Podcast Summary

Miss Understood with Rachel Uchitel

Episode: The Psychic Firefighter: From Fighting Flames to Talking to the Dead
Date: October 13, 2025
Host: Rachel Uchitel
Guest: Andrew ("The Psychic Firefighter")

Overview

In this episode, Rachel Uchitel explores the story of Andrew, a former New York City firefighter whose life took a dramatic turn after personal tragedies and supernatural experiences led him to embrace his abilities as a psychic. The conversation examines Andrew's journey from a first responder trusted with life-or-death decisions to an acclaimed medium who claims to communicate with the dead, see illnesses, and witness UFOs. Rachel seeks to understand how a pragmatic, rational firefighter could now be known as "The Psychic Firefighter," and what this means for our beliefs about the unknown.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Life as a Firefighter & Influence of 9/11

• Background: Andrew grew up in Long Island, NY; his father was a firefighter, and he aspired to follow in his footsteps from a young age ([07:28]).
• 9/11’s Impact: He was 21 during the attacks and recounts the uncertainty of waiting for news about his father's safety, who barely survived the day ([08:35]). The trauma catalyzed his later spiritual search and skepticism toward traditional religious answers ([14:22]).
  • "After 9/11, I saw how firefighters were coping or not coping... Some people drank themselves to death. Some people took their own lives... The PTSD and then how it affects the kids." – Andrew ([17:01])

2. Early Encounters with Death and Spirituality

• Early Losses: Childhood experiences with the deaths of friends and a pivotal promise with his grandmother sparked youthful curiosity about the afterlife ([14:22]).
• Loss of Faith: After 9/11, Andrew was angry at God and found little comfort from religious authorities, pushing him toward unconventional explanations ([14:22]).

3. The Awakening: Psychic Experience and Mentorship

• Catalyst Moment: A chance encounter with psychic Robert Hansen, who delivered uncannily accurate information about Andrew's late grandmother, opened the door to exploring his own abilities ([16:52], [27:23]).
• Training: Upon suggestion, Andrew undertook spiritual development classes. In his first exercise, detailed, accurate impressions began to appear as black-and-white "movie-like" visions, shocking both himself and the person he was reading ([21:47]).
  • "All of a sudden, I got a tingle up my spine. I started to see these black and white images coming in." – Andrew ([16:52])

4. Coming to Terms with His Abilities

• Skepticism vs. Confirmation: Initially, Andrew was skeptical and cautious, only gaining confidence after incidents where he described facts confirmed by people he couldn’t possibly have known otherwise ([21:47]).
• How It Works: For Andrew, the psychic process is controlled by permission and intention. He compares it to turning a device on and off: he meditates to "tune in," and does not sense things constantly ([33:25]).
  • "When I hear people that it's always coming through — no... If that happened, I'd be in a psych ward." – Andrew ([32:40])

5. Responsibility, Ethics, and Skepticism

• Dealing with Skeptics: Andrew acknowledges frauds in the industry and draws clear lines between intuition, psychic phenomena, and mentalism ([30:22], [49:58]).
  • "There are psychics that have television shows that are total frauds... There's ethics, right? You never just ambush someone with a reading." – Andrew ([31:10])
• Handling Difficult Information: He is mindful and cautious about relaying health or grave messages, emphasizing certainty and compassion ([36:14]).

6. Manifestation and Writing Down Goals

• Manifestation Technique: Andrew advocates writing out goals in the present tense to program the mind, citing his own experiences (e.g., gaining jobs in Australia, moving from firefighter to embalmer) ([63:07]).
  • "Your mind doesn’t know the difference when you’re just saying something or... actually doing it. You need to change that muscle memory." – Andrew ([63:07])

7. Numbers, Numerology, and Reading Styles

• Numerology: Andrew noticed he would see numbers around people during readings, which led him to incorporate elements of numerology and, occasionally, astrology into his practice ([51:13], [52:45]).
  • "I'm seeing numbers around people... related to their birthdays, the number of kids they had, the number of miscarriages... addresses." – Andrew ([51:13])

