Do something good today. Help out a member of our community get back up on his feet!
This is not about me. But I empathize. Living the life of a cryptozoologist, on the edge of survival, is not easy and is no joke. I think we all have are own personal stories of struggle.
People think I am joking when I talk about money problems, because people have a fantasy that if you are an author or a retired university instructor you’re rich. I’ve experienced it all personally, this life on the edge, and yet make a choice to hold to the path, to keep out there beating the bush for cryptozoology or to do the other things I do that I have mentioned here lately, regarding my work around school shootings.
Some stories are similar, plus more. I know of people – with well-known names – who live with terminal illnesses, who have gone in and out of remissions, struggling to make it healthwise, although they may be comfortable with financial supports. Others, who want no one to know about what’s going on, make their small steps to recovery through each individual victory. Their tomorrows are built on these hopes and enjoying the moment.
Then there’s the story of Craig Heinselman (above), who many of us know from his days as the editor/publisher of Crypto, a late 1990s free newsletter on cryptozoology.
Born in May of 1974 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Craig Heinselman had a fascination with natural mysteries, beginning in the early 1980s. For years, he avidly read the literature and conducted field and bibliographical research in cryptozoology. A particular interest of his was in literary representations of cryptozoology (i.e. cryptofiction). Living and raising a family in New Hampshire, many of us ran into him at regional Bigfoot conferences in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Craig published his Crypto journal for a few years, beginning in 1998, and also put out some special issues. These were the Special Dracontology Issue I, Special Hominid Issue I, and Special Hominid Issue II. Chad Arment has generously made these available for years, as pdfs. Click here and you can download them.
Then, all of a sudden, Craig Heinselman dropped out of the cryptozoology scene a few years ago. Why? He shared with a few of us, tragically, that he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He felt it was time to be with his family, in his last days, and he circled his wagons. That’s understandable.
However, surprise, surprise, the other day, I heard from Craig. He said he was feeling better, wanted to "creep back" into the cryptozoology community.
I caught up with him, and learned his journey back has been anything but easy. Craig is trying to rebuild resources, contacts, and files. Why would he have trouble doing this, you might ask, in this computer age when all his old materials should give him a clue about how to jump back in? Well, that’s a story in and of itself. But here’s a summary…
Besides his brain cancer, here’s what has happened to Craig Heinselman recently: he suffered an accident in late 2004, walks now with a cane; both his wife’s parents died in 2005 and 2006; his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005; his father also has cancer; and finally, Craig lost 95% of everything when his home burned to the ground in May 2005. The fire destroyed his entire cryptozoology collection of casts, books, and publications. Everyone got out safely, but he is starting from scratch.
Therefore, I would like to put this call out to the Cryptomundo community to assist Craig Heinselman re-capture that spark back. If you want to help Craig rebuild his cryptozoology life (don’t send money – he has a job that is supporting his family fine), look around your place for those paper items that he is trying to replace in his life. For this Crypto Rescue, please forward to Craig an extra or duplicate cz book, cryptofiction work, or publication you might have on your shelf gathering dust.
Please send your book and publication contributions to him c/o
Thank you.
Is there a list of the CZ items he’s trying to replace?
I’ve been tied up most of the week with work, so am just getting around to checking on things in between family events this weekend (daughter’s Birthday, she turns 6).
The post from Loren was most unexpected, but shows the kindness and heart that many of us have known within the CZ community. The comments posted as well show the kind of people that are out there. My utmost respect goes out.
One slight correction to Loren’s post, it was my mother’s parents that passed away in 2005 / 2006 (my grandparents, children’s great-parents). My wife’s mother is still alive, her father passed on in 1990.
Overall things have been good, and times felt like they were right to resume slowly the trek back into CZ. Although a number of files and items were sold or donated several years ago, others were replacing them (i.e. new editions of books, tracks, etc.). The May 2005 fire destroyed many things, but not my family which is the critical aspect of it all. We set-up in a new community, restructured our lives, and moved on. My daughter is now 6 (Cheyenne) and my son is now 4 (Cole). Cole is learning slowly to speak and work through his developmental disabilities. My wife (Angela) has worked diligently with him to get those first few words out, and let me tell you they are beautiful to hear.
As for those who have asked about goings on in general. Loren’s post outlines most of them. Life has been good, and a new outlook has been provided. I’ve started a new job with a smaller company, after 15 years with a previous employer. This has allowed a refocus on analytical and interpersonal skills vs. supplier/customer negotiation and plant management, but has also allowed a reduction in work hours from near 100 per week to 50-60 (including 3 hours of commute daily). This free time allows more family focus, and CZ focus now.
Writing wise/research wise, little has occurred CZ wise in the last few years. Some work was done in the quality assurance, injection molding and facility management side of my life (but this is not the most thrilling or exciting thing around).
To all though, it will be a gradual return and I look forward to it. The writing, research, but more importantly the people.
Craig Heinselman
Peterborough, NH