Mothman: The Legend Lurking In West Virginia

Summary

Kennedy Saves the World

Episode: Mothman: The Legend Lurking In West Virginia

Date: September 17, 2025

Host: Kennedy
Guest: Abby Hornacek (Fox Nation host, “Parked” and “Ride to Work”)

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Overview

In this episode, Kennedy dives into the enduring legend of the Mothman, a mysterious creature allegedly haunting West Virginia since the 1960s. Joined by Fox Nation’s Abby Hornacek, who recently attended the Mothman Festival, they explore the origins of the legend, share eerie eyewitness accounts, discuss ties to local tragedies, and reflect on how folklore shapes and uplifts small town identity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Mothman Legend: Origin & Sightings

• Kennedy introduces Mothman as a “7-foot giant dark creature with glowing red eyes and wide wings that has plagued the southeastern United States for decades now.” (00:12)
• Abby attended the Mothman Festival, visiting significant sites such as the TNT area, described as “the surrounding area where the original sighting of Mothman was.” (01:56)
• The original Mothman sighting involved “two different couples...driving down the road [who] see this big creature, seven-foot, six to seven foot wingspan...eyes glowing red...just took off into the sky.” (02:10)

TNT Area: Haunting Ground

• Abby clarifies the TNT area was used for “explosives...where they made weapons basically for the war effort” during WWII, adding to its eerie reputation. (02:51)
• Kennedy draws a connection between “aliens and extraterrestrial sightings around nuclear facilities, almost like they're guarding them,” suggesting why such strange events might occur in the TNT area. (03:07)

Eyewitness Accounts and Interpretations

• Abby recounts Linda Sigman’s story:
  “She was driving in her car with her boyfriend...they were staring at [a blinking star], as it came out of the clouds it exploded almost like a supernova and then it turned bright red...a figure came out, almost like it was coming from another dimension. And then she saw Mothman perched up on the tree.” (03:39)
• Discussion on whether Mothman is unique to WV: “The only time that people have reported him is in West Virginia, from my knowledge.” (04:21)
• Connects the legend to a real-life tragedy:
  “1967 is when the Silver Bridge collapsed...46 victims...some people claim to have seen Mothman either that day or the day prior. So people think maybe he was either warning them that something bad was gonna happen, or he himself was a bad omen.” (04:28)

Mothman: Omen, Guardian, or Curse?

• Kennedy and Abby contemplate Mothman’s intent:
  • “I like to think he's warning people.” – Abby (04:54)
• Abby brings up a local curse legend:
  “Chief Cornstalk, who was leading the Native Americans...while he was dying, he cursed the land. So people think that Mothman might have come out of that curse.” (06:52)

Men in Black and Extraterrestrial Angle

• The legend’s men in black motif:
  “Mary Hire...was a local journalist that picked up the story...Apparently, these men in black...showed up to her house, basically trying to silence her...they were very fascinated with ordinary objects like a ballpoint pen. So, suggesting that they were aliens, not of this Earth.” (05:47)

The Festival: Community, Tourism, and Meaning

• Kennedy and Abby discuss why the festival endures:
  “It's woven into the history of the town...great driver of tourism...there's a big Mothman statue. People go all out. It draws people, thousands of people from all over the world. And when you're there, it is a very positive energy.” (08:40)
• Abby shares a poignant festival observation:
  “I talked to one gentleman, and he goes, you know what? Mothman is a way to show that you can be whoever you want to be.” (09:10)

