cover of episode Haunted

Haunted

2024/10/31
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Key Insights

Why did Dennis Conrow move back in with his parents?

He got bored with college and stopped attending classes, leading his parents to ask him to come back home.

What happened to Dennis' parents?

His mother died from a recurrence of breast cancer, and his father died from prostate cancer that spread to his brain.

Why did Dennis decide to renovate his childhood home?

He wanted to clean and flip the house to sell it, starting with the downstairs bathroom his father had planned to renovate.

What unusual method did the paranormal investigators use to communicate with spirits?

They used flashlights that could be turned on by slight movements, believing spirits could activate them.

What did the paranormal investigators claim to have encountered in the basement?

They said they saw a woman who had lived in the house in the 1930s and a man who resembled Dennis' father.

What was the non-paranormal explanation for the flashlight phenomenon?

The flashlights turned on due to a piece of plastic inside expanding and contracting with temperature changes.

How did Dennis feel about the paranormal experience despite the rational explanation?

He accepted the rational explanation but still valued the emotional experience it provided.

What dreams did Dennis have after moving out of the house?

He dreamed of haunting the house as the new owners made changes, feeling shocked by their renovations.

Chapters

Dennis Conrow's life takes a turn when he moves back into his childhood home after losing both his parents to cancer. He struggles with the feeling of being stuck and haunted by the memories of his parents.
  • Dennis moves back into his childhood home after losing both parents to cancer.
  • He feels stuck and haunted by the memories of his parents.
  • The house symbolizes his inability to move forward in life.

Shownotes Transcript

In an episode we first aired in 2014, we meet a man named Dennis Conrow, who was stuck. After a brief stint at college, he’d spent most of his 20’s back home with his parents, sleeping in his childhood room. And just when he finally struck out on his own, fate intervened. He lost both his parents to cancer. So Dennis was left, back in the house, alone. Until one night when a group of paranormal investigators showed up at his door and made him realize what it really means for a house, or a man, to be haunted. We have some exciting news! In the “Zoozve” episode, Radiolab named its first-ever quasi-moon, and now it's your turn! Radiolab has teamed up with The International Astronomical Union to launch a global naming contest for one of Earth’s quasi-moons. This is your chance to make your mark on the heavens. Vote on your favorites starting in November: https://radiolab.org/moon)

EPISODE CREDITS: 

Reported by Matt Kieltywith help from  Andy MillsProduced by Matt Kieltywith help from - Maria Paz GutiérrezOriginal music and sound design contributed by - Matt Kielty

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