ADDED 11/1/2002... Go to Tom's Photo Album to see some of the interesting pictures he's taken near his hometown of Gahanna, Ohio.
Late September 1998 near Gahanna, Ohio at 12:10 a.m.
It was late Sept. 1998. I supposed to stay at work till 12:00 am but I left work early at 11:55 pm. from Defense Supply Center Columbus on East Broad St. That is where I work 4 pm to 12 am. My supervisor let everybody go home early when the other shift came in for turnover. I was driving my jeep on the way to my house in Gahanna. I turned right on McCutcheon Rd from Stelzer Rd where my house is about 4 blocks away. It is close to where I have lived in Gahanna for 18 years.
Gahanna is a suburb northeast of Columbus. Easton Mall is what now. It had large woodland and was cornfields too. This was a beautiful 487 acres. Many people usually like to look at a big tree with a beautiful sunset near Stelzer Rd before they cut down the large woods to make Easton Mall. I think the construction was due to start in 1996. I remember this area had no business before they built the mall. The road had 2 lanes at that time before they widened the road with light poles.
I saw a deer running across the road before the overpass for I-270. I had to slow down from 35 mph to about 10 mph. I checked to see if more deer might follow, as it was rutting season and I didn’t want an accident. I looked at right. I noticed something standing in an open field near tree line and was near McCutcheon Rd about 5 yards away from a ditch. It was huge.
At first, I thought it might be a bear, but it turned around. I could see only was it’s rear then it was walking on two legs about 5 yards then it was out of sight but feet were not available to be seen due high weeds. I recognized that it showed more human behavior than bear. I thought it might be big man but it walked away. By that time then it was out of sight. I could not see it well. I could see only a shape with of a light pole from I-270. I decided to stop before a bridge and put the gear in park. I turned to look back to see if a bear might run across the road, so I waited about 2 minutes. There was nothing but silence. I did not see any bear across the road, so I decided to give up and go home because I was tired and half asleep. I could not figure out how it got here from I-270, which has 8 highway lanes and a high fence and without being a hit. I was skeptical.
I thought it might be a big man. I don’t know why or what is he doing out in dark without flashlight. I could not figure out how he can see without it. I thought it might be a bear.
I was hoping one of my kids would tell me that somebody saw a bear. They didn’t tell me that anyone had claim or seen a bear. I didn’t hear any news about a bear. I felt something was not right. A few days later, I decided to search the area where I saw it. I could not believe the woods were so far away from the sighting near McCutcheon Rd, which is about 150 yards away. I know two blocks on Alger Rd where some people live. I used to drive through the area from work or elsewhere. I don’t know if a crazy man would chase a deer from Codet Rd to McCutcheon Rd at midnight. It doesn’t make sense to me.
The description for both did not match. I scratched my head. I did see something standing there. What was it? That is what bothered me for a while. I was confused but I was ambivalent.
Several months later, I found out it was Bigfoot. After, I spoke with my friend about my sighting at my work. He was laughing at me and said,” You saw a Bigfoot”. Then he continues to laugh with other co-worker. I asked him, ”What is a Bigfoot?” He explained to me “Bi-pedal animal that walks with 2 legs and is hairy”. I asked him” What does it look like?” He said,” Well, some people have reported and it said,” half ape and humanlike.” Also you will never find them. I asked him,” What do you mean never find them?” He said,” They have been searching for years and not successful finding one. They are very intelligent.” I asked him,” Are you kidding me?” He said,” No, they are real and he showed me the Bigfoot website on the Internet.” I was stunned. One thing that disgusted me was his laughing at me for several hours. I felt like I wanted to break his neck. He made me so angry. I was not aware of Bigfoot that since I am deaf and don’t hear the gossip about seeing them for years. I didn’t know that Bigfoot does exist because nobody told me. I though Bigfoot were fiction but I was wrong.
My friend and I went to the Bigfoot Annual Meeting in Newcomerstown, Ohio near Cambridge, Ohio. My first time was on March 6, 1999 where we had a very bad snowstorm at the time. Eastern Ohio is where the people have seen Bigfoot before. Kruptos is the word from Greek. It calls “Crypto”. It means a hidden unknown animal or strange creature that live in the real world. Some people are not familiar with that word.
I read a story called “Deer kills and Bigfoot.” I realized that Sasquatch does exist. I realized Bigfoot is a nocturnal animal again. This is where my interest was captured. My guess is the creature I sighted stood 7ft and about 300 weighted or so. It stood about 15 yards away from me. I can’t say exactly because it was midnight and it was difficult to see. I don’t know where it went or the direction it came from.
I was hoping to hear about anybody who claimed to see it near Gahanna. Nothing has happened so far. I was stunned. Two years later, I found out that somebody saw it in Franklin County. They saw it in their backyard in Sept 2000. I took a copy of the article with me to the Bigfoot meeting in Newcomerstown, Ohio. I met Bigfoot researcher Marc DeWerth and was asking, “Where did the sighting take place in Franklin?” He said,” It was close to Gahanna.” I was surprised. I knew I had a jackpot. I was very lucky to see it when I was on my way home. I realized that Bigfoot usually is spooky during the time before sunrise and after sunset.
