Ghost hunter Michelle Hajdu is packing for the big one — the biggest investigation of her career.

Hajdu and her team of paranormal investigators have booked an overnight stay in the ‘scariest place on earth,’ the Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanitarium, a place where 63,000 people died during the white plague from 1926 to 1961. Some of those people, rumors claim, refuse to leave the grounds and haunt the abandoned hallways creating cold drafts, the sound of footsteps, and even smacking curiosity seekers on the head.

Tina and Charlie Mattingly purchased the abandoned Sanitarium in 2001 and give tours, rent the property to ghost hunters, and create a haunted house attraction every Halloween.

Hajdu and her team have rented the Waverly, located in Kentucky, from midnight to 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Because of the site’s reputation for verifiable ghostly activity, the team from Marion Michigan Paranormal Investigations is hoping to witness paranormal activity and capture it on film.

Hajdu, who founded MMPI in 2001, has studied how other investigative teams work and hopes to one-up them with better equipment. The group purchased a sensitive voice recorder that works in ‘real time’ to capture EVP’s (electronic voice phenomena) and allows them to actually “hear spirits as they talk wearing headphones.”

In addition they have new cameras, extra battery packs and extra lighting. The group is mounting their cameras on a rolling cart in hopes of filming full apparitions.

The deserted five-story structure is a ghost hunter’s dream, offering endless places to explore, including old hospital rooms, kitchens, research laboratories, and hallways. Yet the focus for MMPI will be the 400-foot tunnel at the bottom of the building. Originally a route for groceries and supplies, the tunnel became known as the ‘tunnel of death’ when it was used to transport bodies by rail car to the bottom of the hill to be loaded into hearses. It is rumored that from 1926 to 1961 there was at least one death per hour from the white plague, known as tuberculosis, a disease that was incurable until the 60s.

Video of Waverly ghost hunting expeditions can be seen at: www.YouTube.com. In addition, a documentary has been made at the site and a horror movie called “Death Tunnel” was filmed there.

Your Local Connection

An interview with ghost hunter Michelle Hajdu of MMPI

How many members are there in Marion Michigan Paranormal Investigations?

We have about 10 members, some from here and some downstate.

Why do people call you for help?

We have about 8 to 10 clients a year and it varies. We have people call and say “I think I have a ghost or I hear noises.”

What is your goal when you go into a home?

We actually go in to debunk it and disprove that (their house is haunted). We have been able to do that.

Is there a fee?

We don’t charge anything.

How do you do your research?

We set up our equipment. They are freaked out and scared. If we can find a natural explanation then it puts them at ease. That’s what we do; we go in and disprove a haunting.

What’s an example of a ‘natural’ explanation for a haunted house?

One family heard somebody walking up and down the steps. It was a cat. I videotaped and saw it was their cats. Another family heard moaning and groaning. It was actually a crack in the window, very tiny, and it was the wind.

Does ghost hunting ever scare you?

No. I’ve been startled. But it doesn’t scare me. And I love scary movies.

The article above was found on Google and was published originally on Cadillac News.com