My Mom died in May 2007 a day after my wedding and my father died six months later. My mom suffered badly from cancer for 9 months and my father's interaction with her was not good. My dad and I did not have a good relationship in life (after the first 6 years of my life) because he was depressed, an alcoholic and at times very abusive to my mother, brother and me.

We don't know exactly when my father died. One weekend I tried calling him all weekend and he didn't answer - not totally unlike him because he would do that at times when he was mad. On that Monday after continuing to call him without an answer I left work early in Boston and with my husband drove down to my parents house in RI. When we arrived we heard the TV playing loudly in the front room, but after ringing the bell, no one came to the door. Our key wasn't working so I went to the back of the house where I could see into the family room from a screened porch. It was then that I saw my father lying on the ground. We then called 911. My husband was able to get into the house finally and found him dead. It was 12/3/07.

In February 2008 we began cleaning the house out to get it ready for the market. Things began happening right away. Because we both worked full time, my husband and I would drive down every Saturday to clean out the house. We'd arrive and items would have been tossed out of my mother's hutch cabinet, such as candles all over the floor with the drawer open. Or one time pennies, from a jar, all over the ground. We inherited my parents dog, Rocky, who would come with us. Often he would be visibly scared in the house. The house for about six months after my father died just didn't feel right.

One Saturday in May two friends, me and my husband were cleaning out the house. My husband was upstairs in my parents bedroom cleaning out my father's bureau. I was downstairs and I found a photo album from when my Dad was in his early twenties or so. As I looked at the photos, my Dad was smiling, something I virtually never saw when he was alive. I yelled up to my husband 'would you look at this, my father wasn't always a miserable bastard.' As soon as the words came out of my mouth, a loud bang came from the room where he died.  When I went into the room the framed photo collage my mother made of his retirement announcement in the newspaper had come off the wall and was on the floor. The hook was still on the wall and the frame was intact. There was no breeze or some other way for the frame to have come off the wall. There is no doubt in my mind this was my father's response to my comments.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?     No

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them?          Yes

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased? No

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?      No

Did you see the deceased?       No

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?   No

How long did the experience last?      It was immediate

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?          Sudden

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?   No

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  No

How do you currently view the reality of your experience? Experience was definitely real

           Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:     Again, given the other things that happened in the house, I believe my father was present for at least 6 months after his death. It was also clear to me the day he was gone as the 'atmosphere' in the house felt totally different. A huge tree in the back of our house also fell without a storm. My dad and I used to play basketball using a hoop on that tree.

           Was the experience dream like in any way?           No  

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience: I was angry at my father and was angry and sad to see he had been happy early in his life but was so sad and mean during his time with me.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?         Uncertain

I finally knew my father was present in the house for sure. I encouraged him to eave.

What was the best and worst part of your experience? The worst part was knowing my father was still in limbo. he clearly didn't expect to die when he did, although he may have had some inkling. The best part was the verification of what I had sensed all along that he was still in the house.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience? Yes                Describe:     It provided proof to me of life after death