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Ghost Hunters Bios

Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson

TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) is headed by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson and includes a close-knit group of paranormal researchers. Built on Jason and Grant's mutual interest in getting to the bottom of everyday, paranormal occurrences, TAPS is an eclectic but unified bunch — and certainly not what you'd expect to find at the forefront of paranormal investigation. They're neither Ph.D. scientists, nor zany, theatrical hotline psychics. Jason and Grant are plumbers by trade, and their TAPS colleagues are in similarly ordinary professions. Factory worker, office manager, teacher — these are respected members of a small, blue-collar Rhode Island community where many of the TAPS members were born and raised.

Upon meeting, Jason and Grant became fast friends; both possessed a marked interest in paranormal research. Soon, they began to seek out others like themselves — people with a level-headed, driving interest in the paranormal. Within a year, TAPS was formed, and through word of mouth it developed a reputation for helping people with unusual domestic problems. Originally headquartered in a spare room of Jason's apartment, TAPS fields phone calls, e-mails, and personal visits from people who have — or claim to have — a non-physical entity interfering with their lives. Depending on the nature of the haunting, a select group of TAPS field researchers will load equipment into a van and drive sometimes as far as 300 miles to investigate. Despite the expenses they incur on gas, equipment (infrared cameras, night-vision goggles and the like) and time off from their day jobs, they know they could never charge for their services — that would make them much more likely to be labeled charlatans.

It has been more than a decade since Jason and Grant met. Since then TAPS has grown in size and scope to become one of the most respected paranormal-investigation groups in America. It now has branches across the United States and affiliates in 12 other countries. TAPS members are, like Jason and Grant, humble, self-assured, distinctive and inquisitive; they search for answers, but are comfortable with unsolved or unproven conclusions. Through the years, Jason and Grant have not forgotten why they do this — to find answers for themselves, and to help others who have experienced paranormal activity but don't know what to do about it.

Today, TAPS' founder, Jason Hawes, is in his early 30's, a plumber and the father of three girls and twin sons. Jason enjoys spending quality time with his children, deep-sea fishing and writing screenplays — he has written four in the sci-fi/thriller genre.

Grant Wilson, the father of three young boys, is also a plumber, as well as Jason's confidante and best friend. Their families are close — Jason's kids consider Grant an adopted uncle and Grant's kids view Jason the same way. Their wives, also friends, are respectful of the TAPS mission but keep their distance. Each one has asked her husband not to bring his paranormal work home with him.

When he's not hunting ghosts or holding down a day job, Grant enjoys whipping up a mean Italian dish (he spent two years in Italy and speaks the language fluently), writing songs on the piano and guitar and penning a 25-volume series of high-fantasy novels.

Over the years, TAPS has accumulated clients with surprising speed — victims of troubled or restless spirits who needed their help. Jason, Grant and the others who have joined the group investigate haunted houses throughout New England and encounter all types of human ("regular" ghosts of dead people) and inhuman (entities such as demons) hauntings.

Other TAPS Members:

• Kristin Allen - Marketing professional and TAPS field researcher.
• Brian Bell - I.T. manager and TAPSNet Administrator.
• Heather Drolet - Field investigator. Single mother who is a third-generation Pagan and practitioner of Wicca.

• Steve Gonsalves - Police officer. TAPS technical advisor and evidence analyst.

• Brian Harnois - Technical advisor and case manager. Former Air Force MP who carries the bags, sets up the equipment and considers it his duty to protect everyone in the group.
• Carl Johnson - Twin brother of Keith (below). Works in retail sales. Field investigator and demonologist.
• Keith Johnson - Twin brother of Carl (above). Former priest who performs blessing rituals on the rare occasions when demonic entities are found in homes.

• Donna Lacroix - An environmental engineer and TAPS field interviewer.