Scots mum convinced toddler son had past life in 1800s after eerie encounter
A mum from Irvine has shared the eerie moment her three-year old son convinced her he had a past life in the 1800s. Laighanne McLaughlin was taken aback when she went to collect her child from nursery and was pulled aside by his key worker for a private word.
Taking to TikTok, she recounted how the nursery staff member quizzed her about a John Wilson, a name her son had repeatedly mentioned that day.
"I was confused and she [key worker] told me he was playing outside with flags and started speaking about John Wilson. I looked at her puzzled and told her I don't know anyone of that name," Laighanne explained.
Yet, the tale was about to take an even stranger turn. The key worker then informed Laighanne that her son claimed John Wilson was himself - the 'flag man in America on a mountain' and also his friend. 'Myself and his key worker were stumped,' she continued.
'She fetched the iPad and suggested we Google it to see if anything came up. My son was only three and hadn't begun using iPads, let alone being able to read properly.'
Laighanne admitted they were utterly unprepared for what they found next. 'Both of us were in disbelief at what we saw next and it left us feeling flabbergasted,' she said.
She then shared an old black and white photo, adding: 'This is Captain John Wilson of Co. C, 8th Kentucky Infantry Regiment (Union).'
In another photo, Wilson was seen with fellow soldiers which led Laighanne to reveal: 'He was the first Union soldier to plant his regiment's battle flag on the summit of the Lookout Mountain (during the Battle of Lookout Mountain during the American Civil War on 24th November 1863).'
Bewildered for over a decade, Laighanne from North Ayrshire confessed her son's insights still leave her puzzled: 'No three-year old could have known that information. Was my son actually there? There's no explanation I can think of why he would say he knew him and he was his friend.'
She concluded her tale with an enigmatic detail that only fuels the theory of reincarnation further. 'What makes it more strange is John Wilson lived four miles from Irvine, Kentucky - and we live in Irvine, Scotland!' she remarked.
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An obituary from Irvine at the time called 'Death of a hero' reported Wilson died at 74 due to cancer in his Station Camp, Kentucky home. Others on TikTok reacted to the story by recounting their related experiences.
One person recalled: 'Lost my 25-year old brother when I was eight months pregnant with my 1st daughter. When she was three, she pointed at an old school photo of my late brother and said, 'that's me when I was your brother'.
"She wouldn't have even known who was in the photo. She used to say similar things that he did and she has one dimple, just like him.' Another shared: ' My son when he was four said his name was Peter (it's not) and he died on a hot air balloon when he was 57.'
Amazed, a third individual declared: 'This is amazing, makes me wonder! My three-year old keeps telling me about in 1965 he had a brown dog called Jack and he talks about him all the time and said he misses him.'
Whilst a fourth recounted their experience: ' My son talked about his life in France (we've never been nor has anyone we know). He said his dad died in a drowning accident near their house. Named the place and a nearby castle too!'
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