My father, Vernon Overlee, (1922-2009) was a medium for healing, automatic writing, and transfigurations for forty-five years, and was deeply committed to his work. He had a wonderful, fun-loving demeanor and was my mentor for my development and work of spirit.
In 1964 my father received a letter from Ely de Vescovi. She found out about my father through his writings with Fate magazine, (established in 1948, the longest-running magazine devoted to the paranormal.) She asked if he would be interested in having her come to our home to draw the spirit guides who surrounded him. She felt he had a very important work to complete and was impressed with his knowledge of spirit. My father was equally impressed with Bettina's (her nickname) work and was anxious to meet her.
The evening that Bettina arrived at our home, she began to draw the spirit guides who worked with my father. She could see the energies surrounding him, and with the help of her spirit guides working through her intuitive gift, she completed the first three drawings in one week.
At the time, I was four years old, and even though I was so young, I can vividly remember three men appearing at my bedside early one morning, speaking very clear and fast. They told me their names and gave me a short message about my future with the work of spirit. I laid there for a short time excited about this experience. To me they were just my new play friends, and I had no idea the impact they would have on me throughout my life.
They were all bewildered and in awe that I could know the names of the people in the drawings, especially because of my young age, but my father quickly realized my gift with spirit–why they came to me, and how important it was for me to be developed with them. For the next 14 years, my father helped me to develop my mediumship through many sessions with spirit, and throughout my entire life, these special people, my dear family in spirit, have been my focal point and the core of my mediumship.
Bettina stayed in contact with my parents, and continued to draw the remaining Spirit family, the last one to be completed in 1967.