I did request my daughter April Nicole Caleodis to come with me. I discuss with her. We agreed before Bigfoot researcher Marc DeWerth introduced me to 2 men from Columbus near Gahanna. They told us those there friends who saw a Bigfoot. I was shocked but I was silent and wondered about it. She told them,” My dad didn’t see a Bigfoot.” After that, we left. She was asking me,” Why do you have to lie to them?” I explained her that I had to because I don’t want to cause anyone to be frightened or panic about it in our community. I rather to keep a secret myself. I know a lie is wrong. Of course, I felt little guilty. I didn’t want them to tell other people about me because I didn’t want my life to be jeopardized by them. We have to keep is silent. She understood me.
I am glad nobody attempts to find it for the money. I want to leave it alone because I am not a gun happy Bigfoot hunter.
Another day, I drove on Stelzer Rd from work. I noticed a tree marker at Codet Rd and Stelzer Rd as I passed by Codet Rd. I was stunned. I wanted to look at it. I notice no one lives there but some dilapidated houses with high weeds were there. I saw a guy in his 30’s walking down the street. I asked him, ”Do you live here?” He said, ”No, I am waiting for my friend to come to help with my truck where it is stuck in the mud near the pond.” I didn’t know a pond there. He told me that he knew the last time several residents left here about 5 years ago and wanted us to keep” hush”. I asked him, ”Why? ”He said,” Because the property is on “No trespassing posted.” I thought a big man lived here but I was wrong. Nobody lived there.
I believe a Bigfoot drank water where the pond is. Sasquatch needs 3 things: shelter, food and water. Also, I believe a Bigfoot might sleep in the high weeds behind several dilapidated houses near a pond and a dump and without caught or being seen there.
During the daytime, I was driving on the same route to my house. It was a beautiful sunny day. I looked to the right and noticed some trees that were snapped, so I decided to turn around and get out of my jeep. I walked toward the tree line. I discovered 2 rocks on the limb of the tree. I didn’t know the rocks there, since the weeds were so high, and it blocked my view for a while. I am not sure if people or children put them there. I believe a Bigfoot might have carried them to throw to kill a deer for food. It must gave up and put them on limb of the tree and left after my interruption. I am still skeptical.
I went to my friend (Susan Hobbins) at her house. She lives about 5 blocks away where I live. She was my scientist teacher at Ohio School for the Deaf at 500 Morse Rd where I attended there from 1970 to 1981. I told her about my sighting. I showed them where I discovered 2 rocks on limbs of the tree and many tree markers outside near fire dept at Stelzer Rd and McCutcheon Rd. It was before spring. I told them that nobody noticed the tree markers. They don’t know what it looks like. I am absolutely certain that a Bigfoot looked for food in the dumpster near fire dept during midnight without getting caught.
She explained to me that scientist discovered the ape and humans are almost the same genetic makeup. About 99% is the same and only 1% is different. We talked about the unknown phemonon for one hour. I met Jerry Hennelly who is a Gahanna Police officer at the store. I spoke with him about my sighting. He knew Bigfoot was real. He called Susan Hobbins at her house into talked about me.
I contacted Don Keating who is a Chairman and Bigfoot Researcher at Newcomerstown, Ohio. He caught a white Sasquatch with his video camcorder on August 2, 1992 in Coshocton. We met at Coshocton, Ohio.
I notice so many tree markers near my sighting and was not sure if it is related to the Bigfoot so I asked him,” What is tree marker for?” He said,” Reference to communicate.” I was silent and figure about it. I don’t think it was by a prankster. I think it calls “ Territorial Marker.” An ape or Bigfoot will make tree markers. I try to understand what they are for. It has something to do with their language. They are still there. Nobody sees them or notice them. People don’t believe in Bigfoot. That is why.
A couple discovered a 17-inch track in their backyard near Gahanna. Another woman and her brother discovered a 14-inch track in Pataskala. There seems to be 2 different Bigfoot. I am really surprised that they did not harm people. Don Keating said,” Meanwhile, that hungry creature must avoid speeding SUV’s and dogs every day of the year”. My Grand Cherokee was a SUV. That is why the land was never posted where I discovered so many tree markers what Bigfoot did but now, Construction Company posts the land. The evidence is going to be destroyed soon.
It looks like a Bigfoot was roaming in the large wooded area before the construction began. I think a Bigfoot remained near Gahanna at least two years before leaving. I believe it walked around in circle without being seen or caught during midnight. Absolutely, the construction company usually destroys the environment to the point where a Bigfoot is not able to hide. So they leave. A Bigfoot likes to peer in the dark woods without caught or being seen.
There is a small swamp is about 40 yards behind the Fire Dept. I did ask the firemen for their permission to explore the woods behind the Fire Dept at Stelzer Rd and McCutcheon Rd because I don’t know who owns the property and I don’t want to get into trouble where I saw a no trespassing signpost nearby. They didn’t allow me to search behind fire dept because the Ross Laboratories is the company that owns the property. I agreed with them so I left.
