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Michael is the most common boy’s name there is in North America. How can you be so sure it has anything to do with the incident?
Mark Opsasnick has fairly convincingly argued that Hunkeler was hoaxing during that episode in his life. That seems pretty clear from his research in his “Haunted Boy” article. Those who won’t “buy” this seem determined to cling to the more fascinating speculation that he was possessed, which is kind of pathetic. Anyway, many have tried to contact Hunkeler asking for an interview or an account from him of that time in my life (even I have sent an email request to him via a website where he has posted his information), to no avail. Undoubtedly he’s still embarrassed, or at least nonplussed, at what he did when he was 13 and understandably doesn’t want to discuss it. He lives in Laurel MD and is in his early 70s–I’ve got his home address if anyone wants it. But what’s the use? He’s an old man who did something very childish and immature and kind of cruel (considering that he successfully hoaxed a bunch of adults who were obviously very seriously committed to trying to help him) when he was 13, and then was undoubtedly mortified that it was then made very, very famous by a wildly successful novel and movie when he was in his 30s. Will he ever own up to the prank? Almost undoubtedly not, unless some publisher offers him so large a wad of cash for his story that he’d be willing to set aside his embarrassment and come clean–maybe for the sake of the good the money would provide to his grandchildren’s prospects in life? College funds? Who knows?
To me, the most compelling detail in the argument that it was all a hoax (other than the secular fact that there is no god, thus no demons/devil, and that the latter, especially, are a pretty obviously childish feature from the pre-enlightenment medieval mindset)is the “sign” that appeared on Hunkeler’s skin after it was proposed that he be returned to school: “No school” (or, in another account, simply “No”). As Opsasnick quite logically noted, it strains belief that an ancient, literally prehistoric super-intelligence concerned with the most intricate moral/cosmic complexities would concern itself with such a triviality as keeping Hunkeler out of school–but it was certainly a central concern of Hunkeler’s at the time, as it is for most 8th grade boys (certainly my 7th grade son focuses mightily upon this central imperative in his life). C’mon, folks–give ground to the obvious: it was a boy’s successful mess-with-the-grown-ups-and-thus-get-out-of-school-for-a-while hoax.
I believe we should respect the man’s privacy. Imagine if hundreds of people bothered a rape victim about why she won’t give interviews about her experiences constantly for 50 years! Please, be realistic.
I agree, although this is a slightly different case, in that this man’s hoax as a 13-year-old inadvertantly spawned a worldwide fascination, as well as fear and anxiety, about demonic possession that hasn’t fully subsided to this very day (although, thankfully, it is much abated from its peak in the 70s). I think it’s fair to politely ask him to tell his story so that the fear/anxiety/dread that it caused in others could be set aside, or at least diminished, due to the realization that the event that sparked the mania about the topic was entirely spurious. It’s not much to ask, I think, given the massive outcome of his prank.
I think that more people were involved then just him. Its not fair or realistic to pin all of the blame for a world-wide panic down to one 13 yo’s prank do you?
Agreed. I just think that Hunkeler ought to come clean. It would obviously help some people, if for no other reason than to deflate the mania of people who obssess about the movie & its supposedly “real” backstory. Let’s face it: we’ve got enough trouble in this country with religious fanatics hijacking the government, resisting science, spreading/congratulating intolerance, etc. It’d be nice to see this one strand of religious hooha debunked. It’s a big war and every battle counts.
I don’t think Ronald neccessarily was pranking. I’m not saying he was possessed, but I think something happened to him, like a nervous breakdown. I can’t think of any other reason he would keep silent. Obviously he doesn’t want to talk about it and saying it was a hoax seems like a good way to make people go away. It seems to me more likely that something he found disturbing did happen and it scared him. That’s why he’d rather not think about it.
Nonsense. A nervous breakdown wouldn’t be “cured” by an exorcism. If anything, it’d be aggravated by an attempted exorcism. It was a hoax–unless, of course, you actually believe in demonic possession, in which case we can’t have a reasonable, rational conversation about this.
Sure we can. Maybe it started as a hoax. Maybe it started as a nervous breakdown. Then the priests convinced him he was really possessed. I really think the priests are to blame here not the boy.
If you read the Exorcist, you may remember that Karras did an exhaustive and skeptical investigation into the possesions “authenticity”. One of the possible psychological explanations for Regan’s behavior was that it was caused by “hysteria”. It is entirely possible that’s what happened in the original case. It doesnt mean that he was “faking” necessarily, because he likely believed it in a certain way. Hysteria is a powerful psychological phenomenon, and has people believing all kinds of things.
Hunkeler was not investigated very much at all if you read the diary … in fact he never underwent a serious psychiatric eval.
Hunkeler’s treatment documents are finally available online:
Not a big deal … but, I wonder why Hunkeler is consistently referred to as “R” and then there is one entry giving the full name? I wonder why the priest’s entries failed on only one occasion and was never edited:
Tuesday, April 12. (Index)
Action began after the exorcism prayers were completed. During the general recitation of the Rosary by the Fathers and Brothers the regular performance began but with the omission of writing on R’s body. The noise and singing were very disturbing to everyone. R gave no response to the “praecipio” except to imitate the Latin words, then laugh, or say, “Stick it up your ass.”
One new phase was the display at the devil’s power over the senses and external personality of R. In one instance the devil said he would have R awaken and the boy would be pleasant and attractive. The devil’s promise was true. A few minutes later the devil said he would have R awaken, but this time he would be offensive. True to the promise R came out of the spell very irritable and he complained quite bitterly to those who held him.
Several attempts were made to give R Holy Communion after midnight, but each trial was unsuccessful. The devil showed definitely that he was not R speaking, for he said, “I will not let Ronald receive Holy Communion.” It was about l:3O AM before quiet sleep followed.
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