Chris Lundy, a talented storyteller known for his performances at RISK! and USA Today's Storytellers Project, shares his family's unforgettable encounter with a Vodou priest while navigating a mysterious childhood illness. Ray Christian, an Army Sergeant and host of the podcast What’s Ray Saying, recounts a surreal training night involving LSD and a daring parachute jump that lifted troop morale. Together, they explore themes of healing, family, and the unexpected twists of life that shape our stories.
Chris Lundy grapples with his family's embrace of voodoo as a healing practice, highlighting the tension between traditional beliefs and modern medicine.
The podcast emphasizes the significance of family secrets and cultural heritage in shaping personal identity and understanding one's past.
Deep dives
Family Secrets and Mysteries
Family secrets can significantly impact personal identity and understanding one’s past. In this episode, the speaker reflects on their family’s history, particularly details surrounding a cousin’s pregnancy announcement and the longstanding belief that twins run in the family. This prompts the exploration of deeper family secrets, as the speaker recalls a childhood experience of significant illness that was never fully explained. The narrative suggests a desire to uncover the truth behind these family mysteries, indicating how silence can shape perceptions of family history.
A Childhood Illness
At the age of ten, Chris Lundy experienced a mysterious and severe illness that left him coughing up blood. As his symptoms escalated without clear medical answers, his mother sent him to New York to visit family, where he encountered a voodoo practitioner claimed to have special healing powers. After receiving a treatment from this man, Chris miraculously stopped coughing and believed he had been cured, prompting him to wrestle with the duality of his experience between faith and skepticism. This incident not only haunted Chris throughout his life but also became a point of curiosity about his family’s beliefs and practices.
Exploration of Voodoo Practices
Chris Lundy recognizes that his family’s embrace of voodoo was a part of their Haitian heritage, but discussions on the subject remained taboo. As he sought answers about his childhood illness, he turned to various family members and medical professionals, ultimately realizing the stigma surrounding voodoo may have prevented open discussions about healing practices within his family. Despite visiting a current voodoo priestess, Mambo Florence, who explained the spiritual significance of her rituals, Chris struggled to contextualize the voodoo experience he had as a child. This exploration reveals a clash between traditional beliefs and contemporary medical understandings, adding complexity to Chris's journey of healing.
Reconnecting with Family
The emotional journey culminates in Chris's desire to confront his aunt, who holds the key to understanding his childhood healing experience. With guidance from Dr. Charlene Desir, a voodoo priestess, Chris prepares to approach his aunt to discuss their family’s history and the cultural significance of voodoo. Despite his anxiety and past familial tensions, Chris's conversation reveals not only details about his illness but also broader themes of love, protection, and cultural heritage. Ultimately, while the medical mystery remains unsolved, Chris gains a deeper appreciation for his mother and the lengths she went to ensure his well-being.
Chris Lundy has always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better. And a group paratroopers go on a trip with their Sergeant that’s out of this world.
STORIES
Magic Potion Vodou
Chris Lundy has always wanted to figure out why his family took him to see a Vodou priest and how this treatment made him better.
There is one explicit word in this story. Sensitive listeners, please be advised.
Big thanks to Chris Lundy for sharing your story! Chris is a storyteller who’s performed at First Person Arts, RISK!, USA Today’s Storytellers Project, and more.
Major thanks to WHYY’s The Pulse, who originally aired this story. Their podcast features stories about people and places at the heart of health and science. Check it out!!
This story was produced and reported by Chris Lundy and Justin Kramon. It was edited by Maiken Scott and Lindsay Lazarski. Sound design by Maiken Scott. Engineering by Charlie Kaier. Special thanks to Dieu Nalio Chery for his help on the story.
Acid Jump
When morale was low among the paratroopers in his company, Sergeant Ray Christian takes them on a trip.
Thanks Ray for telling us your story! Check out Ray’s podcast, What’s Ray Saying, and follow him on Twitter.
Original score by Leon Morimoto, produced by Adizah Eghan.