Abby’s Adventures & National Parks

• Abby teases her show Parked and visiting various parks:
  “We just went to Great Sand Dunes in Colorado. And we're doing a road trip from New York to Virginia to reshoot Shenandoah National Park.” (10:06)
• Banter about West Virginia’s beauty and friendly locals. (09:34–10:03)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Abby (on the original sighting):
  “They were so scared, they immediately went and reported it to the police.” (02:31)
• Kennedy (humorous speculation):
  “Maybe another realm, maybe another world, maybe another era in time…traverse wormholes in order to get here and to protect us all…” (03:31)
• Kennedy (on the curse):
  “I spit at the curse three times.” (07:31)
• Abby (on festival sentiment):
  “Mothman is a way to show that you can be whoever you want to be.” (09:10)
• Kennedy (on Mothman invitations):
  “I still think it's a nice thing to RSVP when your host extends the courtesy.” (11:20)
• Abby (on unresponsive guests):
  “You have to at least tell me no. You can't leave it unread because what if I want to invite another guest like you?” (11:27)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Mothman origins – 00:10–01:45
• Abby describes visiting the TNT Area – 01:56–02:54
• Original sighting story – 02:10–02:31
• Discussing possible supernatural/alien connections – 03:07–03:39
• Linda Sigman’s account – 03:39–04:16
• Silver Bridge tragedy and Mothman’s role – 04:28–04:53
• Curse of Chief Cornstalk – 06:52–07:33
• Abby’s own ghostly experiences – 05:07–05:19
• Mary Hire and ‘men in black’ – 05:43–06:29
• Cultural significance of the festival – 08:28–09:17
• National parks, especially Shenandoah – 10:06–11:07
• Joking about inviting Mothman – 11:08–11:59
• Outro & episode wrap-up – 12:25–13:07

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Conclusion

This episode blends spooky folklore, local history, and light-hearted banter as Kennedy and Abby Hornacek demystify Mothman and spotlight the communal power of storytelling. Whether the creature is omen, guardian, or tourist attraction, the legend endures, offering West Virginia residents and visitors both chills and a sense of belonging.

Abby’s Fox Nation special “Mothman: The Man, the Moth, the Legend” is available now. For more of Abby’s adventures, check out “Parked” and “Ride to Work” on Fox Nation.

Transcript

[Abby Hornacek]

Foreign.

[Kennedy]

Hello and welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. Have you ever seen something in the night sky that you swear was not of this earth? Perhaps it was an alien or some sort of a supernatural creature and it gave you a terrifying feeling in your belly because you knew something was not right. And perhaps this thing, this mystery, could harm you. Welcome to the world of Mothman. There have been rumors about a 7 foot giant dark creature with glowing red eyes and white wings that has plagued the southeastern United States for decades now. So much so that the Mothman Festival has propped up over the last 23 years. And people flock to investigate, to share stories, to try and tease out whether or not Mothman is real, fantasy or just a giant misunderstanding. And who went to the Mothman Festival? Our very own Abby Hornacek. You can see her on Parked on Fox Nation. And that show where you drive people around that.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yep. Ride to Work.

[Kennedy]

Ride to Work is the name we.

[Abby Hornacek]

Got to next season.

[Kennedy]

I've never been on it, so I don't know the name of the show.

[Abby Hornacek]

Well, next season, come on, hop in. We'll flock to the Mothman Festival together.

[Kennedy]

West Virginia mountain mama. Yes. Is it a haunted place? You've been there. You've been to the festival. You investigated. What did you find?

[Abby Hornacek]

So I always like to say things are haunted after I have an experience.

[Kennedy]

Because you had experiences.

[Abby Hornacek]

I have had experiences. I personally did not have an experience while I was looking for Mothman.

[Kennedy]

Interesting.

[Abby Hornacek]

I did in the middle of the night, go to the TNT area, which is the surrounding area where the original sighting of Mothman was.

[Kennedy]

Basically two different couples. Two different couples not together.

[Abby Hornacek]

They were in the same car.

[Kennedy]

They were together.

[Abby Hornacek]

They were together forever in the Mothman mystery. And they were driving down the road and they see this big creature, seven foot, six to seven foot wingspan, which is about my wingspan. I might have been Mothman flying above their car 100 miles an hour, eyes glowing red, that it just took off into the sky. They were so scared, they immediately went and reported it to the police.

[Kennedy]

Okay.

[Abby Hornacek]

And the TNT area, which is where I went investigating before I went to the Mothman Festival, is an area back in World War II where they used to make things up, basically. Yeah, they.

[Kennedy]

Dynamite.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah, dynamite. It was that where they would create nuclear weapon or not nuclear weapons?

