John Edward

American psychic, host of the TV series "Crossing Over With John Edward," in which he roams through his studio audiences, transmitting messages from their dearly departed. Immensely popular, in August 2001 the show was syndicated in 180 markets. Selling audiotapes and books on his website, Edward also gives half-hour personal readings for $300. Naturally, CSICP debunks him, as they do everything outside of the material realm, and others say that he prays on the vulnerability of the bereaved; however, people continue to watch the show and write to him with appreciation for the confidence he gives them that their loved ones do indeed continue after the veil of death. His three books have been best-sellers: the novel "What If God Were the Sun," and two autobiographies, "One Last Time" and "Crossing Over." An only child of an Italian mom, Perinda, and Irish dad, Jack, he was 11 when his parents divorced. He and his mom lived with her mom in Long Island where the two women were "psychic junkies," who often had fortune-tellers entertain at their parties. He claims that he had out-of-body experiences as a boy and at 15, a medium told him he would do psychic work. At 16, John began reading tarot cards at psychic fairs and soon gained a local following for his accuracy. When he was 19, his mom died of lung cancer and devastated, he stopped all psychic work. He tried work as a dance instructor (his wife's field) and after college, went into hospital management before returning to work as a medium, feeling that he was helping others. He began to take his readings to radio shows and eventually to his own show on cable TV, debuting in July 2000. A nice-looking man, Edward remains modest about his celebrity status. His wife, Sandra, said "It is overwhelming when people write how he's touched their life." By early 2002, his show was nationally syndicated to 98% of the U.S. TV market. John Edward and wife, Sandra had their first child, Justin Michael, born on Tuesday 25 September 2002 at 10:38 AM, Huntington, NY (from a source close to Edward who wishes to remain anonymous). Link to Wikipedia biography