Cancer claimed his leg, but not his passion. Paranormal investigator Rick Hale speaks to Spooky Isles about ghost hunting as an amputee
In 2016, long-time Spooky Isles writer and paranormal investigator Rick Hale was handed a death sentence. Diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, doctors gave him just two to six months to live.
The tumour, in his left ankle, presented a choice: pursue palliative treatment with poor odds, or have the leg amputated and fight for survival. Rick chose life, and in doing so, redefined what it means to be a ghost hunter.
“I didn’t even have to think about it,” he says plainly, in an interview with Spooky Isles Podcast. “I was 42. I wanted to live. Take it.” And so the doctors did.
Today, Rick walks with a prosthetic leg – his third in nearly a decade. While the cancer is gone, the legacy of his decision has shaped not just his day-to-day life, but also his place in the paranormal world.
In the recent episode of Spooky Isles Podcast, Rick joined hosts David Saunderson and Rachael Elizabeth to reflect on how becoming an amputee impacted his long career in the paranormal.
Having penned almost 250 articles for Spooky Isles on hauntings across the UK and beyond, Rick knows a few things about the supernatural.
“Paranormal investigating isn’t about running around abandoned buildings,” he says. “It’s about observing, listening, feeling. Anyone can do that – whether you’re in a wheelchair, blind, deaf, or have one leg.”
He is passionate about this message. Rick has seen first-hand how disabled investigators can be dismissed, either out of fear of liability or ignorant assumptions about capability.
“I’ve applied to groups,” he admits, “and once I mention my disability, suddenly they’re not looking for new members anymore.”
But Rick has not let prejudice stop him. He is currently filming Disabled Paranormal, a documentary highlighting the work of disabled ghost hunters like blind investigator Christina Bowen and paraplegic Adam Glider Bonnet. The documentary is about showing that the supernatural does not discriminate. Neither should the people chasing it.
Despite his physical limitations, Rick continues to investigate actively.
A recent case in Hebron, Illinois, a seemingly quiet town near the Wisconsin border, reaffirmed his resolve. Called in to assess a private home, Rick and his team at Spire Paranormal experienced something rare: a clear male voice responding “Leave” during a dowsing rod session. The voice was captured on audio. No one else in the room had spoken.
“I hadn’t experienced something truly paranormal in a while,” Rick says. “That one shook me a bit. It reminded me why I still do this.”
It is also why he is careful not to jump to conclusions.
“I’ve been on cases where it turned out to be carbon monoxide poisoning,” he explains. “The family thought they were haunted – seeing shadows, hearing voices—but it was their heater leaking gas. If they hadn’t called us, they might’ve died.”
This blend of belief and rigorous investigation is what sets Rick apart.
He does not chase demons for ratings, nor does he mock those who have had experiences. He walks a line – sometimes slowly, sure – but always steady between curiosity and compassion.
“I take a very humanist approach,” he adds. “If a spirit’s being aggressive, maybe they’re just scared. Maybe they’re used to being in control of that space. You talk to them. You don’t exorcise them on camera for clicks.”
Rick Hale’s journey from cancer diagnosis to becoming an advocate for disabled ghost hunters is not just about ghosts. It is about grit. It is about fighting for a place in a world that sometimes forgets we all have a story – living or dead.
“Everybody belongs,” he says. “Black, white, gay, straight, disabled, abled. This phenomenon – whatever it is – touches all of us. And we all have a right to be part of exploring it.”
Have you experienced as a personal with a disability exploring the paranormal? Tell us your thoughts in the comments sections below!
You can listen to Rick Hale interview below on Youtube or listen to it on our podcast.