I discovered another territorial marker near no trespassing and no dump signs posted also near Aladdin Shrine building at Stelzer Rd and Morse Rd where I was on my way to the Wal-Mart store. A territorial marker that lead me into the area behind the Aladdin Shrine building and I discovered a small swamp or pond with large woods. I believe Bigfoot remained there for a while without caught or being seen. Absolutely, a Bigfoot likes sulfur.
The other day, I went to turn right on Goshen Lane from Bridgeway Ave. I noticed another a snapped tree and territorial markers on the left side of the woods near the Columbus Airport before the overpass for I-270. I got out of my jeep and wanted to look at them. I was stunned but I smiled slowly. I also noticed another territorial marker at the corner of Johnstown Rd and the intersection of I-270 from I-62.
I decided to study that area during the daytime. I believe a Bigfoot walked up an embankment near the merging of I-62 and I-270 to cross the freeway into the Airport woods around midnight without being seen or caught by motorist from Stelzer Rd near a bridge of I-62 because I discovered several territorial markers and a snapped tree there.
I think it walked beside the fence in the woods near a Radar tower then headed toward a bridge by Rocky Fork creek with thick woods from Columbus Airport woods during midnight then headed northeast. I couldn’t go any farther to search because Columbus Airport that owns the property. I think it went veering off through Rocky Fork creek. That is near where Blacklick is. I don’t know if it walked on the railroad tracks during the night.
The weather was so beautiful in the afternoon. Then the sun went down. It was a sunset and it was bright in front of me. I was sitting on the front porch by myself without a member of my family and looked at my hands. I wonder about them. I use sign language as a way to communicate because I can’t speak. That is similar what Bigfoot does. He can’t speak, so has to make tree markers as a way communicate. I think that is his tool.
Indians used to live here before the white people came. They usually saw Bigfoot many times when they went into deep the big woods to hunt the animals to feed their hungry families. Sometime, they gave them some meat or fruits without being attacked by Bigfoot. They would rather have a peaceful encounter without harm.
I was very grateful that the police did not catch me when I was going to look in the woods from Morse Rd to Airport woods near I-270 and I-62, but the Airport police did release me when he caught me. I told him about my sighting. He understood me. I think his name is Jay Webster. I thank him for that.
Several years later, I drove on Granville Rd in Gahanna. I was going to my sister in law. She lives in Reynoldsburg. I was stopped at the traffic light on Havens Corners and Helmbright Drive near a church. I discovered another territorial marker on my left side near a no trespassing post. I was stunned again. I have been trying to outsmart a Bigfoot there. I have been searching for a Bigfoot and still I am not successful so I am considering giving up searching for a Bigfoot because it is too hard to find one. Also, I don’t want people to think of me as crazy. I was pretty close to a Bigfoot because I was at the right place at the right time on the right day at McCutcheon Rd but I was disappointed. That is all.
Eventually, my parents think that I was a crazy. I gave up them.
I would consider Bigfoot as one of the great apes. They are actually very shy around people. I don’t think there is even anything that spectacular about the primate species living in North America because Africa has them also South America has them. Asia has the same primates that happen to be native to North America. That is where the primates crossed the Bering Strait into North America from Asia. The Bigfoot usually emigrated. The Bering Strait collapsed by erosion 11,000 years ago. 11,000 years ago is not that long ago.
I understand that some people make fun or the butt of jokes about Bigfoot. A Bigfoot is not a myth. Some deaf people think that I am crazy. That is all right with me. They can’t tell what is different or even know the different. Sometime, I feel sorry for them. How can I prove it to them? That makes me so angry. I let them make fun of me as long as they want. I don’t mind. I know I am not going to find one. I know I can’t win because I don’t know where to find or contact the xenomorphologist. As long as I understand that it may very well turn the anthropological and scientific world upside down, by suggesting it could be a missing evolutionary link between ape and human. They are still out there. I would like to make a discovery that can stand, as proof that I guess would be a really good photograph. I put wildlife surveillance camera with leaves around it and set up on the trunk of tree. I really appreciate my friends that leading me into it.
The other day, I was reading the Sunday newspaper. I was surprised that Don Keating’s article was in it. It calls,” Bigfoot is no tall tale to true believers in Ohio.” It was on April 1,01.
Before I left work. One of my co-workers writes a note me and gives it to me. It said, “Did you know Bigfoot know that people are idiots?” I was not aware about that.
I continue to attend Don Keating’s Bigfoot meeting sometime when my time is available for free.
I am not sleeping a lot since my first sighting. I will never forget what I saw. The facts above actually took place. I believe what I saw. God bless them.
I thank Don Keating for a having wonderful program about Bigfoot.
Someone asked me,” Why was a Bigfoot here?” I think a Bigfoot wants to shop or probably want to check out for the price at Easton Mall.
Tom Caleodis