Doc K. Ross inquiry and answers

Mr. O'Neil;
Have you heard of anyone being visited by a ghost/guardian angel that is a dark figure which wears an overcoat and hat. My mother, my self and my wife see this guy over the years. Who is he?
He is real. My mom has seen him in various households over the years. At first she was afraid of him, kept it to herself for many years until one night I was visiting her In Dallas. We had just arrived late 2 am coming to visit from Okla. I was sitting in the living room and saw him standing at the end of the hallway less than 20 feet away. I recognized the figure as someone I had seen in the middle of the night once before in my frat house about 2 to 3 am in the morning. He walked across the hall and into my parents bedroom where my father was asleep. I felt NO FEAR and had a weird sense that I knew this person. My mom walked into the room and I asked her had she seen anyone... Before I could ask the full question she acknowledged yes and we talked about him for the first time. While sitting there talking my wife walked in and Immediately spoke as if she new what we were talking about stating she had just seen this person also. the figure or who we call " The Man," Stands about 5" 10 to 6' tall with clear outline of an overcoat with collar up and hat (old style man's dress hat 1930's) pulled down on forehead chin down. He is not transparent, the outline is very clear and the color is either black or more likely very very dark brown. We all see him and discribe him the same way. The feeling about him is also similar. "no fear of him," this is the only reason I question Is this a guardian angel.
Vincent, I am a psychologist by profession and have never inquired nor really talked to anyone besides family about the man. I recently find myself thinking about him quite a bit and have started having a lot of questions I want answers to. The net seemed like the obvious place to start. Your the first contact, thank you. Anymore suggestions or even conversation may help settle this unsettled curiousity that now seems to be growing. Again, thank you
On one hand I find that people in the Psych Profession would avoid this discussion, Maybe that's why I feel the Web is safe. On the other, I want to know who this man is. I have heard of many bizarre experiences over the years from people and left them and did not judge them because of this experience. However, I also did not talk about it with anyone either.
A lot of the experience of seeing this man is just that, an experience, not just a sighting. I had a very strong feeling I knew or was supposed to know them. To witness a shocking sight and not have any fear does not compute. I have also been thinking about him alot lately and don't know why. After I learn more hopefully from you guys I plan on contacting my Mother and talking with her about him.
In anser to the question, how far away from my house? I was living in the frat house, came out of my room and he was standing at the end of the hall looking at the buliten board. Same guy, same overcoat, same hat, same posture. It startled me since I was the only one up at the time and it was a warm spring night. Not a time to be wearing an overcoat. I looked at him (apprx 20-30) feet away and ducked back into my room. I picked up a ball bat and slowly looked back and he was gone. I told no one cause I was one of the pot smokers in the house and knew they would just give me shit. I let it go until the 2nd sighting at my mom's. My mom tells me she has seen him many times over 20 + years. Sometimes standing at the foot of her bed, sometimes in the house. And different houses, at least 3. She says she does not know who he is but I have already gathered some info related to her family past. Her father had 2 brothers and a sister. One brother, Richard, an ambasitor to Russia, alcoholic, was returned back to the US after falling in love with a Russian dancer. He committed suicide (Russian roulette). The other brother, Mancil and sister Mary moved to California, He became wealthy (Trucking line) and died age 30 racing friend horseback and hit a tree. Mary was hairdressor in Gone With The Wind. She was murdered in Califoriia desert. Murder never solved. My mom's father only survivor and died dry alcoholic age 87. My mom has always had a wierd ability which she talked very little about (psychic) mostly because my brother, Dad and I would tease her When she would make forcasting type statements. Even though many were right.
I don't know how this fits any profile but I guess I start somewhere. Can you or your friends guide me. I greatly appreciate it thanks
Dr. K. Ross

This sounds like a ghost (angels don't drift around that way).
Regards,
Rosemary Ellen Guiley

I agree with Rosemary. It does sound like an apparition (since he is essentially following her around).
As to "who" it is, that's not possible for anyone to say without in-depth historical research of people who have died who might have some sort of connection with the man's family. Perhaps one of them should simply ask that question ("Who are you?") to see if there's a response.
Loyd Auerbach

