Ghost Whisperer coming to Sandusky

SANDUSKY — A famous paranormal investigator will visit the Merry-Go-Round Museum this weekend. Mary Ann Winkowski, the ghost whisperer, will give a lecture and ghost walk-through at the museum from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday. She will give an informative talk on earthbound spirits, and the tour will include the ground and lower floors of the museum. "The Ghost Whisperer," starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, was based on Winkowski's experiences of seeing spirits since she was a child. She was a consultant on the show and has appeared on TV and news programs. Winkowski said a carousel horse that is used at Cedar Point has given the museum "a bit of a problem." "We've got people coming in as far from Washington state, Minnesota and New York," she said. "If somebody thinks they have a ghost, they call me up, and I can tell them if they do or not, and I give them options." In addition to investigating homes and the paranormal, Winkowski can see when negative energy or curses are attached to people. Winkowski was born and raised in Cleveland and still lives in the area. Her mother's side of the family came from Italy. Some of her first memories are of Winkowski's grandmother, who also said she could see spirits, taking her to funerals at the age of 4 when she realized her granddaughter could see and speak with ghosts. "I can see them, just like I see you. I see them just like regular people, except they're not solid," she said. "I would see the dead person lying in the casket but there's the spirit standing right there. I was never afraid of that, ever." Not all of her calls are supernatural-related, though. Winkowski said many times, it's a simple explanation. Sometimes when folks are hearing things throughout their house, Winkowski said, it's squirrels in the attic. COVID-19 changed things for Winkowski. She was not going into homes, as she normally would, for investigations. Many events she had planned had to be postponed, including the event at the museum, which was planned nearly a year prior. During the lecture, Winkowski will answer any questions from the audience. Then the group will walk through the museum while Winkowski investigates. For those attending, she said if you're hoping to capture spirits on camera, use film. "If you want to take good pictures of an earthbound spirit, you need to use a film camera, even a disposable one works better than your phone or digital camera," she said. "Digital cameras are really good at catching orbs. If you have them in your pictures, it means those are people that have crossed over that are visiting, it's a good thing." After the walk through the museum, everyone will discuss what they felt and saw. Winkowski said she remembers her grandmother being able to tell others in the community when family members who were still in Italy would die, despite the family not being notified until weeks later. Her husband didn't know her talents until two years after they were married. "He never understood why every time grandma called me to go to a funeral with her, I had to go," she said. "'Bewitched' was on at the time, and he said to wiggle your nose, or whatever you do. I said I'm not a witch. I'm a God-fearing Catholic." Winkowski and her husband have two daughters together, one who recently moved back to the Cleveland area, who will attend the lecture at the museum with her mother. Winkowski said she shares her talent for seeing spirits. "She's the one that can do it, she wishes she can't. The older one wishes she could but can't," she said. Many children have the ability to see spirits, Winkowski said. When children are speaking to imaginary friends, she said, they're talking to someone, possibly a past grandparent or guardian angel. "Adults really need to pay attention to their kids. If they're afraid of a place or wake up every night at 2 a.m., there's a reason," she said. "Kids are really good about this kind of stuff."