of a man. I want to tell you what I'm picking up on. Okay, wait a minute. Wow, I just got a surge coming through my body. Okay. Some people do randomly just see a ghost going through dimensions. That--that happens, but not something like this. Something like this is profound. You connected to this man, or I should say, this is where the man connected to you. >> Why me? >> There's a parallel of-- of your life and-- and their life. But I'm not sure what the parallel is. All right. Why don't we kind of take a walk and see? Spirits are roaming all around this property. I pick that up. But I don't feel that they're only contained in the structures. I feel like they're all out here as well. >> Wow. >> I came here to tune into you, your energy, and your experience. This is something that's drawing me in. This is definitely the first stop on our journey. >> Okay. The carriage house. >> Not to freak you out or anything, but when I tune in to help someone, the night before that I'm about to really do this big connection, it's not uncommon that people start coming early. So last night, like, I started getting glimpses. Whoever this guy was, he had a goatee, deep-set eyes. I could tell he was dressed like in another century. >> Wow. >> And-- >> Like a soldier, maybe. >> Well, he wasn't dressed very fancy. If he was a soldier, he was not wearing a soldier outfit. But I feel that this may be who you saw. >> Wow. >> And I just want to tell you, he looked mean, and I kind of felt like he was coming to almost threaten me. >> Whoever this guy was, I could tell he was dressed like in another century. >> Wow. >> And-- >> Like a soldier, maybe. >> Well, he wasn't dressed very fancy. If he was a soldier, he was not wearing a soldier outfit. But I feel that this may be who you saw. And I just want to tell you, he looked mean, and I kind of felt like he was coming to almost threaten me. >> Why did he show up? Is he good? Is he bad? These are all the questions-- >> I don't know yet, and I can't zero in yet, but this guy has something very much in common with you. >> Okay. Wow. I'm a good guy. I'm not a bad guy. >> Who you trying to convince, me? >> Exactly. >> Or you? >> Exactly. >> Yeah? >> Yeah. >> What's around here? Oh, look at this. You know something? There--there's a woman. There's a woman with us. I think she may be your grandmother, but I can't--I don't know. And I feel like... She says, "He'll know me as Nanny. I'm his nanny." >> Okay, well, that's my nanny. >> She's like, "Not grandma, Nanny." >> No, no, Nanny, that's what we called my grandma, Nanny. She's here right now? >> Yes. >> Wow. >> She's here lending a helping hand. And is Nanny your mother's mother? >> Yes, my mother's mother is Nanny. >> That's what she just said. Like, Nanny, I feel like, was your mother, like. >> Yeah, very close. Nanny is always with me. She's-- >> She does--she-- and your brother. >> And my brother, especially my brother. >> She said, "Annie? Annie?" >> That is--okay, that's just... crazy. >> Was that, like, his girlfriend or something? >> His dog. >> Oh. I don't mean to laugh, but... >> No, that is his dog. >> I feel your-- your wife's family here. Does she have Michael in her family? >> She does. >> Is that a father energy, above her? >> An uncle. >> Above her's older--uncle. >> Yes, her father's brother. >> Okay, great. And then is there a Wayne? >> Yeah, that's her father. >> They said that's not his real name, and--and if that's true, don't tell me. >> Okay. >> Does that mean they call him that? >> Yes. >> But that's not his real name? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Which one is, like, the math guy? He does a lot of numbers. >> Both of them. They're both accountants. >> Oh. >> Literally, it's like you're reading a book of my life right now. That is the craziest thing. >> Wait. I still feel your nanny here. >> She's the greatest. >> She has something to say to you. She's showing me one of your--your kids. Just give me a second. What is she telling me? I need to move out of this space a little bit. Could we go in there? This is getting-- isn't this getting very stuffy? >> It is. It is. >> Okay, there's something very special going on in your family, some kind of mission? Something bigger than you and your family has to happen, and they--she just said we have to help them carry it out. Okay, so... Nanny, she's showing me one of your--your son-- one of your sons is just like you. A clone, in-- in, you know, mentally, spiritually, everything. >> Yeah. >> You two are very much in sync. I think it's your older boy. >> Yeah. >> That's what I'm sensing. >> Yeah. >> And he-- I feel like in another life, he was your friend, not your son. >> Wow. >> Yeah. It's like he connects to you. Oh, my God. This is intense. >> What? >> In--in--in a past life, you were blind. >> Wow. >> And he was your advocate and your protector, because in that life, people would, like, make fun of you, or they would throw rocks at you. It--it's horrible, what I'm seeing. It's--it's-- it's one of the lives where you really accelerated in your karma, and you really learned a lot of lessons in there, and you took on that handicap so that you can really achieve a lot against all odds. It's not an easy mission to take on for a soul. And it's either to teach other people unconditional love or to learn something themselves about perseverance. >> Wow. What I'm picking up is that possibly the roles are now reversed. My oldest son has epilepsy, and I-- I am the national spokesperson for epilepsy. It's been my mission. >> You--wow, really? >> Mm-hmm. >> It's probably why-- not that he's your favorite, but on a soul level, you have this understanding that doesn't need words. >> Mm-hmm. >> I can't help but feel it's-- it's connected to why we're here. >> The twins. >> Your grandmother just