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Chris O'Brian RIP

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Decker

Decker

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Chris O'Brian, former co-host to The Paracast has just passed away. I was notified this morning. From what as told, he was driving to a hospital because he was having breathing problems. He was involved in a traffic accident and died. If I receive any more information I will pass it on.

Chris had a long history in the UFO investigative field including in-depth investigations into cattle mutilations. He was widely known. He will be missed.

Decker
 
I'm really sad to hear this. I first heard of it from a friend of his who is checking further details of what happened. The accident occurred on Sunday morning (November 24).

Chris was suffering from COPD in recent years — very likely the result of his smoking habit. This wasn't the first time he had to rush to the hospital for treatment.

I first met Chris over 15 years ago, and was honored to call him a friend.

We'll be setting up an episode in the near future to talk about his work over the years.

FYI: I own his ourstrangeplanet.com domain and host his blog. I'll see if I can find anyone to take over and/or manage it.
 
I'm so sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with everybody whose lives he was a part of, and he will be missed.

I was just thinking about him this morning and remembering all of the great episodes of the show he co-hosted and how much I enjoyed Stalking the Herd, Stalking the Trickster and the Mysterious Valley books.
 
Decker said:
Chris O'Brian, former co-host to The Paracast has just passed away. I was notified this morning. From what as told, he was driving to a hospital because he was having breathing problems. He was involved in a traffic accident and died. If I receive any more information I will pass it on.

Chris had a long history in the UFO investigative field including in-depth investigations into cattle mutilations. He was widely known. He will be missed.

Decker
Click to expand...
I can not believe this news it really is so sad I am genuinely speechless.
R.I.P Chris.
 
Who was the first person that I am aware of to publicly call out Ancient Aliens for their deceptive editing practices? That would be Chris O'Brien. Who charmed the irascible Ray Stanford? Once again, that would be Chris O'Brien. Who brought an anarchic youthful energy and a spirit of healthy skepticism to every stodgy speaking engagement and program that he was a part of? Yeah, you got it - Chris O'Brien.
 
Sighing Flosser said:
Who was the first person that I am aware of to publicly call out Ancient Aliens for their deceptive editing practices? That would be Chris O'Brien. Who charmed the irascible Ray Stanford? Once again, that would be Chris O'Brien. Who brought an anarchic youthful energy and a spirit of healthy skepticism to every stodgy speaking engagement and program that he was a part of? Yeah, you got it - Chris O'Brien.
Click to expand...

Chris also talked about the way the long-gone UFO Hunters show edited his appearance, moving the location of his Mysterious Valley investigations to Sedona, AZ. Outrageous.
 
This is such sad news. I’d listened in to Chris’s cohosting on the Paracast and guest appearances on other podcasts for many years. I greatly enjoyed his unique blend of critical thinking, humour, dogged determination to get to the bottom of this enigma (esp. his San Luis Valley camera/detection project) and his published works. It’s such a pity that,after a lifetime of selfless and devoted research, he now joins that growing list of ufo pioneers who have passed over before this great riddle had been solved. But he certainly leaves us with some important pieces towards the ultimate completion of the ufological jigsaw puzzle.
 
What I will always remember about Christopher O'Brien was his brilliant encyclopedic mind. He had dates, facts and figures stored there that he could roll out so easily off the tip of his tongue. He truly had the gift of the gab and was, by far, my favourite co-host for The Paracast. His breadth of knowledge and swift thinking made him an insightful commentator.

I'm glad he got to complete his cattle mutilation omnibus, which is what he probably will be most remembered for. I never got to see any tangible results from his camera monitoring project but he really did take the concept of trying to capture and track those pesky UFO's as far as he could. His Stalking the Trickster book is a must read along with his other investigations into his beloved, mysterious valley.

He always struck me as the kind of guy that was as capable with a paddle or a guitar in his hands, and a substantial asset if you were backpacking into the middle of nowhere. His incidental tales of roughing it in the landscape looking for lost entrances to mythic locations was always a welcome addition to any show. There was a sincerity and conviction about the man when he spoke that I often admired and was entertained by.

I wish him well in the great beyond, where he is probably much closer now to the mysteries he sought so keenly to understand.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
I'm really sad to hear this. I first heard of it from a friend of his who is checking further details of what happened. The accident occurred on Sunday morning (November 24).

Chris was suffering from COPD in recent years — very likely the result of his smoking habit. This wasn't the first time he had to rush to the hospital for treatment.

I first met Chris over 15 years ago, and was honored to call him a friend.

We'll be setting up an episode in the near future to talk about his work over the years.

FYI: I own his ourstrangeplanet.com domain and host his blog. I'll see if I can find anyone to take over and/or manage it.
Click to expand...
Wow...never logged on in ages, saw this, RIP Chris.
 
A short summary of the accident from the Sedona, AZ police department:

"C O'Brien (New York) was observed by witnesses initially drifting in his lane and ultimately crossed several lanes of traffic crossing on-coming traffic and going onto the sidewalk striking a large cement sign. This may have been a medical emergency and will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Officer. O'Brien died on scene. Next of kin has been notified."
 
Safe travels to Chris. More than anyone other than Greg Bishop, Nick Redfern, and the late MacTonnies, his ideas and work in the paranormal as a writer / researcher informed my own evolving views over the years, particularly his theories on tricksters. Every time I said "trickster" on the show Haunted, Chris probably should have gotten a royalty - I have a well-read copy of his book "Stalking The Tricksters" sitting on my bookshelf. He was, as I like to say about folks I'm glad to have had the chance to get to know, good people.

Heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved him.
😢
 
Sighing Flosser said:
Who was the first person that I am aware of to publicly call out Ancient Aliens for their deceptive editing practices? That would be Chris O'Brien. Who charmed the irascible Ray Stanford? Once again, that would be Chris O'Brien. Who brought an anarchic youthful energy and a spirit of healthy skepticism to every stodgy speaking engagement and program that he was a part of? Yeah, you got it - Chris O'Brien.
Click to expand...
When his last book did not arrive (in Belgium), he sent a new one himself, signed. That was Chris.
 
I am not terribly surprised of his death, other than in the way he died. He had not felt well for some years, and you could hear it in his voice. As a voracious reader Chris seemingly knew the material of the guests both he and Gene would either interview or on occasion eviscerate with the precision of a Ginsu knife. Those were always joyous moments to be held dearly. He was smart enough to earn a comfortable living doing something else, but his inquisitive nature lent itself to grok over the mysteries that seldom pay. Such as Paul Kimball, I too have a book written by Chris (The Mysterious Valley) that is resting on a book shelf that is no farther than a couple of feet away.

This reminds me of when Jim Moseley died, in the sense that Jim was more than happy to call bullshit on the swamp dwellers in this field. Moseley’s death really sucked, but this sucks more because Chris may still have had a few more years and a couple of great stories left to tell us.
 
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