NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Chris Gostkowski was just a kid when he had his first encounter with the supernatural.
He felt a presence, heard a presence, in the middle of the night. In the morning, he found out his grandmother had died. Maybe it was her?
"Me, personally, I'm not afraid," he said. "When people are running away from it, I'm running towards it. And they think I'm crazy."
Gostkowski and his fiance Alex Wilkinson have made a paranormal name for themselves by investigating the spirit realm in historic locations around Tampa Bay.
They own close to $30,000 in ghost-detecting equipment, blinking hi-tech gizmos that respond to heat, energy, movement and sound.
Gostkowski has computers full of evidence of a spectral world, and he's more than happy to show anyone who asks.
One of their favorite places to investigate? The beautifully renovated Hacienda Hotel in New Port Richey, where in November, the duo will host a sold-out evening of dinner, ghosts and good times.
"There's nothing negative here at all," he said about the historic hotel. "It's basically the spirits saying 'Hello, I'm here, we want to give you our story.'"
Gostkowski and Wilkinson, who both have day jobs to support their passion, blend science, history and positivity. They are not fear-mongers.
In fact, they've put an altruistic twist on ghost-hunting. Their Paranormal Kicks Cancer program raises money for families in need and hits close to home for Gostkowski—his father died of cancer.
They also give back to the historic places they visit.
For upcoming Paranormal Kicks Cancer events, go here.