[Kennedy]

No, no, hold on.

[Abby Hornacek]

Redo. Take that out.

[Kennedy]

Explosive.

[Abby Hornacek]

What is the word? Explosive. Yeah, take that out.

[Kennedy]

Okay. I mean, nuclear weapons can be very explosive.

[Abby Hornacek]

That could be very expensive. This is where they made weapons basically for the war effort. So, of course, A lot of activity, but pretty. Pretty freaky stuff. Kennedy.

[Kennedy]

So oftentimes we hear about aliens and extraterrestrial sightings around nuclear facilities, almost like they're guarding them. So it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for a creature from another realm, maybe another world, maybe another era in time.

[Abby Hornacek]

Traversed dimension.

[Kennedy]

Dimension. Traverse wormholes in order to get here and to protect us all from what could be a disastrous ending for mankind.

[Abby Hornacek]

Well, that last thing that you said actually aligns with one of the witnesses that I talked to, Linda Sigman. She was 16 years. She was driving in her car with her boyfriend, and she claims that his head was kind of turned. And she's like, what are you looking at? And he goes, that star. It keeps blinking and going in and out of the clouds. And so they were staring at the star. She goes, as it came out of the clouds, it exploded almost like a supernova. And then it turned bright red. And she goes, as he was trying to start the car, a figure came out, and she said, almost like it was coming from another dimension. And then she saw Mothman perched up on the tree. Okay, so.

[Kennedy]

So is this only in West Virginia, or is Mothman seen in other places, in other cultures?

[Abby Hornacek]

The only time that people have reported him is in West Virginia, from my knowledge. Maybe there are some other.

[Kennedy]

66. 67.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yep, 1966. And then 1967 is when the Silver Bridge collapsed.

[Kennedy]

Oh, that was awful.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah, awful, horrible tragedy. 46 victims. The bridge collapsed. They fell into the water. Some of the bodies were never recovered. And some people claim to have seen Mothman either that day or the day pr. So people think maybe he was either warning them that something bad was gonna happen, or he himself was a bad omen.

[Kennedy]

Oh, that's really true.

[Abby Hornacek]

I like to think he's warning people.

[Kennedy]

Okay, I will go with that.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yes.

[Kennedy]

So. Yes, but you've had several sightings, and supernatural events happen to you in terms of ghosts.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yes. Another show on Fox Nation. I did. I showed up to the. One of the most haunted hotels in America and. And felt something on my back, and I turned and I had scratch marks down my back. So I was hoping to sleep at night. Not. Not a lick, not a minute.

[Kennedy]

And they made you sleep there? I would have left. No, I would. I would have gotten an Uber and.

[Abby Hornacek]

Found a Holiday Express. Five hotels. Well, yes. Holiday Inn expresses are actually very nice. I stay in a lot of those for parks. Yeah, yeah, please. Sponsors.

[Kennedy]

I also like the Hilton Garden Inn.

[Abby Hornacek]

Oh, that's a good one. Yeah, right by the truck. Stop. Perfect.

[Kennedy]

Sure.

[Abby Hornacek]

Quickly on the.

[Kennedy]

It's one stop shopping that way.

[Abby Hornacek]

They got some good stuff there.

[Kennedy]

Thank you.

[Abby Hornacek]

Back on the extraterrestrial comment. So basically, this woman, Mary Hire, the story might have died with that, with those two couples, if it wasn't for Mary Hire. She was a local journalist that picked up the story, wrote this capturing headline, and then people were like, what is this thing? And they went out to go look for it. Apparently, these men in black, kind of like you, you would experience in a movie. They showed up to her house, basically trying to silence her, and they were like, you know, why are you talking about this? That sort of thing. But what she had said, according to someone else who we had talked to, is that they were very fascinated with ordinary objects like a ballpoint pen. So suggesting that they were aliens, not of this Earth.

[Kennedy]

That's awesome. Don't go anywhere more. Kennedy Saves the World right after this. Yeah. Oh, I love it.

