PRS pays tribute to Ed & Lorraine Warren with HOMECOMING event
In August, PRS hosted “Homecoming: Lessons from Ed & Lorraine Warren” just outside of the Warrens’ hometown of Monroe, CT. Dozens of attendees came, hailing from all over the country.
On Friday, August 31st, attendees gathered at the Twisted Vine Restaurant in Derby, CT. They were greeted by Buell and members of PRS as well as members of the New England Society for Psychical Research (NESPR), the organization founded by Ed & Lorraine Warren.
PRS hosted a dinner at the haunted restaurant, followed by an intimate talk from Ryan Buell. During his talk, Buell shared ten key “lessons” that he learned while working with Lorraine. Buell recalled how Lorraine influenced his faith and the importance of helping people. Towards the end of the night, Buell shared a personal story on how he opened up about his sexuality to Lorraine.
Buell explained that, right before the premiere of “Paranormal State,” old colleagues were trying to forcibly “out” him. Fearing Lorraine might not approve of him due to her Catholic beliefs, Buell recalled how nervous he was to talk with her. “After I told her that the rumors were true, Lorraine told me, ‘honey I don’t care. I love you and God loves you.’ It was the first time I ever heard someone tell me that God still loves me,” said Buell.
Attendees for Homecoming gather for a dinner before the lecture.
Buell addressed online claims that the Warrens faked evidence as well as claims the Warrens were only in it for financial gain. “I worked with Lorraine for several years and not once did she talk about a paycheck,” said Buell. “In fact, some of you might remember that Lorraine had a phone number listed on their website and when you called it, Lorraine would answer. She would talk with anyone, sometimes for hours on end. She was so passionate about helping others.”
Buell finished his talk by addressing his previous struggles with drugs and addiction, crediting the lessons he learned from Lorraine as being helpful during his early years in recovery.
After his talk, members of NESPR got on stage to share their stories working with Lorraine and Ed, including Tony Spera, who shared stories of Ed Warren.
After the presentation, some attendees shared their own stories or memories of Ed and Lorraine. Some recalled how they first met them decades ago while they toured colleges and giving lectures on the occult.
At the end of the night, attendees were treated to an overnight investigation of the Twisted Vine. Numerous investigators reported experiences.
Buell gave a lecture to attendees, which included ten key lessons he learned working with Lorraine.
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Buell stated that he enjoyed returning to Connecticut to pay homage to the Warrens, crediting them as being one of the most influential people in the paranormal.
After the event, Buell says he returned to Lorraine’s grave to pay his respects (Buell attended Lorraine’s funeral in April 2019).
“Lorraine was a mentor to me and so many others,” Buell said. “It was great to go back to her hometown, see her house again as well as her final resting place.”
Buell says he hopes to keep Lorraine’s memory alive by sharing his personal stories of her. He says that Lorraine was more than just an influential paranormal investigator, “she was a decent and caring human being.”
PRS and Buell will next attend the Warrens Seekers of the Supernatural Conference. This year it will be held in Gettysburg, PA at the end of September.
