In this episode of Strange Wonders, we look into a powerful story of grief and how a devastating 1938 accident in Utah traveled across the country to become one of South Texas's most beloved ghost stories.

⚠️Content Warning & Listener Note: Strange Wonders adheres to a clean language standard and does not contain profanity; however, this episode discusses the mass accidental death of a group of children and an adult due to a catastrophic vehicular collision. Listener discretion is strongly advised for sensitive audiences and young children.

Want to learn more about the haunted ghost tracks?

Ghost Tracks Update: https://sanantonioreport.org/union-pacific-abandons-ghost-tracks-project/ 

Utah Highway Patrol https://highwaypatrol.utah.gov/uhp-history/history-1923-1939-overviewthe-early-years/nations-deadliest-traffic-crash/ 

San Antiono Express https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/24-killed-in-horrific-bus-train-crash-that-inspired-ghost-tracks-legend-in-san-antonio 

Local News Story 

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/24-killed-in-horrific-bus-train-crash-that-inspired-ghost-tracks-legend-in-san-antonio

Information on the South Jordan Tragedy 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_South_Jordan_train-bus_collision

https://www.deseret.com/2009/10/21/20347488/about-utah-bus-crash-in-1938-led-to-train-laws/

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/24-killed-in-horrific-bus-train-crash-that-inspired-ghost-tracks-legend-in-san-antonio

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Script / Hosting: by Jose A. Saenz

Music:

"Mourning Song" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

-----------------------Sound Effects---------------------------

Used with permission under pixabay and/or creative commons license.

• School Bus Ambience (International) by moviebuffgavin (Freesound)
• Rain (on the window) by Don Rain
• Train horn by TanwerAmane
• Inside car noise while driving by jackthemurray (Freesound)
• Gravel by Q.K. (freesound)  

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Permission is granted for others to create reaction, commentary, or review content featuring this episode (in full or in part), provided proper credit is given (visibly or verbally) to Strange Wonders, a link to the original work is included in the content description, and the original work is not reuploaded or monetized in full without transformation.

© 2025 HeyWonder, LLC

Story, script, and retelling by Jose A. Saenz

All rights reserved.

Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or adaptation of this retelling is prohibited.

This retelling is an original adaptation of traditional folklore and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law.

Before every major storm—from Hurricane Hazel to Hugo—residents of Pawleys Island see him. He's tall, silent, and dressed in mist-colored gray, a ghost who appears not to haunt you, but to save you. This is the tragic tale of The Gray Man.

⚠️ Content Warning & Listener Note: Strange Wonders adheres to a clean language standard and does not contain profanity. However, this episode discusses mature themes centered around fatal natural disasters (hurricanes), the tragic loss of a loved one, and descriptions of death by drowning or suffocation. Listener discretion is strongly advised for sensitive audiences and young children.

Want to learn more about The Gray Man legend?

The Pelican Inn (not sponsored) https://www.pawleyspelican.com/ 

General Resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gray_Man_(ghost) 

Only Pawleys Version - I read this after writing and found it wonderful: https://www.onlypawleys.com/press-release/these-3-pawleys-island-ghost-stories-may-send-a-chill-up-your-spine/ 

-----------------------Credits---------------------------

Script / Hosting: by Jose A. Saenz

Music:

"Reaching Out" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

-----------------------Sound Effects---------------------------

Used with permission under pixabay and/or creative commons license.

• Rain and Distant Thunder by JM  (Freesound)
• Mostly stormy howling wind by Liecio
• Wind gusts and rain - sonicwars (Freesound)
• Horse running HQ by TanwerAman
• Man Panting Softly by u_jt2rhdzi3j

-----------------------Legal Stuff---------------------------

Permission is granted for others to create reaction, commentary, or review content featuring this episode (in full or in part), provided proper credit is given (visibly or verbally) to Strange Wonders, a link to the original work is included in the content description, and the original work is not reuploaded or monetized in full without transformation.

© 2025 HeyWonder, LLC

Story, script, and retelling by Jose A. Saenz

All rights reserved.

Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or adaptation of this retelling is prohibited.

This retelling performance and script is an original adaptation of traditional folklore and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law.

Every town has a late-nights drive tale of danger and ghostly apparitions— nowhere is that more true than on the lonely highways of South Texas. This week on Strange Wonders, we tell a classic, heartbreaking Vanishing Hitchhiker story with a Texas twist.

⚠️ Content Warning & Listener Note: Strange Wonders adheres to a clean language standard and does not contain profanity. However, the folklore we explore is often rooted in deep tragedy. This episode discusses mature themes including accidental death, loss of a child (or loved one), and emotional grief. Listener discretion is strongly advised for sensitive audiences and young children.

Want to learn more about Vanishing Hitchhiker Stories? 

The Vanishing Hitchhiker Author(s): Richard K. Beardsley and Rosalie Hankey - https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/modernlanguages/applying/undergraduate/crossschool/ln305/biblio/beardsley__hankey_the_vanishing_hitchhiker.pdf 

-----------------------Credits---------------------------

Script / Hosting: by Jose A. Saenz

Music:

"Quinn's Song: The Dance Begins" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"No Frills Salsa - Alternate" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Verano Sensual" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

-----------------------Sound Effects---------------------------

Used with permission under pixabay and/or creative commons license.

• Night Drive (AugustSandberg), 
• Car Door - Hammy01
• Carnival Atmosphere - CapaholiczSFX
• Birds in a forest pm a Sunny Day - kosmoso 
• Road - Ryding 

-----------------------Legal Stuff---------------------------

Permission is granted for others to create reaction, commentary, or review content featuring this episode (in full or in part), provided proper credit is given (visibly or verbally) to Strange Wonders, a link to the original work is included in the content description, and the original work is not reuploaded or monetized in full without transformation.

© 2025 HeyWonder, LLC

Story, script, and retelling by Jose A. Saenz

All rights reserved.

Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or adaptation of this retelling is prohibited.

This retelling performance and script is an original adaptation of traditional folklore and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law.

On this our first episode of Strange Wonders, we retell the devastating ghost story of La Llorona, the legendary Weeping Woman of Mexican and Southwest folklore. Host Jay Saenz shares this terrifying tale as it was told to him as a child.

⚠️ Content Warning & Listener Note: Strange Wonders adheres to a clean language standard and does not contain profanity. However, the folklore we explore is often rooted in deep tragedy. This episode discusses mature themes, including infidelity, maternal despair, and the loss of children due to drowning. Listener discretion is strongly advised for sensitive audiences and young children.

Want to learn more about La Llorona?

Check out the following resources and of course drop some knowledge in the comments: 

La Llorona: An Introduction to the Weeping Woman by Stephen Winick folklorist at the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress ⁠https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/10/la-llorona-an-introduction-to-the-weeping-woman/⁠

If you can find a copy of Juan Sauvageau’s 'Stories That Must Not Die' series I highly recommend them.

-----------------------Credits---------------------------

Script / Hosting: by Jose A. Saenz

Music:

"Laid Back Guitars" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

-----------------------Sound Effects---------------------------

Used with permission under pixabay and/or creative commons license.

• Busy Town Square (cagancelik), horse and musicians in town (specrad1), lighting a cigarette taking drag, Ambience night rural campground (robotjay), Walking on Gravel 05 (moontide) - freesound_community
• Heavy Walkign Footsteps, Woman Crying, Woman Crying 02, - Universfield
• Children Giggling Kids Laughing - Virtual_Vibes
• Running on dirt road - spinopel

-----------------------Legal Stuff---------------------------

Permission is granted for others to create reaction, commentary, or review content featuring this episode (in full or in part), provided proper credit is given (visibly or verbally) to Strange Wonders, a link to the original work is included in the content description, and the original work is not reuploaded or monetized in full without transformation.

© 2025 HeyWonder, LLC

Story, script, and retelling by Jose A. Saenz

All rights reserved.

Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or adaptation of this retelling is prohibited.

This retelling is an original adaptation of traditional folklore and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law.