Owners of Troy home experiencing 'paranormal activity' describe history of the haunted happenings

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A local home in Troy recently advanced to the finals round in HGTV’s television series “Scariest Home in America.” The Enslin House is believed to experience paranormal activity, according to investigators. They say multiple spirits are often seen roaming the floors of the basement and the attic. There are many mysteries to the house, including multiple deaths.

“It really changed my whole perspective on things, until you experience it, or you actually see it, you just don’t know,” explained Renzo, one of the owners of the home.

Renzo never a believed in the paranormal, until he met his partner, Mimi. Mimi’s family has lived in the house for generations, and many have died in the home. While they say they feel an immense spiritual presence, Mimi says it’s often a comforting energy.

“This home was their sanctuary, and there was so much love in this house,” Mimi noted. “I do believe in my heart that this home was a sanctuary of love, and my great grandmother died three days before my mother was born. So that is when I believe grief took over this home.”

Mimi told us her great grandparents, who built the home, died in the basement. Her great grandmother from sepsis, and her great grandfather from what she believes was a broken heart. Her grandmother, Shirley, was found three days after her death, mysteriously at the bottom of the basement stairs.

“She came home on a Friday night and left her newspaper and her pocketbook on the fourth step before she went upstairs and came into the house on the first floor where my mother lives, who was not here,” Mimi explained. “She was down in New York with me during that weekend. My mother comes home on a Sunday night and sees the cellar door open just a little bit. Shirley was at the bottom of the steps, the newspaper said Friday. So Shirley was down there for three days. What did you hear in this house that prompted her to come into the home?”

Mimi said that she hopes to find out exactly what happened to Shirley. She told us that she’s always heard stories of spirits in the home, and she finds comfort in connecting.

“They’re comforted by my energy,” Mimi added. “If I’m able to do that with these spirits, I’m comfortable with that. I lean in on that. I love that. I do believe that if people are experiencing any kind of paranormal or spirits or whomever is within their home is to embrace them. That could be bringing music into the house, talk to them. I really think that the spirits that are in this house are comfortable with my energy. Yeah, they’re bothersome, but so are humans, right? They’re annoying. But then they’re also here. They’re comforted by my energy.”

In the stillness of her home, Mimi found something unexpected – a presence that brings both comfort and connection. Through the whispers of the spirits, and with help from a spiritual communication board, she feels closer to her son, Nicky, who she lost, and their love that never left.

“I do know that my son comes through quite often,” Mimi explained. “He’s very protective. We had the most beautiful, unconditional love. It’ll be twenty years since he transitioned at 18 years old this December. He makes himself known. He was a jokester.”

Mimi said that her connection with her son continues to give her purpose.

“When you lose that connection with somebody that really touched your heart and soul and purpose in life, I mean, he gave me a purpose to be his mom,” Mimi noted. “I had a whole conversation with my son on Mother’s Day. I was very much alone on Mother’s Day. And I just was like, I’m going to talk to my son. I had a full blown conversation with him and it lasted about thirty five minutes. That comforted me so much because my whole thing was about being a mom and that’s it.”

Mimi told us that first conversation with her son was through a Ouija Board.

“I wanted so bad to talk to him,” Mimi said. “I didn’t care what anybody thought. I wanted to communicate with my son. I asked him all these questions, and then I was so overwhelmed by how perfectly positioned these answers were on this Ouija board, because the girl really didn’t know the answers to these questions that was doing it with me. I asked, what am I supposed to do for the rest of my life without you? He pushed the word work, and that was it. Now I feel like I am of service and that maternal feminine energy to others in my work and whatever I choose to do, selling a house or just crossing somebody over, I am of service.”

Mimi is now a grief coach and death doula, and helps people during the end of life process, and family’s through the grieving process.

When it comes to other spirits in the home, Mimi said some are not as familiar.

“I feel like the spirits of my family do come visit, but I do believe that there are other spirits that are here,” Mimi noted.

She said that the attic is a particularly ominous space. One that paranormal investigators believe could be home to the spirit of a tall male.

“Every time I went up there, I do feel that large presence, that large energy, like bigger than me,” Mimi said. “I don’t know what it is, or who he is, but I know he’s not a family member.”

She said that over the years she spoke with many paranormal experts, to include Lorraine Warren.

“She was just such a soft, sweet soul and when she was alive, she was preparing me,” added Mimi. “She did mention the spirits that are in this house are not of my family, and to stay grounded. She always said to me, stay grounded.”

The Enslin House has more stories to share, and they’ll be hosting a special paranormal investigation and seance speakeasy Oct. 30 and 31.