| Stigmata-stig·ma·ta stig-ˈmä-tə, ˈstig-mə-tə or stig·mas Etymology: Latin stigmat-, stigma mark, brand, from Greek, from stizein to tattoo 1 aarchaic : a scar left by a hot iron : brand b: a mark of shame or discredit : stain <bore the stigma of cowardice> c: an identifying mark or characteristic; specifically : a specific diagnostic sign of a disease2 astigmata plural : bodily marks or pains resembling the wounds of the crucified Jesus and sometimes accompanying religious ecstasy b: petechia3 a: a small spot, scar, or opening on a plant or animal This is the Definition you will find in Websters Dictionary. However for one of our very own members of APRT: Bert Overton his experience was a little different, Here is his story and photographs of his horrific ordeal....... I really don't know where to start! Former A.P.R.T. Member Brent McDonald, and myself (Brandon "Bert" Overton), were on our first ghost hunt together as a "team". On our second stop for the night, we decided to go over to a local cemetery here in Cullman County, named Bates Graveyard. It got its name, because the first family that was to be buried there was the Bates Family. If you really look at this cemetery, you will notice that there are a huge number of children's grave sites. This is due to the fact that this cemetery was also used as one of the first ones for children that passed on due to small pox and such back in the late 1700's. If any of you read my BIO on the front page, this is also the cemetery where I first began "seeing" apparitions. This is where I kept seeing the small girl during a decoration day ceremony there when I was a youngster. Anyway, back to my story at hand. Brent and I had been having strange feelings of being watched the entire time we were there. We also encountered MANY cold spots. Now, this was a night when the weather was in the upper 70's here in Alabama, and was highly unlikely that there would be any cold spots like the ones that we encountered on this October night on the 27th, 2007. We also experienced a large amount of bats flying above us, and we kept hearing the sounds of footsteps breaking twigs and such, but no one was there with us. After taking several pictures, we decided to wrap it up there and move on to our next stop of the night, since it was already nearing 1:00AM. As we were gathering our equipment and such up, I decided to snap one last picture of the overall cemetery. When I did, it felt as if something went straight through my upper torso. I immediately got a severe headache, felt very dizzy, and felt as if I was going to throw up. At that time, I KNEW we had to be leaving and getting on our way. After visiting a couple more "hot spots" that Brent and I had been told about, we decided it was time to call it a night and go home. So, finally, I arrived safe and sound, at home and in the bed at 3:00AM. I woke up 3 hours later and was severely sick. I went into the bathroom, and began my ordeal of throwing up-what was so odd is the fact that what I was throwing up was GREEN...almost NEON GREEN. This kind of un-nerved me to say the least. After about 2 and a half hours of this, I took a phenagrin and went back to bed. I awoke at around 11:00AM, and went into my kitchen to get something to drink, where I ran into my Mom. Her exact words were, "What in the Hell happened to you??" I told her nothing, other than being a little sick at my stomach, and brushed it off as a virus of some sort. She told me to look into the mirror at my face. To my surprise, I had two black eyes, and what seemed to be small scratches in random places on my face. I immediately went and grabbed my camera out of my bag and had her take some pictures for me.....of course! LOL This is, what I believe to be my first and only Stigmata experience to date! And hopefully my last and ONLY!! LOL -- Brandon "Bert" Overton Alabama Paranormal Research Team North Alabama Division Lead Investigator |
| You can see the Bruises under Bert's eyes. This image have been sharpened due to low resolution, but has not been altered in any other way. |
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