Stacey Soltys: Paranormal investigator

Meet Stacey Soltys, the owner of River City Ghost Squad. She has been involved with the paranormal for about 20 years. She has run her own group for about eight years and enjoys helping people find answers for their paranormal problems.

Generation:

I am a true Gen X and proud of it! I remember when there were no personal computers, no cell phones and you had to actually get up off the couch to change the channel on a huge box TV! I have always loved exploring the outdoors and remember when the street lights went on it meant time to go home! '80s ROCK!

Career and community involvement: I was a horse trainer for many years but due to an injury I had to look for a new passion. Ghost hunting was that passion! I always wanted to have a nonprofit group that could help people with paranormal issues. I have been to many interesting and sometimes scary places.

Parental status: I have an amazing 26-year-old son, Jordan, and a beautiful 24-year-old daughter, Taylour. They are both skeptics of the paranormal but have always supported my interest in it, as long as I don't tell them which places are haunted!

1. When and why did you become a paranormal investigator?

I first started investigating in my late 20s before it became so popular! I always wanted to know if there was something and somewhere after death. My grandmother passed and I began talking to her and asked for a sign that she was with me. The next day a letter had come for me that she had written a week before her passing. That was my sign. I knew then that I wanted to help other people find their answers. It was still a very taboo subject back then and very hard for people to talk about their experiences. Fortunately, this field has come a long way since then!

2. What is the scariest or strangest encounters you've had on a ghost hunt?

One of the strangest encounters I've had was on an investigation a few years ago. It was at a house in Spokane. We had set up all of our equipment and went outside to pray and ground ourselves. When we tried to go back in the house the door was locked. We had no keys and the owner was not home. We ended up talking to the owner and we found out she did not have another set of keys. The only way in was through a window. When we eventually made it in, not only was the door locked but the dead bolt was locked as well. Something or someone really didn't want us there. It made the rest of the night a little strange.

3. What are some of your favorite things about Halloween?

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday! I love when the leaves start to fall and it gets colder outside. Halloween has always been a time of pumpkins, candy and picking the most awesome costume. I love the spooky decorations and the haunted houses! And don't forget the scary movies!

4. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I actually get scared really easy!

5. What do you have to say to the naysayers out there, and what can we learn from continuing to explore the paranormal?

I completely understand that this is still a difficult subject to grasp. I really think that until you yourself experience the paranormal for yourself, it can be hard to believe. I would never judge someone for not believing. If we can all stay open-minded, it may become an accepted field of study. Imagine what we might learn!