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Kati Ackermann (Founder & Investigator):
Hello! My name is Kati. I formed VSPI in 2006; however I’ve been interested in the paranormal for over 30 years. How did I get interested?
I had been shopping at a grocery store at the bottom of a hill. Rain was falling hard, and with my hands full, I couldn't manage my umbrella. So I planned to catch the bus for home. I ran out and across the street as soon as I saw the “green” light at the crosswalk nearby. Once I reached the other side, I put my bags down to shift them and get a better grip. I looked up. The rain was spitting against my eye glasses. I was about to cross a side street when I noticed a woman sitting under the bus stop shelter up ahead. She appeared to be in distress, her head cradled in her hands. “Ok, go Kati”, I mumbled to myself when it was safe. I ran across, keeping my eyes on the woman. She looked up at me, and I saw that she had been crying. She attempted to smile and then she fizzled, like a sand figure falling apart. What? I stopped about 20 feet from the bus stop, in shock. Within seconds, a bus rushed past me and pulled up to the stop. I had to snap out of my shock or I would miss it. As I was entering the bus, an elderly lady came up behind me and said “It’s okay, I saw her too.” I turned to look at her briefly before paying the fare. It was a short distance up the hill, so I stepped in and walked to the back exit door, then turned around to see the elderly lady sitting down near the front. We looked at one another. There were no words. I never saw the woman nor the elderly lady again. Did I just help the woman to cross over? It felt peaceful, that moment seeing her look up at me.
With that, my journey began. I’ve also discovered my thrill of being an amateur historical researcher & a Taphophile (love cemeteries). -- One tip I’d share is “not everything is paranormal. Look for logical reasons first."
--Kati
John Mallory (Investigator & Equipment Tech):
Hello, my name is John Mallory. I have been interested in the paranormal since I was a young child. My interest in technology and adventure is a natural fit for this fascinating field. I am primarily interested in collecting evidence to support my belief that other worlds likely exist outside our own. I was hooked after my first investigation and knew I had found a hobby I was truly passionate about.
Over time, our group has accumulated a respectable amount of high tech equipment and I have made it my personal mission to ensure our team is armed with the most up to date technology available.
I believe in treating our team, our clients and any spirits we might encounter with the utmost respect. If evidence is out there, we are well equipped to capture it!
--John
Jules Stirling (Investigator):
When I was 8 years old I was having dinner with my parents and their friends in an old, renovated schoolhouse. I could see a man and his dog keeping watch over us. I knew I was seeing something out of the ordinary. I asked the owner of the building who this man was and he said "oh, that's our resident ghost - he was the caretaker here in life, and he still watches the place from the other side." It must have been a weird question coming from an 8 year old, but I'm very thankful that he answered me honestly, and didn't make it seem creepy or scary. He went on to tell me how they were happy to have him there. The owners were sure the "caretaker" would somehow alert them if there was a major problem, like a fire. It made me very comfortable with my ability to see things from the other side.
--Jules
Natasha Balabanov (Investigator):
Hi my name is Natasha Balabanov. My whole life I have been curious about the paranormal and looking for ways to learn more about it. After several intense and inexplicable experiences I reached out to Vancouver Spooks and an investigation was done in my own home. It was a huge relief to realize that "Hey, I'm not imagining this!" and be around people who truly understood what it was like, and accepted your experiences as real.
I was lucky enough to be included as a member of the team after that and have been learning and developing my skills ever since. I like the aspect of helping people deal with the experiences they have had, as I have been there myself!
--Natasha