I agree with Rosemary: Seriously doubt that all three of these folks would have the same "guardian angel." Sounds like a friendly relative from the past, don't you think?
Interested in all replies...
Best wishes to the young psychologist.
Patricia Galbraith

About a year ago, I went to have my tarot cards read and was told by the psychic that I had a guardian angel. I was quite surprised and even more so when I was told who it was. A great aunt of mine who I had known briefly as a child. I have never seen my Auntie Emma since she died and personally feel that if I did now I would be quite alarmed. According to my mother, when she was alive she referred to me as a very special person. I never thought of myself as special. I was as naughty as any other child my age but maybe my Aunt knew that when she died she would still be looking after me and I think she's done quite a good job so far.......
Dr Ross - I think you should have your tarot cards read or see a psychic/medium. If this gentleman who you keep seeing is related to your family it might upset your mother too much especially seeing she is psychic also. It's too close to home. Please take my advice and tell me what the outcome is.
Thanks
Caroline Finch

I think that this must be some sort of psychic energy which is manifesting itself outside of the recipient's psyche, rather than a ghost per se. Dr Ross mentions that there has been cases of alcoholism and violent alcohol-driven outbursts within his home and family; this could be negative energy taking on form. Dr Ross himself comes across as quite negative, so all this energy which has brewed up over the years is creating a void within his aura. This 'ghost' is not a real ghost. Whatever negative energies he is surrounded by (alcohol and drugs are the worst offenders for creating bad 'vibes') he must get out of it. He can do this by not going anywhere near the house in which alcoholics are becoming violent, and to move away from the 'pot smokers'. None of these are doing this psychic person any good whatsoever.
It's worth a try. Of course, he will still want to see his mother. I suggest arrangements to meet her away from the family home. I suspect that the'ghost' will leave within a week, and he will begin to feel much better. It is obvious that this energy is dragging him down, making him negative and depressed. It almost certainly is not an angel; angels tend to make people feel well and good.
If it's any consolation, a friend of mine was experiencing the same sort of thing, until I told her that it might be caused by the friction between her new husband and her children from a previous marriage. The black-suited 'ghost' did not go away until the couple sought marriage guidance and their home returned to the original harmonious ambience which it once was.
Good luck,
Patricia Langley

To Dr.K. Ross, a very fasinating series of events....do you know if your mother or sister ever tried to communicate with this entity? (i.e. ask the question who are you..?)
You stated in your inquiry that over the past twenty years the entity has appeared to your mother, was there a pattern to the appearances?.. Did the man in the hat and cloak only appear before family tragedies, or before good events (family weddings or a birth?)
Was there a particuliar time of year to the appearances only in the spring or summer?
I know these are more questions than answers but if your family memebers could journal the history of the appearances of the apparition this could possibly give your family a pattern to work from.
You would be looking for anniversary of a death of a family member or birthday of a family memeber or an event related to the appearances of the entity. If on the other hand these appearances or random....it could be that the entity is a spirit guide for your family...perhaps just manifesting itself to let your family know it is there.
One of the most frequent forms of hauntings,yet the hardest to document is fragenances, Ask your mother to recall if when this entity appears did she notice a particular smell, a faint odor of a cigar, or an after shave or flowers....if some family memeber had a "signature scent" example Uncle Louie always smoked a cigar, or wore Old Spice after shave etc, well you get the idea...
The second possiblity is that this entity is not related to your family group but perhaps to the place where your mother lives, how long has she been in her house and has this apparition appeared to her while only living there...then you would want to research the history of the house....the possiblity would be that the entity then "adopted " your family and now appears to all of you...
The next step would be to try and get everyone who has seen this entity to give as much details about the clothing as possible, a hat and cloak does not sound like modern dress,then if you do have old family photo albums, see if great uncle so and so, or great grandfather somebody was known to dress like that.
I know this sounds like a lot of detective work and unfortunately in the paranormal there really are more questions than answers, but as Sherlock Holmes said, .."When we have reviewed all that is possible ,we are left Watson, with the impossible...."
Good luck on your ghost hunt..
Karen Rehm