Today we're talking about one of the most formative alien abduction reports ever, a case that is still discussed today. It was the first widely publicized account of an abduction, and would later include a best selling book and a TV movie starring James Earl Jones.
Betty and Barney Hill were driving home to New Hampshire from a vacation in Niagara Falls in September 1961.
At about 10pm the couple noticed what they thought was an unusual bright star, until it began to move erratically. Keeping their eye on it, they finally pulled over and Barney used binoculars on the object. Through the lenses he saw that it wasn't a star or an airplane, but some sort of lighted object with people inside.
Terrified, Barney and Betty sped off in their car. They lost sight of the object, but heard a few beeps, then immediately heard the beeps again and suddenly found themselves thirty-five miles closer to home, with no idea how they'd gotten there.
When they reached home they were worried about what had happened. Betty thought maybe they'd had some sort of encounter with a flying saucer and put their luggage on the back porch for a few days, in case there was radiation. They both took lengthy showers, then tried to piece together their memories, but they could only remember flashes, like the moon sitting on the road, and Betty though Barney had turned off the road at some point. They drew images of what they thought they had seen and their pictured were strikingly similar. Their sense of unease continued.
Betty called Pease Air Force Base to report what they had seen and was told by Major Paul W. Henderson that the object had appeared on radar as well. Their account would officially be added to Project Blue Book, but, as usual, was later written off as the couple seeing Jupiter.
A short time later, Betty began to have nightmares. The dreams were extremely vivid and continued for 5 continuous nights and then stopped abruptly and she never had them again. She wrote down the details of her dreams, which included:
Barney would continue to especially feel much unease and would finally see a therapist. A friend of theirs suggested they try regressive hypnotherapy and Barney's therapist was able to get them in touch with someone.
In Barney's sessions he would recall feeling compelled to drive off the road, where six men were waiting in the forest for them. His recall of the non-human figures were filled with fear and he said he kept his eyes closed during the encounter and examinations which were very similar to what Betty had written down when recalling her dreams.
Go to the 2 minute mark of this video to hear some of their regression therapy sessions.
In Betty's sessions, her memories would match very closely with the dreams she had had, but where they differed included their capture and release, the appearance of the men who had taken them and some of the technology of the craft. Though Some of Betty's regression therapies contradicted her dreams, both Barney and Betty's regression therapies were consistent with each other.
After the sessions the Hills were no longer plagued by anxiety over what had happened to them, and Barney finally agreed with Betty that he had felt they'd been abducted.
So, there you have it, the Hill Abduction case. Thoughts or theories?
Betty and Barney Hill were driving home to New Hampshire from a vacation in Niagara Falls in September 1961.
At about 10pm the couple noticed what they thought was an unusual bright star, until it began to move erratically. Keeping their eye on it, they finally pulled over and Barney used binoculars on the object. Through the lenses he saw that it wasn't a star or an airplane, but some sort of lighted object with people inside.
Terrified, Barney and Betty sped off in their car. They lost sight of the object, but heard a few beeps, then immediately heard the beeps again and suddenly found themselves thirty-five miles closer to home, with no idea how they'd gotten there.
When they reached home they were worried about what had happened. Betty thought maybe they'd had some sort of encounter with a flying saucer and put their luggage on the back porch for a few days, in case there was radiation. They both took lengthy showers, then tried to piece together their memories, but they could only remember flashes, like the moon sitting on the road, and Betty though Barney had turned off the road at some point. They drew images of what they thought they had seen and their pictured were strikingly similar. Their sense of unease continued.
Betty called Pease Air Force Base to report what they had seen and was told by Major Paul W. Henderson that the object had appeared on radar as well. Their account would officially be added to Project Blue Book, but, as usual, was later written off as the couple seeing Jupiter.
A short time later, Betty began to have nightmares. The dreams were extremely vivid and continued for 5 continuous nights and then stopped abruptly and she never had them again. She wrote down the details of her dreams, which included:
- Men surrounding their car - they were about 5 foot tall, wore matching uniforms, looked mostly human except for bald heads large, wraparound eyes, small ears, almost non-existent noses and gray skin
- Being marched through the forest and walking up a ramp to a disc shaped craft and then being separated from Barney
- Two of the men examined her, and while both spoke English, she felt one didn't have a good command of the language and she had troubles understanding him
- They took skin, fingernail and hair samples
- When done, Betty had a conversation with one of the men, who gave her a book with strange symbols and said she could take it with her. She asked where he was from and he pulled down a map covered with stars.
- They were escorted out of the craft and a disagreement broke out and one of the men took the book back from Betty and told her that she wouldn't remember anything that happened.
- Betty and Barney watched the craft leave, then continued their drive.
Barney would continue to especially feel much unease and would finally see a therapist. A friend of theirs suggested they try regressive hypnotherapy and Barney's therapist was able to get them in touch with someone.
In Barney's sessions he would recall feeling compelled to drive off the road, where six men were waiting in the forest for them. His recall of the non-human figures were filled with fear and he said he kept his eyes closed during the encounter and examinations which were very similar to what Betty had written down when recalling her dreams.
Go to the 2 minute mark of this video to hear some of their regression therapy sessions.
In Betty's sessions, her memories would match very closely with the dreams she had had, but where they differed included their capture and release, the appearance of the men who had taken them and some of the technology of the craft. Though Some of Betty's regression therapies contradicted her dreams, both Barney and Betty's regression therapies were consistent with each other.
After the sessions the Hills were no longer plagued by anxiety over what had happened to them, and Barney finally agreed with Betty that he had felt they'd been abducted.
So, there you have it, the Hill Abduction case. Thoughts or theories?
