Joe Barnett

Mr. Joe: Tales from a Haunted Life Joe Barnett

Do you believe in ghosts? Joseph Barnett didn t until he became a school custodian in a midlife career change. Joe had no idea that his first assignment, working nights in a school, he d be forced to confront his darkest fears. "Ghosts are part of my story," says Joe. "I believe in them; I have no choice. After you ve seen one ghost, you can go back and rationalize it. But after you ve looked a couple in the eye like I have, you believe. Otherwise, you doubt yourself. I ve done that, too and wondered if I was losing my mind but I know what I saw and heard. Here s something else I know: there are many ways to be haunted, and not all of my ghosts were dead. That s the other part of my story. It took almost becoming a ghost myself for me to see my life differently. I believe in ghosts, and I believe in myself. But back when this all started, I was just a guy trying to make a living."