said, "Talk about the twins." >> You are giving back. It comes from that life, and it's probably why you have this understanding that doesn't need words. >> Mm-hmm. >> I can't help but feel it's-- it's connected to why we're here. Your grandmother just said, "Talk about the twins." >> So my mom had twins and lost them. Are you seeing them? >> They're coming back. >> Oh, they are? Wow. >> Born most likely into your family somehow. >> That's great. >> You could give your mom that message 'cause I feel like she--she always thinks about them at, like, here and there, you know? >> Yeah. >> Like, not that she dwells on it, but it's always there. >> Yeah. We always talk about how I wouldn't be here because she may have stopped at three and I wouldn't be there. >> Okay, now, isn't that interesting? Look at your mission and what it is. >> Mm-hmm. >> It's huge. I don't want to say your mother lost the twins for that reason, but sometimes the soul who chooses to exit as a miscarriage will choose to exit for the greater good of mankind, and they knew your soul was waiting to be born into the same family. They kind of bowed out gracefully to give you your mission and your spotlight. So it's like, "All right, you want to go ahead? All right. Well, you know what? You have-- you have bigger things-- bigger fish to fry than I do." >> Right, yeah. That's really interesting. >> But what does this have to do with your experience? I just felt that guy again, the one with the-- >> Beard? >> Yeah, the goatee and the deep-set eyes. >> The guy that I saw. >> He's, like, kind of... Like, here. I'm like, "All right, what does he want?" Like, I--I-- I kind of sensed him, like, here, and then all of a sudden the energy went around the tree. But I have to believe that this man has something to do with your life or your story. >> Yeah. >> I have--I have a feeling that he had something to do with-- I kind of feel like he might have been in the military at one time. This is Civil War. He totally kind of-- they thought he was crazy, and he said, like, soldiers were trampling over him. Nobody tried to help him. He's-- He seems to want to say something, but it's almost like he's almost afraid to come out. Why don't we see-- investigate this--this way? >> Okay. What is this? This, to me, is a strange building. >> Yeah, it is strange. It's very tall. >> Very tall and small. What is this? Like-- I'm gonna let you go ahead. >> You're gonna let me? >> Yeah. >> Look at this place. This is such a tall, like, structure. How do you get upstairs? How do you get up there, and what is up there? I'm feeling-- >> The guy that I'm connected with. >> I see him so clear in my head. It's kind of leading me to that--that direction. There's something in here for sure. >> This is the creepier room for sure. >> See, now you're sensing that. >> I am sensing that, I'll tell you, yeah. >> I'm gonna say his initial is A. He's-- he's the A, Al, guy. But I just got a whole 'nother perspective on what this was. I almost feel like he-- either he got migraines a lot, or he-- they deemed him with a brain disorder. He feels it was unfair. >> I'll tell you, back then, you had anything wrong with your brain, people thought you were possessed. I know that for a fact because our oldest son, like I told you, has epilepsy. The term "grand mal--" >> What does that mean? >> "The big evil." >> Oh. >> That's what it transfers. That's what it directly-- the definition of. >> Hold on a second. As soon as you said that, you know what I saw? Whoa. >> If you had anything wrong with your brain, people thought you were possessed. I know that for a fact because our oldest son, like I told you, has epilepsy. The term "grand mal--" >> What does that mean? >> "The big evil." That's what it transfers. That's what it directly-- the definition of. >> Whoa. Hold on a second. They were, like, they-- they did leeches on him, leeches on his body. >> Wow. >> To suck out whatever, like, they thought it was. But he--I just saw, like... I think an infection, or they thought an infection went to his brain. I'm just trying to understand what happened to this guy, and I'm seeing leeches on him, and I feel his anger towards the military. >> Nobody understood mental conditions back then at all. >> No, you're so right. As a matter of fact-- >> People were sent away to institutions. >> Does Colorado mean anything to you? >> Not-- >> Have you been there? >> I've been to Colorado. >> When? >> My wife and I were there. We drove cross-country. >> Somehow this guy connects to that area. I'm seeing it in my head. The Colorado thing is the link. How long ago, approximately, was that? >> 23 years ago, 24 years ago. >> That's the only time you were there? >> No, I've also driven through Colorado. After my son had brain surgery, we had to drive home from Chicago, and we had to drive because you can't-- you can't be at a high altitude after brain surgery. So we're driving, and Jake had a seizure. We're like, "He just had brain surgery. Why is he having a seizure?" I called our neurologist, and I'm like, "What's going on?" And the guy said, "Where are you?" and I said, "I'm in Colorado," and he said, "Get out of the mountains. That's altitude. That's why you can't fly. >> What does that do to the brain? >> Altitude is where oxygen is thinner, so that's why people that hike have--there's a certain medicine that you take to convince your brain that you have more oxygen so you don't have seizures when you hike. So you don't want altitude. You can't-- you can't be in high places. >> I don't really know the outcome yet, but this is falling into place for me. Why don't we go to the front where this picture was snapped? I'll get some kind of clarity, I feel, or I'll get more information. But I have to tell you that when you just said what you said, I'm kind of feeling