[Abby Hornacek]

So there's. This is all. There are so many things that wrap up into this legend. There's a curse involved, if you want to know about that. Yeah.

[Kennedy]

Is that the Mothman prophecy?

[Abby Hornacek]

No. Well, so. No, because that became a movie.

[Kennedy]

Yes.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yes. Very famous movie.

[Kennedy]

I thought maybe the prophecy was named after, because I don't like watching scary movies. Who? I've never seen it.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah. Well, this one you might have to watch, because basically there was this battle between the Virginia Militia and the Native Americans, and they met up. Casualties on both sides. And it said that tragedy kind of seeps into the Earth and that energy might last. And the legend has it that Chief Cornstalk, who was leading the Native Americans while he was dying, he cursed the land. So people think that Mothman might have come out of that curse? Oh, yes. I don't like to think there's any curse on any land. Yeah, exactly.

[Kennedy]

I spit at the curse three times.

[Abby Hornacek]

You should have come with me, because you could have got rid of the curse.

[Kennedy]

Yeah, I would have brought holy water and salt.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yes, that's.

[Kennedy]

And my cross made out of olive wood. Mm.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yep.

[Kennedy]

I don't know that I'd be a good protectress, but I would, you know, I'd have your back.

[Abby Hornacek]

You would? You would have. I would have your back. I feel like I could see you hopping on a Mothman's back and taking him down out of the sky or.

[Kennedy]

Like, tickling him, and he'd be like, okay, fine, I'll stop.

[Abby Hornacek]

And then he shoots up into the sky.

[Kennedy]

When's the last time someone saw him? And do people say they do. Just to be part of the trend.

[Abby Hornacek]

I. I won't comment on that.

[Kennedy]

Okay.

[Abby Hornacek]

But I. I would assume so. Yeah. I think the last time someone saw Mothman or claimed to have was 1967. With the silver Bridge. Yeah, I. I haven't heard. I mean, don't quote me on that. I haven't heard of any other sightings since then. But if you go to the Mothman festival every year, there are plenty of sightings. I saw plenty of Mothman while I was there.

[Kennedy]

Why do people keep it going? Like, why celebrate it in a festival? Like, is it kitschy? Are there believers there looking for other kindred spirits that know the real truth? I think it's a little bit of both.

[Abby Hornacek]

You know, this is woven into the history of the town. It's great driver of tourism. There's a big Mothman statue. People go all out. It draws people, thousands of people from all over the world. And when you're there, it is a very positive energy. I was nervous about that because depending on what you think Mothman is, if he's an omen or if he's warning you, but there are people who had spent six months making their costumes, and he basically. I talked to one gentleman, and he goes, you know what? Mothman is a way to show that you can be whoever you want to be.

[Kennedy]

That's nice. I like that.

[Abby Hornacek]

I like that, too. He's like, if you want to go dress up as Mothman, you can go dress up as Mothman.

[Kennedy]

I don't have a problem with that at all.

[Abby Hornacek]

No, not at all. And they're fun people, and they included me on their festivities, so that's nice. Very nice.

[Kennedy]

Did you do a national park visit while you were shooting the Mothman stuff?

[Abby Hornacek]

I should have, because New River Gorge is in West Virginia, but we had already been there.

[Kennedy]

Was that okay? So this was not your first time in West Virginia?

[Abby Hornacek]

No, I love West Virginia. One of my favorite states. So beautiful.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

Green, rolling hills. As long as you don't see my eyes.

[Kennedy]

I've only driven through it. When I was driving my older daughter to college, we drove through West Virginia. I'm like, oh, this is really cool. Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

What did you think?

[Kennedy]

I thought it looked special and really pretty.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah, it was very nature driven.

[Kennedy]

Lush and. Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah. And people are really nice.

[Kennedy]

I didn't see anyone doing weird stuff with corn cobs.

[Abby Hornacek]

You know, I didn't see. That was me, actually. It's a great place.

[Kennedy]

Where is your next Parked Adventure?

