On September 12th, 1952, these boys (Left to right: Tommy Hyer, Freddie May, Edison May (front), and Neil Nunley (rear).) witnessed a strange object fall from the sky. The boys went home and told Mrs. May of the event, they later went with her, a few other children and 17 year old West Virginia National Guardsman Eugene Lemon to examine the object. They came upon a hill and saw a “ball of fire” a ways to their right and there was a strange mist in the area that made their eyes and noses irritated. Upon seeing two odd lights, Lemon aimed his flashlight under a large oak tree and there it was, the creature that would soon be known as the
Flatwoods Monster. This Monster was said to have let out a shrill hissing sound and came at the group before quickly turning and heading toward a red light. The group quickly fled the area.
Shortly after these people came across the monster, they came down with an illness that is said to be attributed to the mist they had encountered. Several of them had irritation of their noses and swelling of the throat for several days after the encounter. Lemon suffered from convulsions and vomiting throughout the night and had issues with his throat for several weeks afterwards. A doctor that treated a few of the witnesses claimed that the symptoms were similar to those that appeared with victims of mustard gas.