You’ve probably seen the movie. Or maybe you caught that old episode of A Haunting on the Discovery Channel back in the day. It’s one of those stories that sticks to your ribs because it involves a kid, and let’s be honest, nothing is creepier than a toddler talking to people who aren’t there. But if you try to separate the Hollywood jump scares from what actually happened in Ellerslie, you’ll find that the Ghosts of Georgia are way more complicated than a two-hour horror flick suggests.
Honestly, the real story of the Wyrick family is less about a "Stationmaster" taxidermist and more about a family trying to figure out if they’re losing their minds or if their daughter has a gift they can’t explain.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Wyricks
The 2013 movie The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia did a massive disservice to the actual history by inventing a whole subplot about the Underground Railroad. Look, the Underground Railroad was real, but there is zero historical evidence that the Wyrick property was a "station" where a malevolent taxidermist was stuffing people. That was pure Hollywood fluff.
The real haunting started in 1988.
Heidi Wyrick was just three years old. She started talking to a man she called Mr. Gordy. Her parents, Andy and Lisa Wyrick, figured it was an imaginary friend. Typical kid stuff, right? Except Heidi started naming other people. She saw a man with a bloody bandage on his hand named Lon.
When her mother, Lisa, did some digging—basically playing amateur detective in the neighborhood—she found out a man named James Gordy had actually lived nearby and died years earlier. And Lon? He was a neighbor who had passed away from cancer. Heidi had never met these people. She was three. There's no way she could have known their names or what they looked like.
The "Veil" and the Generational Curse
One thing the movie actually touched on that has some roots in the family’s claims is the idea of the "veil." In folklore, being born with a "caul" or a "veil" (a piece of the amniotic sac over the face) is supposed to give you second sight.
Lisa Wyrick has always been open about the fact that she and her sisters had "feelings" or visions long before Heidi was born. It’s a heavy burden. Imagine trying to raise a kid while you're constantly looking over your shoulder because you think you saw someone in the hallway.
The Wyricks didn't just deal with "kindly" ghosts like Mr. Gordy. Things got dark. Heidi started coming in with scratches on her face and body. This wasn't just a little girl with an overactive imagination; something physical was happening. They brought in parapsychologists like Dr. William Roll and even famous investigators like the Warrens (though their involvement is often debated or exaggerated in these types of cases).
Why the Ghosts of Georgia Still Matter
Why are we still talking about this in 2026? Because it taps into that primal fear of the "uninvited guest."
Georgia is already one of the most haunted states in the U.S. You've got Savannah with its hanging trees and the Sorrel-Weed House. You've got the tragedy of the Winecoff Hotel fire in Atlanta. But those are "public" hauntings. The Wyrick case was private. It happened in a trailer and then a house in a rural town where nothing much happens.
It reminds us that "ghosts" aren't always about 18th-century soldiers. Sometimes, it’s just a man in a suit sitting on a swing set in your backyard.
A Look at the Evidence (Or Lack Thereof)
If you’re a skeptic, you’ll point to the fact that children are suggestible. Maybe Heidi heard her parents talking. Maybe the "scratches" were self-inflicted or from a pet. These are valid points. Science doesn't have a "ghost meter" that works.
However, the consistency of Heidi's descriptions—and the fact that her father, Andy, who was a total skeptic, eventually became a believer—is what keeps the story alive. Andy didn't want to believe. He wanted a normal life. But when your kid tells you there's a man in the room and then tells you exactly what that man is wearing, and it matches a photo of a deceased neighbor you haven't shown her? That changes a person.
Tips for Dealing with "Unexplained" Activity
If you think you’re living through your own version of the Ghosts of Georgia, don’t panic. Most "hauntings" end up being plumbing, drafty windows, or just old house jitters.
- Document everything. Keep a log. Dates, times, and exactly what happened. Don't add "vibes"—just facts.
- Rule out the physical. Check for carbon monoxide. Check for high EMF (electromagnetic fields) from old wiring. High EMF can actually cause hallucinations and "skin crawling" sensations.
- Talk to your kids. If a child is seeing things, stay calm. Don't lead them with questions. Let them tell you what they see in their own words.
- Research the history. Go to the local library or courthouse. Look at land deeds. Most "true stories" in movies are 90% fiction, so find out who actually lived on your land.
The Wyricks eventually moved away from that house, but Heidi has said the visions never truly stopped. She just learned to live with them. Whether it’s a psychic gift or something else entirely, the story remains a fascinating, slightly terrifying piece of Georgia lore that refuses to fade away.
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Start by checking your local historical society records if you're curious about the property you live on; you might be surprised who was there before you.