8. UFO Experiences

• First Sighting (Age 19): While serving in the US Coast Guard, Andrew and his crew witnessed two silver objects maneuvering over the water before merging and vanishing—an event corroborated by multiple witnesses ([44:15]).
• Ongoing Contact: Since proactive attempts to connect with UFO phenomena, he claims regular sightings and experiences, many documented and analyzed by independent organizations ([47:20]).
  • "October 2011 till now, every day or night, if I go outside, these things come, and I can film them." – Andrew ([47:20])

9. Life and Work in Australia

• Emigration and Funeral Work: After moving to Australia, Andrew worked in a funeral home and became an embalmer, feeling both called to and serendipitously guided into the role ([59:41]).
• Personal Life: Andrew met his now-wife Jess in Australia under circumstances that echoed psychic predictions, and together they have a daughter ([57:03]).

10. Current Projects and Future Goals

• Full-time Practice: Andrew now works full-time as a psychic, reading for clients globally via Zoom, practicing mediumship, and offering numerology/astrology insights ([65:14]).
• Media Work: He is featured in the documentary series “Contact” which has won awards, and plans to release a book ([65:49], [69:47]).
  • "I wrote a book that is waiting to be released... Sometimes that thing not happening is the biggest blessing." – Andrew ([69:47])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Grief and Seeking Answers:
  "When you lose somebody dear to you, death will bring you to your knees looking for anything and everything to get that answer." — Andrew ([38:27])

• On the Journeys of Others:
  "People usually come to me as the last option. I'm the last resort. And I know because I'm speaking from experience. I went to the priest, I went to the therapist... After my grandmother died, after 9/11, no one could give me answers." — Andrew ([28:33])

• On Manifestation:
  "If you have something that's realistic... write it out present tense. Because your mind doesn't know the difference... so you need to change that muscle memory." — Andrew ([63:07])

• On Skepticism and Ethics:
  "If anyone listening out there can predict the future... call the FBI and predict the next 9/11... What happens for me is I can't predict anything... it just comes at will." — Andrew ([44:00])

• On the Human Condition:
  "We are living in times like we have never seen before... Everyone out there is fighting a battle that is unseen. Most people, even the ones that claim to share everything online, they're not. There's something deep down, twisted and dark. They don't want to reveal or be vulnerable." — Andrew ([68:18])

Important Timestamps

• [01:31] Rachel’s introduction and central question: What happens when a rational firefighter sees the inexplicable?
• [08:35] Andrew describes his experience during 9/11 and the immediate aftermath.
• [14:22] Discussion of Andrew’s early spiritual questions and anger toward God post-9/11.
• [16:52] Encounter with psychic Robert Hansen initiates Andrew’s awakening.
• [21:47] First psychic reading and the distinctive sensation of real “visions.”
• [28:33] On becoming open to psychic experiences after exhausting all rational options.
• [36:14] Ethics of delivering difficult or dire news during readings, especially about health.
• [44:15] Andrew recounts his first UFO sighting in the military.
• [47:20] Ongoing UFO experiences and investigations.
• [59:41] Andrew’s transition to becoming an embalmer in Australia.
• [63:07] Andrew explains his technique for manifesting goals through writing.
• [68:18] Andrew’s closing thoughts on compassion and the hidden struggles of others.

Conclusion & Final Messages

The Power of Openness and Human Connection

Andrew encourages listeners to stay open-minded, to manifest goals through detailed intention setting, and to seek connection with others—whether for healing, mentorship, or companionship. He stresses that every person faces their own struggles, often unseen, and pleads for compassion and outreach, especially in times of despair.

“We are all in this together. Everyone out there is fighting a battle that is unseen... Reach out for help. Send me a DM. Whatever it takes. Do not [give up]. You are loved divinely, more than you can imagine.”
— Andrew ([70:37])

How to Connect with Andrew

• Website: psychicfirefighter.com
• Instagram & Social: Search “psychicfirefighter”
• Services: Readings (psychic/medium/numerology/astrology), meditation coaching, mentorship for developing abilities

For more information and details, see Andrew’s links and the episode show notes.