Our Mentors + The Spirit Pack

Guides in Life. Guardians in Spirit.

Welcome visitors to Mentors + The Spirit Pack.  These are just a few of the remarkable people and animals who have shaped our journey. They walk with us in this life and continue to guide us into the next. Philosophical, sometimes ornery, often hilarious and always deeply loved.

The Women Who Came Before

​Miss Alice Hughes

A spiritualist, a teacher, and a fierce light in quiet places.

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Miss Hughes didn’t just believe in the spirit world—she lived it. She was the kind of mentor who didn’t need to raise her voice to shake your soul. With her old town by her side and the strength of a heart behind her, she passed down rituals, insight, and a quiet kind of power. She taught that the dead don’t leave us… they lean in.

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Even now, she’s felt in every séance, every candlelit corner, every moment Gail pauses before stepping into the unknown. Miss Hughes was—and is—a bridge between the living and beyond.

“You don’t need to see it to believe it. But once you believe, you’ll never unsee it.” — Miss Hughes

Nancy Brockman

A grounding force. A voice of courage. A heart that steadied the storm.

Where Miss Hughes taught the language of spirit, Nancy reminded Gail how to speak to the living—with humor, grace, and boldness. She didn’t chase ghosts, but she understood their echo. Nancy was the kind of friend who offered strength, guidance, and loyalty that needed no words.

Nancy lives on in the resilience Gail brings to every investigation, every story, every challenge.

“If you’re going to chase shadows, wear good shoes and carry snacks.” — Nancy Brockman

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​Maritza Abreu

​The Flame That Stayed Funny.

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Still walking beside us—Maritza made seeing the unseen feel like sharing a joke with an old friend. She could make the air in a room lighter with a blessing, sharper with a truth, or warmer with a laugh. She knew when to listen to a ghost story and when to hand you the flashlight.

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The candle stays lit. The work continues. And her laugh still echoes somewhere just behind us.

“You’re not haunted, baby—you’re just interesting.” — Maritza Abreu

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These women didn’t just influence In The Shadows—they are part of it. Every story told, every room entered, every whisper caught on tape carries the imprint of their wisdom. This work is a love letter to their legacy.