The Grinning Man is one of the strangest and most disturbing figures in modern paranormal lore. Unlike typical ghost stories or cryptid sightings, reports of him seem to overlap with UFO activity, interdimensional theories, and even government conspiracies.
The First Major Encounter: 1966
One of the earliest recorded encounters happened in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1966. Two boys, Martin Munov and James Yanchitis, were walking home at night when they noticed a figure standing behind a fence. He was tall, abnormally thin, and wearing a metallic green suit that reflected the streetlights.
But what truly unnerved them was his face—or rather, his lack of features. The only thing visible was an impossibly wide grin that seemed frozen in place. His eyes, if he had any, were completely black or glowing green, depending on the account.
They ran home, terrified, but they weren’t the only ones who saw him.
The Connection to UFOs
That same night, John Keel, a journalist investigating UFO activity (and later the author of The Mothman Prophecies), was in the area collecting reports. There had been an increase in unidentified flying object sightings near Elizabeth in the weeks leading up to this encounter. Keel believed the two events were connected.
A few weeks later, a stranger incident occurred.
Indrid Cold: The Talking Grinning Man
On November 2, 1966, in Point Pleasant, West Virginia—the same town where the Mothman was spotted—a man named Woodrow Derenberger was driving home late at night when he had an encounter that changed his life.
A dark craft landed on the road ahead of him, forcing him to stop. A tall figure stepped out, wearing the same metallic green suit described by the boys in New Jersey. He introduced himself as Indrid Cold.
Unlike the previous encounter, Cold spoke. But his mouth never moved. According to Derenberger, Cold communicated telepathically, assuring him that he meant no harm.
Cold told him that he was from another dimension and that humans were being watched. He said he would return, and he did—again and again. For years, Derenberger claimed he had continued telepathic conversations with Cold.
Many dismissed this as the ramblings of an unstable man, but something didn’t add up.
Other people in Point Pleasant reported seeing a tall, grinning man in a metallic suit around the same time. Some even linked him to the Mothman sightings, suggesting that whatever Cold was, he wasn’t alone.
What Is the Grinning Man?
There are a few theories.
- An Extraterrestrial – The connection to UFO sightings suggests that he isn’t from here. His unnatural smile, glowing eyes, and seamless metallic suit fit the description of what people have called Nordic aliens or Men in Black encounters.
- A Dimensional Being – The way Indrid Cold allegedly spoke without moving his mouth suggests something beyond human. Some believe he and others like him come from a parallel reality, slipping into ours.
- A Demon or Supernatural Entity – The permanent grin, eerie silence, and overwhelming sense of dread he brings to those who see him give off something far older than UFO lore. Some believe he is not an alien at all, but something masquerading as one.
Modern Sightings
The Grinning Man hasn’t faded away. Reports of him still surface, though they are rare compared to shadow people or black-eyed children.
People claim to have seen a tall man standing motionless near roadsides, always smiling too widely and wearing a suit that doesn’t seem to belong to any era. Some have reported waking up to find him standing at the foot of their bed, grinning but never speaking.
Whatever he is, one thing is clear: those who see him never forget it.
What do you think? A cosmic traveler? A warning of something bigger? Or just another piece of the puzzle connecting UFOs, the Men in Black, and things we were never meant to understand?