Editor’s note: This story discusses child loss.
On June 17, Rita Marsh, founding member of The Center for Human Flourishing nonprofit, welcomed a nearly sold out crowd at the Third Street Center to a special screening of the award-winning documentary “Wolf’s Message.”
Opening with some meaningful insight, she shared, “We are ambassadors of love. We are living beings with souls that soar after we leave this time and space … We are following the guide from a loving universe.”
A collective hush descended as Marsh’s words settled and the film began to roll. Directed by filmmaker Jim Spruell and inspired by the book penned by evidential medium and bestselling author Suzanne Giesemann, “Wolf’s Message” follows the aftermath of a young man’s death and his family’s journey to demystify the clues he left behind.
At 29 years old, Michael “Wolf” Pasakarnis Jr. was a vibrant, kind-hearted poet with a gift for helping others. He appeared “otherworldly” and like an “angel” to friends and family, and he often spoke as such, claiming to walk between two worlds at once. As a child, he was diagnosed with a mental illness to explain the voices he heard and his struggles adjusting to society. That eventually translated to difficulty sustaining jobs; but he was cherished by his community, as showcased in interviews with friends, and he continued to embody an altruistic spirit. According to his family, Wolf always said that while it was busy in his mind, there was nothing wrong with his heart.
On Sept. 8, 2010, Wolf’s father, Mike, and stepmother, Beth, received devastating news. Wolf had been struck and killed by a single bolt of lightning from an unexpected storm that swept through his home of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Heartbroken and dazed, Mike and Beth retraced Wolf’s last day including a visit to the tree where he died. They left two roses, an act that would be of great importance later in the film. After the detectives completed their work in Wolf’s apartment, the couple entered trying to rationalize his untimely death. It was here they would unearth startling and unnerving evidence that indicated Wolf knew exactly when, where and how he was going to die.
Over the course of the next hour, the film unfolds like a mystery novel as Mike and Beth try to decipher the message Wolf needed to convey from beyond the veil. Eventually they crossed paths with Giesemann, who like Mike and Beth experienced her own tragedy that led to spiritual awakening.
In 2006, her pregnant stepdaughter, Susan, was killed by lightning. Giesemann and Susan’s father, Ty, would enter uncharted territory as they navigated their grief. A former U.S. Navy commander and commanding officer and aide to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Giesemann said she had no prior belief system, but she began meditating to understand where Susan went.
Finally, during one session, she connected with Susan. Filled with awe, Giesemann and Ty used mediumship to heal their grief and reach a new understanding of the afterlife. She then went on to study evidence-based mediumship in England, intent on helping others.
When Giesemann met Mike and Beth, she was struck by their parallel stories and the mountain of “irrefutable evidence” and decided to join them. Channeling Wolf’s “powerful spirit” took the trio on a metaphysical journey where they experienced unexplained phenomena, explored consciousness in the afterlife and reevaluated their perceptions of mental illness. With an open mind, audiences will be shocked and moved by these encounters with Wolf.
Weaving rich cinemagraphic footage with emotional interviews, Spruell has created a film that is both compelling and transformational. It is a film that encourages viewers to challenge their conventional beliefs and receive an uplifting story about balance, humanity’s interconnectedness and love’s healing powers. At a time when humanity feels most adrift, “Wolf’s Message” offers hope and compassion to those in need — just like Wolf did when he walked this earth.
Wolf once shared, “We don’t have to be perfect. Our souls are already divine.” Echoing the philosophers, ancestors and spiritual guides who came before him, Wolf knew that when we recognize our oneness and our love for each other, then we can heal together.
“Wolf’s Message” is now available for online streaming. Head over to www.wolfsmessage.com/about to demystify the clues and read exclusive interviews.