[Abby Hornacek]

We are wrapping up season nine of Parked. We just Went to Great Sand Dunes in Colorado. And we're doing a road trip from New York to Virginia to reshoot Shenandoah National Park.

[Kennedy]

Oh, that's heavy.

[Abby Hornacek]

We did it in.

[Kennedy]

Which is originally meant to be a place of peace. That's what Shenandoah means. Well, we are going to be sorry. I take that back. Shiloh means a place of peace, not Shenandoah.

[Abby Hornacek]

Shiloh DOA is a place of peace. You know what? I. I hope to bring a lot of peace to Shenandoah.

[Kennedy]

Good for you.

[Abby Hornacek]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Kennedy]

And what is special about that park?

[Abby Hornacek]

It's just, again, there's not a lot of things on the East Coast. I mean, there. There are a lot of beautiful areas on the east coast. National parks are. There's less of them than the west coast, of course. So you've got the rolling hills, the mountains. There's so to that area. And a lot of good climbing. So hopefully we'll get into some rock climbing.

[Kennedy]

Nice.

[Abby Hornacek]

Some. Really. You're gonna have to tune in to season nine to learn all the history, though. I don't want to give you can't.

[Kennedy]

Give it all away.

[Abby Hornacek]

Can't give it away. Kennedy. I sent out a. An invitation to Mothman and he has not responded, which is probably for the best because I don't want anything bad happening, frankly.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

Quite rude. Yes.

[Kennedy]

I spit at the curse. But I still think it's a nice thing to RSVP when you're host extends the courtesy.

[Abby Hornacek]

You have to at least tell me no.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

You can't leave it unread because what if I want to invite another guest like you?

[Kennedy]

If he's going through wormholes, he's got Internet.

[Abby Hornacek]

He's got Internet. Yeah. And if he's living in another dimension, he might know what Shenandoah looks like in a hundred years. And he could give me some good context.

[Kennedy]

I mean, the worst thing is when you see these. Read the Evite and not responded.

[Abby Hornacek]

I know. It's so rude. And if you're gonna respond no, you have to write me a note as to why it's a no.

[Kennedy]

Yeah.

[Abby Hornacek]

If it's a yes, it better be a heck, yeah.

[Kennedy]

But I'm having my spleen taken out that day.

[Abby Hornacek]

Exactly.

[Kennedy]

Can't reschedule the splenectomy.

[Abby Hornacek]

And the splenectomy has to be the same time as the event because you can quickly recover and still make it to my event. You really could. Yeah. Especially if you're from another dimension. I can imagine they have special powers and feeling like.

[Kennedy]

Like we have hemp oil. They probably have something.

[Abby Hornacek]

Actually, how people reported that he actually talks is that. That's exactly what he sounds like.

[Kennedy]

I don't want to stir up any Mothman.

[Abby Hornacek]

Me neither.

[Kennedy]

All right, well, what is the name of the Fox Nation special?

[Abby Hornacek]

Mothman the man, the moth, the legend.

[Kennedy]

Yes, that's absolutely right. So you have to tune in Fox Nation. If you don't subscribe. Subscribe now because you can watch Mothman the Man, the Moth legend, but you can also see Abby on ride to work. And parked. And Parked is my favorite show on Fox Nation until I see Mothman. Yeah, yeah. It's amazing because I got my passport to the the national parks after being inspired by your show.

[Abby Hornacek]

That just made my whole day, my whole month, my whole life, maybe. I'm serious.

[Kennedy]

Don't tell Kelsey Grammer or anyone else or Ted Danson or whoever else has a Fox Nation show.

[Abby Hornacek]

Shh.

[Kennedy]

That's between us.

[Abby Hornacek]

Secret. Safe.

[Kennedy]

All right. This has been Kennedy Saves the World along with Abby Hornacek. I'm Kennedy. Listen ad free with the Fox News podcast plus subscription on Apple podcasts and Amazon Prime. Members can listen to this show ad free on the Amazon music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy Saves the World on the Fox News podcast network.

[Will Kane]

It's the Will Kane show. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday on foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss a show. Get the podcast five days a week at Fox News Podcast or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.