ABOUT Jonathan
GET TO KNOW ME
I’ve always been the kind of person who wants to know how things work. That natural curiosity led me to become a mechanical engineer, a career where I get to design, build, and problem-solve every day.
For me, it’s not about proving or disproving. It’s about exploring the science behind the unexplainable. I’m always looking at new equipment, modifying tools, or experimenting with ways we can better capture data and energy anomalies. I like combining hard science with open-minded investigation. I believe there’s a lot left to discover, and we’re only scratching the surface.
Outside of work and investigations, I’m a proud family man. I’m married to my incredible wife, Ashley Kirkland. In 2019, we joined the Tuscaloosa Paranormal Research Group with a mission to learn more and help others navigate their own unexplained experiences.
MY FAVORITE LOCATION TO INVESTIGATE
Out of all the places I’ve explored, the Old Harriman Hospital in Harriman, Tennessee, stands out as my favorite. Even if you don’t believe in the paranormal, that place will make you think twice.
What draws me back isn’t just how creepy it is, though it definitely has that covered. It’s the fact that I’ve actually been able to experience and document real activity there. From capturing audio and visual evidence, the hospital delivers. We’ve captured intelligent responses on audio, seen shadows move across hallways, and even heard elevator noises when there are no working elevators on the property anymore.
It’s rare to find a location that gives you that much activity and still keeps you on edge every time you go. There’s a history there you can feel. Something lingers in those walls, and whatever it is, it doesn’t mind letting you know you’re not alone.
Where it all started for me
Unlike a lot of people in this field, I didn’t grow up around ghost stories or haunted houses. The paranormal wasn’t even on my radar until I met my wife, Ashley. She was the one who opened my mind and introduced me to this world.
Ashley’s always had this deep connection to the paranormal. When we first started dating, that’s when I had my first paranormal experience.
I started researching, building equipment, and combining my engineering background with this new curiosity.
my BIGGEST PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE
Out of all the investigations I’ve done, there’s one moment that that stands out to me. It happened at a location that had a music room. In the center of the room was an old harp on display, the kind you’d expect to see in a museum, untouched for years.
I had the SLS camera set up and decided to run an era cues session. The idea was to play music that would have matched the time period of the building, just to see if it stirred anything up. As the music started playing, I noticed something immediately. A figure appeared on the SLS, standing right at the harp.
At first, I just watched. Then I realized the figure was moving its arms like it was actually playing the harp. I stopped the music, and the figure stood up and walked out of the room. I started the music again, just to see what would happen. Sure enough, the figure walked back in and took the same position at the harp, playing again like nothing had changed.
It didn’t feel random. It didn’t feel like a glitch. This was something intelligent. It was one of those moments where you can’t explain what you’re seeing, and you know you’ve just witnessed something beyond coincidence.
That experience reminded me why I do this. It’s not just about finding proof. It’s about those rare moments where the past reaches through, and for just a second, you get to witness it.
What made me believe in ghosts
I’m someone who always looks for the logical explanation first. That’s just how my mind works. If something strange happens, my first instinct is to break it down, test the equipment, rule out the obvious. For a long time, that approach kept me grounded. But there was one moment that completely changed everything for me.
I was visiting an old home with a long history of activity. I was in one of the back rooms when I saw an apparition cross the doorway. Clear as day, a little girl. She didn’t look like a shadow or a trick of the light. She looked solid, real, like a living person.
That was the moment I realized I couldn’t chalk everything up to science. I had to accept that sometimes, there’s more going on than we can measure or fully understand.
MY PERSONAL THEORIES ABOUT THE PARANORMAL
When it comes to the paranormal, I’ll be the first to say that nobody has all the answers. Over the years, through personal experiences and a lot of time spent investigating, I’ve come to believe that we’re separated from that world by something I call the spiritual veil.
To me, it feels like that veil isn’t as thick as we think. Sometimes it thins out, and that’s when we get those moments we can’t explain. A voice. A shadow. A feeling. I believe spirits can cross that veil, or maybe they never fully left. Either way, I don’t think it’s about horror stories or movie-style hauntings. It’s deeper than that.
I’m also very grounded in my faith. My beliefs give me a sense of peace and purpose, even when I’m face to face with things I can’t fully explain. I don’t see the paranormal as something to fear. I see it as another part of God’s creation, something we’re not meant to fully understand just yet.
At the end of the day, I believe there’s a reason we’re allowed to experience what we do. Maybe it’s to learn. Maybe it’s to help. But I know in my heart that what’s beyond this life isn’t the end. It’s just the next step. And every now and then, we get a glimpse of it.