09/21/2026
WhatTheGhost Is MadCon9?!
I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I probably should have, but honestly, I think that's because I was too busy actually experiencing the weekend.�
This was my second MadCon at Madison Seminary and my first one was last year. I got to reunite with people I met during my first MadCon, meet so many new people, and spend the weekend surrounded by people who share the same weird little passion that I do. There is something really special about being in a room full of people who completely understand why a place like Madison means so much to you. And then there was Friday night...
I experienced what I can only describe as a loss of time and one of the weirdest experiences ever. When we eventually went outside, everyone was gone. Apparently, people thought the building was empty and no one else was inside. Meanwhile... the group I was with was still in there. I don't even know what to make of that one, but Madison being Madison, I suppose. IYKYK!
Saturday started a little later than planned because, after Friday night, I apparently needed to sleep my life away. We got there, grabbed our raffle tickets, and immediately started speed-walking through the vendor booths because we were late. The very first table we stopped at was Christopher Lee Jansen, and I had the absolute honor of getting a tarot reading from him. It was a reading that was well needed and kind of a smack in my face that I am on track. Everything made sense, and I definitely recommend speaking with Christopher if you have the opportunity.
I also got to see Cindy Ross (The Ross House) again, which absolutely made my day. Cindy is genuinely one of the sweetest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and every encounter with her is a good one. Getting a picture with her was definitely one of the moments I wanted to remember.
And then...THE COFFIN. ⚰️
When they called the raffle number, it took me a second to realize they were calling MY NUMBER. And then I absolutely lost it. I started screaming, freaking out, and I swear I almost passed out. I probably looked like a complete idiot, but you know what? I DID NOT CARE. I was happy. Really happy. And my happiness was valid.
The coffin itself has actually become pretty meaningful to me. It wasn't originally from Madison, but it lived there for a couple of years and has been around during investigations I've attended. It was even placed in the room where I had my first major experience at Madison. So yeah... it probably means more to me than it reasonably should. But sometimes certain objects just become attached to memories, experiences, and places. I said I was going to pick it up that day. I did not… I procrastinated... It is still there…
BUT I WILL GET MY COFFIN. 😂⚰️
Since we weren't taking the coffin home that night, we at least took everything that was inside of it. And that's when I met someone who apparently had been waiting for me the entire time...Skelly. 💀
While I was carrying him out, I was asked what we were going to name him. I said, “Skelly.” Suddenly, people started getting excited. Apparently... THAT WAS ALREADY HIS NAME. I had absolutely no idea. 😂 So apparently I didn't name him at all. I just somehow gave him the name he already had. Skelly has officially joined the WhatTheGhost?! crew, and he will absolutely be making appearances at future investigations. He has already made his first road trip home sitting in the car, so there is no going back now.
And then there's the part of MadCon that I don't think gets talked about enough.
The MadCrew.
Every year, these people pour an absolutely ridiculous amount of time, energy, work, and love into making this event happen. It's easy to show up, enjoy yourself, visit the vendors, listen to the speakers, investigate, laugh, make memories, and go home. But behind all of that are people who have spent countless hours planning, organizing, setting things up, solving problems, keeping things moving, and making sure everyone else gets to have that experience. Without the MadCrew, I believe MadCon simply wouldn't be what it is and I am genuinely grateful for them. MadCon isn't just an event I attend, it's something I look forward to every year now. It's a place where I get to reconnect with people I've met before, meet new people, make ridiculous memories, have experiences I can't explain, and feel completely at home in a community that understands this weird world we love. And there's an even bigger reason behind all of it.
Cystic Fibrosis.
I honestly didn't know much about Cystic Fibrosis before attending my first MadCon. One comparison that really stuck with me is that if you breathe through a straw and run, that's similar to how someone with Cystic Fibrosis can feel every day. That puts things into perspective of how difficult this truly is for the people who have to face this every single day of their lives.
This year, Madison Seminary raised 🚨$12,392🚨 for the cause, bringing the total raised to 🚨$85,892🚨 That's an incredible number and they're getting dangerously close to that $100,000 mark. That kind of money doesn't happen by people sitting around and hoping something happens. It happens because a group of people decides that they're going to put in the work and make something happen.
So to the MadCrew, the vendors, the volunteers, everyone who donated, everyone who attended, and everyone who helped make MadCon 9 happen:
Thank you for giving us a weekend full of memories, a place for people to come together, for putting in the work when no one else was watching. We see you 👀
Last year was my first MadCon and this year reminded me why I knew I wanted to come back. And if I have anything to say about it...I'll be back every year I possibly can.
Until then, I have a coffin to retrieve and a skeleton named Skelly to take on some investigations. 😂💀⚰️
