As public relations practitioners professionals in our industry we focus each and every day on communicating in a compelling way to a range of audiences. When Henry Ford Health System Public Relations Specialist Jeff Adkins is not ensconced in his day job, he often focuses his efforts on communicating with an altogether different audience: those no longer among the living.
Jeff is co-founder of Detroit Paranormal Expeditions, an investigatory group that, in essence, searches for and interacts with ghosts. His is an interest borne of first-hand childhood paranormal experiences and a love of history and the unknown and people (and former people) are paying attention. The adventures of Jeff and his team are quickly becoming “must see” social media destinations and DPX tours – including the former Eloise psychiatric hospital – hot tickets. Moreover, these otherworldly exploits are featured on The Travel Channel with unexplained audio and visual phenomena routinely captured.
I discovered Jeff’s group in a recent month and we discussed my similar interest in all things unexplained. From there, Jeff and his colleagues took me on a nighttime tour of Eloise (located on the Westland/Inkster border) and an evening of darkened, dilapidated rooms, stairways and hallways armed with a range of high-tech communications tools: photographic and video cameras aimed at capturing visual anomalies and audio equipment searching for voice phenomena. The group has been highly successful in its ability to pick up and/or conjure compelling visuals and sounds. On this particular night, we distinctly heard a woman whispering as well as feet shuffling on the traditionally active second floor. DPX has captured forms and apparitions of individuals as well as items thrown across a room on film and video.
Whether you believe or not the possibilities are intriguing. As a communications professional, what I have found particularly interesting is the way that Jeff, during an investigation, communicates to whatever or whomever might be present. There is always a distinct level of respect (rather than “call-outs” or dares often thrown out by investigators from other groups) aimed at compelling something or someone to action and interaction. And, the approach continues to prove effective. You can check out the work of Jeff and his team on Facebook (quite often “live”) and online at: https://www.detroitparanormalexpeditions.com/. You’ll be glad you dead.