that's--remember what I kept saying to you? There's something that you have in common. >> Yeah, well, that was a very memorable experience in Colorado, and we didn't-- >> I knew it. >> Yeah. >> I knew it. So listen up. >> Yeah? >> He was in Colorado. He was hiking. I see him with other men. I feel like they got lost. There was a snowstorm. >> Like an avalanche? >> Yeah, something like that. Over a month? Like, a--like, a long time, they got lost. Okay, I kind of feel like-- like he was flipping out in a way, this guy. He keeps repeating over and over, "I didn't sleep for days." Now... He said that that affected his brain condition. >> Wow. >> Lack of sleep? >> Yeah. >> And you put the altitude in there to boot, caused him to have some-- a reaction with his brain. >> Or maybe even seizures. >> I do feel this is epilepsy 'cause I see him shaking. >> Yeah. >> And I see his eyes rolling. >> Yeah. >> There was another man... [gun cocks] And I feel like he reached for a gun to kill this guy, Al... And he shot him. Like, it-- it wasn't his intention, but it was kill or be killed. >> Right. >> He was going to die of starvation. Like, he was-- he was trying to survive. Oh, my God. Oh, my--I feel sick. >> It wasn't his intention, but it was kill or be killed. >> Right. >> He was going to die of starvation. Like, he was-- he was trying to survive. Oh, my God. Oh, my--I feel sick. I can't even begin to tell-- like... For him to survive, he ate them. >> Oh, my God. >> He ate them because they were already dead, and he needed to survive. >> He had to survive. >> And he had to get off this mountain. He went to jail, too, for murder. >> This is exactly where he was when I took the picture, right here. Samantha took the picture from right over there, and he would have been standing right here. >> 'Cause he wanted you to see him. You can't tell me there's not a direct correlation. You did not connect with this guy the day you came to the Winchester Mystery House. You connected to this man in Colorado. He's very familiar with this being, like, a magnet to attract spirits and ghosts. This was the perfect platform for you to see him because you were expecting to see an apparition. >> Oh. And we were up here because we were putting together a documentary on epilepsy. >> The link was he saw the same connection with your son. >> Mm-hmm. >> In that life, he got such a bad rap, and-- and he was very misunderstood. Nobody tried to help him. Nobody understood him. They thought he was crazy, and he said that for all the times people misunderstood him, you and your son, you are setting the record straight by helping raise the awareness of this condition, and the man connected to you. >> This is good, and it makes me feel so much better knowing-- it sounds like I've helped him. I never thought I would ever be talking about this on the-- right now, honestly. >> I believe you. >> And it's-- and it's the most important thing in my life, honestly. It's--it's-- it means so much to me. My family is number one, and my son, and people with epilepsy. It's just crazy. Thank you. Crazy. >> Why don't we go sit down? >> Let's do it. Wow. That was incredible. I--honestly, I'm-- I feel you didn't just give me a hypothetical that sends me off going, "Okay, well, maybe." I feel like that really is the reason why I saw that guy. >> This man had epilepsy. >> Right. >> We're talking 1800s. It's--looks like Civil War time. >> Right, that's when they thought you were possessed by the devil without question. >> Possessed, right, or you're a freak of nature. >> Yeah. What hit me the hardest was when you said he brought me here. >> He sees what your goal is. I feel like he really sympathized with your son. Has your son ever been rejected for something because of his condition? >> Yeah, yeah. That's something that I-- that's one--that's pretty much the only thing that I don't normally share with people. And it was a one-time thing, and I kind of let it slide, but it burns and hurts. >> That feeling that he had, your son, and that you had-- he had it his whole life. >> Epilepsy should never stop anybody from doing anything. The more you know about it, the more you understand it, the less you're afraid of it. Remove stigma and understand epilepsy, which I never, ever, ever thought I would be talking about here at the Winchester Mystery House. Thank you. >> I love that. Great hug. >> Oh. >> Do you know I have to go on my tippy-toes to hug you? >> Well, yes, I do. Yeah, but look at how tall I am next to you. Epilepsy brought me up to this area. I would not have been anywhere near this house had I not been putting a documentary together, but I did not think that that would ever hook and link back to this image of this man that I saw in the photo. This is an interesting time. My son is 18 now. He's an adult, and he has to be responsible for himself as a person with epilepsy. My wife and I constantly are thinking about that and hoping for the best for him. That may be why this happened now. I'm a member of a club that no one wants to be a member of, and when I can see in someone's face that I'm actually helping them, someone now who-- from the Civil War? Are you kidding me? I mean, it's just beyond words. >> Looking back, Greg desperately wanted to find out the story behind the man who appeared to him in a photo taken at the Winchester Mystery House. We discovered that the spirit was a Civil War soldier who suffered from epilepsy. This spirit wanted to help Greg raise even more awareness to an often-misunderstood condition which Greg's son also shares. As I often say, like recognizes like, both here and in the afterlife. And sometimes, unbeknownst to us, a spirit identifies with the personal demons or issues of the living, and revealing themselves is not meant to scare us. It is meant to teach us.
