Chasing Spirits: The Building of the "Ghost Adventures" Crew Read Online Free PDF Page B

people were accepted from the United States to go to Europe to play soccer. We went from country to country and I loved the travel aspect of it. Seeing new places, meeting new people—the entire experience was thrilling for me. You think about all the people who came before you right where you’re standing: the explorers, the armies, the settlers—all right there. It’s no wonder there are so many haunted places in Europe.
    We played games all over England, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and other European countries. The games were very competitive, and I loved it. I was in the best shape of my life back then. I was gone for only a few weeks, but it was enough time to show Veronique and me what it would be like with distance between us. Veronique had already been accepted to a school in New England for business, but while I was in Europe, she reached out to UNLV.
    When I came back to the U.S., I got off the plane and Veronique said, “I’m going to UNLV instead. I’m coming with you to Vegas!” Veronique had lived her whole life in New England and had been on only a few trips to places like Canada and Florida. So it was a big move. I was thrilled I would have her close by.
    Since I was a kid, I had traveled to California to see my grandpa and competed in traveling sports teams all over the country. I was also used to going away to camp for weeks at a time. Travel is all I’ve ever known. But for Veronique, clearly this was a bigger deal.
    I was so stoked. I felt like now I’d have everything in one place. I’d be playing sports and learning film, and Veronique would be there by my side.
    There’s a fear people have when it comes to Las Vegas. They think of gambling, prostitutes, the Mafia, the red-light district, but it’s not really like that. Veronique’s dad had died in a construction accident when she was one year old, so her aunts and uncles had a big influence on her growing up. Her uncles thought she was going to become a Vegas showgirl, and her aunts thought we were too young to be running away like this, but of course that wasn’t what we were doing.
    It did take some getting used to for Veronique. I rememberwalking with her down the Vegas Strip when a homeless guy walked by carrying a bag. I thought nothing of it, but Veronique grabbed my arm like we were about to be attacked. “Are you okay?” I asked. “What’s going on?” Big-city life was new to her.
    Life is full of little defining moments, events that can change your course completely. Even disappointments can turn into opportunities once you look back on them.
    I had everything, and I was ready to try out for the UNLV soccer team. I felt good about my chances, even though it was Division I. I was told that if I made the team I’d be redshirted as a freshman because of my less than stellar SAT scores, but I was still eligible to try.
    At tryouts I ran my heart out. We had to sprint around the entire campus in 120-degree desert heat. If you didn’t finish at the front of the pack, you’d be cut. I wasn’t used to the temperature or the altitude—I’m used to the East Coast at sea level. These guys I was competing against were older and bigger than me. I was nineteen and could keep up with most of them, but not all. As we ran around the UNLV campus—let me just say, it’s freaking huge!—I was mostly keeping up with the top four guys.
    As we ran back up the last street and down to the field, it was an all-out sprint. I was in the top five and I was dying. People were almost passing out. I was about to puke from exhaustion. I’ve been an athlete since I was a small child and I’ve never gotten to the point of throwing up. But here I was dripping with sweat, pushing myself past the breaking point.
I can’t do this,
I thought, but I didn’t stop. My competitive nature wouldn’t let me. Those four dudes at the front were insanely fast.
    QUESTIONS FANS ASK
    Do you need a special recorder to get EVPs, or will any recording device