Strangest Mysteries of the World and Beyond !

Donnie Decker, the Rain boy

Donnie Decker, the Rain boy

Donnie Decker of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, had a troubled young adulthood. Imprisoned whilst still an adolescent there was little in his life he could boast of. But what he could boast of was scarily impressive - He could make it rain - ANYWHERE. Whether it was indoors or out, Donnie could summon rain from the sky, roofs, ceilings, floors, you name it, Donnie could flood it.

In order to pay his last respects and attend the funeral of his Grandfather, Donnie was released from prison where he was serving a 12 month sentence for receiving stolen goods.

Unknown to everyone within the family, Donnie had been carrying a secret about his Grandfather since the age of 7 years old. Donnie Decker alleges that his Grandfather had been repeatedly physically abusing him. Who knows what emotional turmoil that unleashes within the mind and spirit of an adolescent but there are those in authority who say Donnie Decker made it manifest in a series of puzzling paranormal events.

Donnie was disturbed by the reverence shown to his Grandfather at the funeral and afterwards, spending the night with friends, the Keefer's, those feelings erupted in a way that could never have been foreseen.  As he sat quietly with his friends suddenly the air around him turned cold, and at the same time, water started to drip from the living-room walls. Donnie fell into a strange trance like state. The tenants of the property immediately called the landlord, Ron H. Van Why to report that water was now dripping from the walls and the ceiling.

When Ron arrived he was mystified as seeing what was happening. As the landlord he knew where the plumbing pipes were located and there were none anywhere near the vicinity of the room. The plumbing was all at the rear of the building and the water was pouring through one room only where no pipes were located. Ron quickly realized that water wasn't simply travelling downwards from the walls and ceiling - it was pouring up out of the floor too. At this point he called in the local Police.

Patrolman John Baujan couldn't believe his eyes and was taken aback enough by what was unfolding before him to call in his partner Patrolman Richard Wolbert. Together they stepped into the one room which was affected by the water and immediately both were drenched through. Scarily, both watched as droplets of water travelled horizontally between them and travelled out of the room in mid air.

Police advised that the family and Donnie leave the premises and go to a nearby cafe while they investigated, but Ron (who had also brought along his wife), elected to stay. As the Keefer's and Donnie Decker left the building, suddenly the water stopped pouring.

Ron surmised that somehow one of them was responsible for causing the 'indoor rain' - but which one?

It had now been almost a full 24 hours since the indoor rain started and as they sat in the local cafe Donnie still appeared 'trance like' - Cafe owner Pam Scarfano who had earlier witnessed the rain in the house thought out loud that maybe Donnie was responsible and that maybe it was the 'Devil's work'? 'Maybe he was possessed'?

No sooner had Pam, the Keefers and Donnie seated themselves around a cafe table than the seemingly impossible happened - it started to rain inside the cafe. Alarmed Pam rushed to her cash register where she kept a crucifix and placed it around Donnie's neck - it immediately turned black but burned Donnie on the neck leaving visible markings upon him.

The Keefers and Donnie decided to leave the cafe and as they did so once again the 'rain' stopped. It was at this point the concensus appeared to be that Donnie was responsible for causing it to happen. Back at the house the rain had started again and accusations towards Donnie started to fly. At this stage the pots and pans on the stove started to rattle and without warning Donnie suddenly levitated and was thrown across the room. The Police Chief was called in and given the time of evening was annoyed at being called out - he put the whole thing down to 'plumbing issues' and ordered his men to leave - Unusually, he also ordered his men to say nothing of the incident and not to file a report.

The following day Lieutenant William Davies of the local Police Force became yet another authoritative witness to the events in the house. He and Lieutenant John Rundle then witnessed the seemingly impossible happen again - Once again Donnie Decker was levitated off the floor and hurled across the room. When they rushed to his aid they found three claw marks upon his neck. It is worth bearing in mind at this point that we now have four experienced, respected and completely trustworthy officers of the law who have witnessed the seemingly impossible happen.

Three nights later the rain was still pouring down inside the house with the Police still drawing a blank on what could be causing it. An exorcism for Donnie seemed the only possible answer - but every Catholic and Protestant Priest or Minister turned police, friends and the landlords request down. Eventually an Evangelical preacher was found who agreed to perform the exorcism. Although Donnie convulsed during the ritual, things appeared to calm down and the rain stopped. The results however were temporary.

Returning to prison after his compassionate leave was over, Donnie was placed in a maximum security cell and once again the 'rain' started. Startled guards removed Donnie from his soaking wet cell and accused him of throwing water from the sink around his cell. Donnie not only knew differently, but felt differently about this strange ability now however.

As he pointed out to the guards 'I can make it happen anywhere, and I can control it'. The guards then taunted him with the challenge of making it rain somewhere like the Warden's Office. Lieutenant David Keenhold was acting warden and sitting in his office oblivious to the events going on with Donnie when a guard came into the office to explain what was happening - upon standing up the warden only then became aware that his shirt was saturated with water. He hadn't felt it happen to him as he had been focused on writing a report. When the guard explained that Donnie had said he would make it rain in the warden's office the warden was mystified and in his own testimony states that he and the guard were both scared at what was going on.

The Warden called in a local Reverend, the Reverend William Blackburn. The Reverend accused Donnie of making things up and a rattled Donnie replied by raising his fingers and making it rain right there, right then. Shocked the Reverend realized Donnie did have the power to make it rain and reached the immediate conclusion that he was possessed. Performing some religious rites the Reverend appears to have dispelled the ability Donnie had. Since then it's an ability Donnie has never been able to recreate.

Eventually, he was released from jail and found a job as a cook at a local restaurant. His present whereabouts is unknown – as is the cause of the mysterious rain.

Was it a hoax or yet another baffling mystery, no one knows.