Monsters Among Us – S20 Ep23: The Best of 2025 Special Part 1

Podcast Host: Derek Hayes
Release Date: December 30, 2025
True encounters. Chilling calls. Paranormal phenomena as experienced by real people.

Episode Overview

The "Best of 2025 Special Part 1" brings together fan and host-favorite calls from the past year. Host Derek Hayes curates a rapid-fire run-through of the most memorable, chilling, and puzzling firsthand paranormal stories, including ghosts, cryptids, unexplained time slips, UFO encounters, and more. Each story is introduced with context and the original caller’s location, while the spooky vibe and sincere witness audio remain the focus. Whether you’re a longtime listener or new to the show, this episode offers a potent sampler of the year’s most unforgettable paranormal tales.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Ghostly Hitchhiker in La Habra Heights, CA

(First aired S18E31) – [03:23]

• Caller: Ryan from Los Angeles
• Story: Late-night drive through La Habra Heights; Ryan sees a solid, emotionless young man sitting in his backseat, visible for a clear moment under streetlights before vanishing.
• Aftermath: Pulled over, composed himself, received a blessing from a friend's Buddhist mother.
• Notable quote:

  “He just looked like a flesh and blood living person that just appeared in the backseat of my car.” – Ryan [05:03]

• Derek's Take: Not the first "ghostly hitchhiker," but stands out for realism and local connection.

2. Mermaid Sighting at Surfside Beach, TX

(Originally S18E35) – [07:49]

• Caller: Jade from Houston
• Story: Jade’s boyfriend, camping at Surfside Beach under a full moon, sees a human silhouette standing in the moonlit water. When he stands to get a better look, the figure turns, splashes into the water, and a mermaid tail is visible.
• Notable quote:

  “He saw a fin, like a tail, like a mermaid tail... it had a human shape.” – Jade [09:40]

• Derek's Take: Another Gulf Coast mermaid sighting, reinforcing regional tales of aquatic cryptids.

3. Full-Body Apparition: Returning Deceased Father (Massachusetts Island)

(From S18E41 Beyond) – [12:15]

• Caller: John from Massachusetts
• Story: After his father’s funeral in the 1950s, the deceased walks into the house, interacts physically, and is recognized by the whole family. Their mother insists, “You have to leave. You’re dead.” He leaves, never seen again.
• Family Reactions: Multiple confirmations from relatives, but one uncle later denies it.
• Notable quote:

  “He looked physically solid. It would be like me or you standing in the room.” – John [14:28]

• Theme: Solid, interactive apparitions and the mysteries of family memory.

4. Pioneer Ghost from the Ohio Woods

(From S20E10) – [17:26]

• Caller: Keith from Northern Virginia
• Story: College camping trip in SE Ohio. Keith and a friend encounter a man dressed as a frontiersman, following them deep in the woods. Initially fearing a ghost, Keith later thinks it may have been a real (and creepy) person living off-grid.
• Notable quote:

  “The more I think about it, the more I think that’s creepier than if it was a ghost.” – Keith [19:01]

5. Time Slip in a Haunted Colorado Theater

(Fan Favorite, S19E?) – [24:48]

• Caller: Summer from Colorado
• Story: Arriving at a theater for a play, Summer and a friend find the building eerily empty, dark, and silent. Inside, the stage is set but the room is deserted—until applause blares over the speakers. Moments later, they re-enter and the play is in full swing, the theater packed and bustling as if nothing were amiss.
• Notable quote:

  “It’s like we were just parallel, or almost like the upside-down to what was happening.” – Summer [27:45]

• Derek's Take: Classic “time warp” or dimensional slip case.

6. Pointy-Hatted Little Man at Whiskeytown/Shasta (California)

(From S19E24) – [31:46]

• Caller: Robin from near Sacramento
• Story: During a family camping trip, Robin awakens to see a “very small man in a tall, pointy hat” staring through the tent window at her. Didn’t know of Mount Shasta’s mystical reputation at the time.
• Notable quote:

  “It sounds funny now, but at the time it was absolutely terrifying.” – Robin [33:22]

• Derek’s Take: Links to lore of mysterious “Shasta beings” and folklore.

7. Crash Test Dummy Apparitions (Pennsylvania)

(From S19E26) – [37:18]

• Caller: Tommy from Pennsylvania
• Story: Napping in his car at work, Tommy wakes to see two crash test dummy-like figures peering into his vehicle, then they vanish as he rubs his eyes. He rules out sleep paralysis.
• Notable quote:

  “Kinda like crash test dummies… one on each side of your car.” – Tommy [38:09]

• Derek's Note: Others since reported "hazmat suit" entities in the area.

8. UFOs and Air Force Cover-Ups – The Kinross Incident

(From S19E34) – [39:54]

• Caller: Ruby, San Antonio (ex-Air Force intelligence, 1950s)
• Story: Shares direct experience with UFO radar tracks spanning from Maine to Chicago in 13 minutes, and an incident where an F-86 pilot’s partner is "vaporized" by a UFO—reported as a crash in the papers.
• Notable quote:

  “The government has known… we have UFOs for years… They know they’re from outer space, but they don’t want to admit it.” – Ruby [41:54]

• Historic Tie: Her report backs up the infamous 1953 Kinross disappearance.

