The Eyes That Were No Longer Hers
1992, Northern Ireland. In a quiet Belfast home, a young woman named Heather Mitchelson (only 24 in 1992) sat across from Canon William H. Lendrum. Canon Lendrum was a seasoned Anglican exorcist who had faced the preternatural multiple times for over the last twenty years. But what began as a routine consultation turned into one of the rarest and most terrifying encounters of his career. A case of full demonic possession rooted in ancestral evil.
Lendrum, then 68, later recalled the moment everything changed:
Heather had come seeking help for strange disturbances that plagued her all her life. Heather has experienced numerous poltergeist activity, unexplained illnesses, and the feeling of always being watched by dark presences. The reality was much more dark than anyone could have predicted. Beneath it all lay something older, much older. A generational curse, an evil passed down through her family line.
The Backstory: Ancestral Evil Takes Root
Heather's troubles began long before her birth. Family history revealed occult involvement going back generations. Curses, pacts, or dark practices that opened doors that are never meant to be opened. Canon Lendrum believed such "ancestral evil" could attach to entire bloodlines, waiting for weakness to manifest itself and wreak its malevolent havoc.
"There is a demon in the room."
– Canon Lendrum's immediate realization
Heather had experienced classic paranormal events and signs all her life. From objects moving by unseen forces, oppressive atmospheres in rooms and terrifying repeated nightmares of being chased by shadowy figures. With these came the personality shifts, the sudden uncontrollable rages, uncanny knowledge of hidden things Heather could not possibly know about and total aversion to sacred objects. The battle began.
The Exorcism: Face to Face with the Demon
The session began quietly enough. Canon William H. Lendrum, a veteran of over two decades confronting the preternatural, sat with Heather in her living room. His assistants, a doctor and a prayer partner, stood ready for the fight. Heather, pale and anxious, described her torments: objects flying across rooms, oppressive shadows in the corners of her vision, whispers in the night calling her name with malice.
Canon Lendrum began with minor rites, blessings and holy water sprinkled gently. Heather flinched at the touch of the water, her face twisting in discomfort. But when he opened the Book of Common Prayer and invoked the name of Christ, the change was instantaneous and complete. Heathers body went absolutley rigid. Then her eyes, once soft but frightened, snapped fully open, and they are now filled with a hatred so pure and ancient it seemed to burn from another world. Her pupils dilated unnaturally, the whites taking on a yellowish tinge and bloodshot.
"The eyes that fixed him with blazing hatred were no longer those of Heather Mitchelson."
– From The Dark Sacrament by David M. Kiely and Christina McKenna
She stared at Canon Lendrum not with fear, but with recognition, as if greeting an old enemy once more on the ancient battlefield. Then the voice came. Not Heather's gentle Northern Irish lilt, but something deeper, guttural, and clealry layered with echoes like multiple voices speaking at once. It mocked the crucifix, spat curses in languages Heather had never learned and then revealed hidden sins of everyone in the room with chilling accuracy.
"The hatred in those eyes... it was palpable. The demon knew me, knew things about my past no one could know."
– Canon William H. Lendrum, recalling the moment
Physical manifestations in the room escalated. Heather's slight frame displayed impossible strength, when assistants tried to restrain her during convulsions, she threw grown men aside like dolls. Her body contorted into positions no human spine should allow, back arching until her head nearly touched her heels. Heather's skin was ice-cold one moment, and burning hot the next.
The air in the room thickened, heavy with the smell of sulfur and decay. Lights flickered though no electrical fault existed. Objects, books and a vase, all lifted and hurled themselves at the exorcists. The demon laughed through Heather's mouth, a sound like grinding gravel mixed with shrieking wind. It then boasted of its lineage. It was attached to Heather's family through generations of occult dabbling. A great-grandfather's pact and a grandmother's curse never repented. It claimed rights over the bloodline, whispering that Heather was merely the latest vessel.
"You think you can cast me out? This one is mine by right. The old bargain stands."
– The entity's words through Heather
Canon Lendrum pressed on for hours, commanding in the name of Jesus Christ, using the full rite of major exorcism. Holy water burned the entity's skin where it touched, raising welts that smoked. The crucifix caused visible agony, with Heather's body recoiling from it as if struck by invisible blows. At the climax, the demon raged and screamed blasphemies, vomiting a foul black bile, levitating inches off the chair while bound. Finally, with a howl that rattled windows and left ears ringing, it departed, leaving Heather slumped, exhausted, remembering nothing of what had just happened.
"When Heather came round after the exorcism, she remembered nothing. This is a common occurrence. The demon can take over the entire consciousness."
– Canon William H. Lendrum
Peace came, but only briefly. Heather reported feeling "light" for weeks. But ancestral evil runs deep. Cracks appeared: doubts, isolation, the weight of family secrets. The entity returned stronger, exploiting unresolved trauma. Despite follow-up sessions, Heather's struggle ended in tragedy. Sadly Heather took her own life, unable to bear the darkness any longer. Canon Lendrum carried the case to his grave, calling it one of the few genuine full possessions he ever faced saying it was proof that some doors, opened even generations ago, refuse to stay closed.
Canon Lendrum's Legacy
At age 82 when recounting the case, Canon Lendrum told how he had performed hundreds of deliverances but over his life had to deal with very few full possessions. It was Heather's that remained etched in his memory for the rest of his days.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Pre-1992 | Ancestral occult involvement by Heathers family |
| 1992 | Possession manifests, major exorcism |
| Post-1992 | Temporary relief, return of entity |
| Late 1990s | Tragic end |
| 2008 | Case published in The Dark Sacrament |
| 2025 | Renewed interest via online narrations |
Sources
- The Dark Sacrament by David M. Kiely & Christina McKenna (2008)
- Interviews with Canon William H. Lendrum
- 2025 YouTube narration reviving the case
The Book
The Dark Sacrament: True Stories of Modern-Day Demon Possession and Exorcism (2007/2008) by David M. Kiely and Christina McKenna is a non-fiction book documenting ten real cases of alleged demonic possession, hauntings, and exorcisms in contemporary Ireland (mostly late 20th century).
It profiles two exorcists: Protestant Canon William H. Lendrum and Catholic Father Ignatius McCarthy.
The book presents the cases in a serious, journalistic style which is nice to see and read. Interviewing victims, families, witnesses, and the exorcists themselves, it emphasizes that full demonic possession is extremely rare, and most "disturbances" are oppression or infestation rather than outright possession. The authors provide theological context, warnings about dabbling in the occult, and advice on spiritual protection. Many of the accounts are pretty scary and i can't even imagine being in the same room while they are happening. Chapter 9 in the book is Heather's story. The book is an excellent read if you want to give it a go.
Final Verdict
A POSSESSION THAT CROSSED GENERATIONS. Heather Mitchelson didn't invite the demon by playing games with the Ouija board or some other "game", it came for her through bloodlines, pacts and curses made long before she was even born. It reminds us some doors, even those once opened long ago, never fully close. Heather's story stands as yet another warning to anyone even thinking of dabbling in the Occult... don't.
RIP Heather. 🕊️