9. Spectral Tricksters in a Family Photo (Australia)

(From S20E06 Beyond) – [47:01]

• Caller: Steve, Perth, Western Australia
• Story: Halloween photo of twin nephews shows multiple anomalies: a “trickster” entity with green shoes (matching lost pair), a ghostly “blue-shod” leg, and a phased-out version of one nephew—despite him being inside when the photo was taken.
• Notable quote:

  “It’s kind of naked… with the exception of green shoes. I guess at least there’s good fashion sense…” – Steve [48:44]

• Derek's Note: Photo is available for listeners to view.

10. Renovating a Haunted Chisholm Trail Hospital (Oklahoma)

(From S18E46) – [54:29]

• Caller: Anonymous, Oklahoma
• Story: Family moves into a converted old hospital. Doors slam, objects move, box fans fall repeatedly on guests’ heads, and the young daughter converses with “Mary”—who turns out to be the name of a deceased former tenant.
• Relevant Details: History of the building includes suicides and death; classic haunted house phenomena.

11. The Cowboy Mound and Ghost (Moore, OK)

(From S19E?) – [58:33]

• Caller: Mike from Tulsa, OK
• Story: As kids, Mike and friends find a dirt mound shaped like a cowboy in a field. After digging it up, it returns, undisturbed, and they begin encountering a cowboy-shaped shadow figure and find unexplained bootprints.
• Notable quote:

  “We saw this apparition, and in its place were a pair of boot prints.” – Mike [1:00:17]

12. Shadow Children and Playful Poltergeists (Kentucky)

(From S18E45) – [1:02:43]

• Caller: Ben, Kentucky
• Story: A girlfriend’s house is plagued by shadow people, particularly a childlike figure who interacts with Ben, opens cabinets, lifts his hair, and slams doors to make him uncomfortable as the relationship unravels.
• Notable quote:

  “She let me see her. My girlfriend could see her just about any time, but she didn’t really reveal herself to me [until then].” – Ben [1:05:05]

13. The Hag in the Fuse Box – Ferndale, MI

(From S19E20) – [1:08:36]

• Caller: Emily, Michigan
• Story: Pregnant and living in a 1920s flat, Emily repeatedly experiences an oppressive presence and intrusive thoughts while changing fuses in the basement (“put your finger in the socket!”). Husband won’t change the fuse, admitting dreams of a terrifying hag who gives him the same command. Shared terror is validated, and the power station burns down days later.
• Notable quote:

  “She’s grinning evilly… she says: put your finger in the socket.” – Emily’s husband [1:11:39]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan (La Habra Heights):
  “We locked eyes through the rearview mirror, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.” [04:24]

• John (MA full-body apparition):
  “He walked in the front door of the house and came into the living room, as solid as you or me.” [13:48]

• Keith (Pioneer ghost):
  "The more I think about it, the more I think that’s creepier than if it was the ghost..." [19:01]

• Steve (Halloween photo):
  "It’s kind of naked with the exception of green shoes. I guess at least there’s good fashion sense in shoes." [48:44]

• Emily (The Hag Entity):
  "Put your finger in the socket… When I turn my back to her, she gets closer." [1:11:41]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Intro and explanation: 00:55–03:23
• Ryan’s Ghostly Hitchhiker: 03:23–07:49
• Jade’s Mermaid/Siren Sighting: 07:49–12:15
• John’s Full-Body Apparition: 12:15–17:26
• Keith’s Pioneer Ghost in the Woods: 17:26–24:48
• Summer’s Time Warp Theater: 24:48–31:46
• Robin’s Pointy-Hatted Little Man: 31:46–37:18
• Tommy’s Crash Test Dummies: 37:18–39:54
• Ruby’s Air Force UFO Incidents: 39:54–47:01
• Steve’s Trickster Halloween Photo (Australia): 47:01–54:29
• Anonymous’s Haunted Hospital House (OK): 54:29–58:33
• Mike’s Cowboy Ghost/Field Mound: 58:33–1:02:43
• Ben’s Shadow Children (KY): 1:02:43–1:08:36
• Emily’s Hag Spirit (MI): 1:08:36–End

Show Tone & Style

Derek Hayes maintains a welcoming, campfire storytelling atmosphere ("keep it spooky!") while respecting witnesses’ sincerity and grounding astonishing accounts in folklore, history, and listener engagement. Listeners are frequently encouraged to weigh in or connect with thematic episodes in the archive.

For New Listeners

This “Best of” is a perfect jumping-in point—showcasing Monsters Among Us’ blend of eerie, heartfelt real-life accounts and the communal hunt for the unexplained. Each story stands alone, offering chills and curiosity in equal measure.

“Keep it spooky and have a good night.” – Derek Hayes [End]