The story revolves around James Leininger, a young boy who from the age of two, exhibited strange behavior, including nightmares and a fascination with airplanes. His parents, Andrea and Bruce, were puzzled by his behavior and sought the help of a doctor and a psychotherapist, Carol Bowman, who specialized in cases of reincarnation. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that James is recalling memories of a past life as a military pilot named James Houston, who died in World War II. Despite initial skepticism, Bruce, a rationalist, becomes convinced of the truth of his son's claims after verifying the details of James' stories with veterans and historical records. The family's experience is documented, and James' story is shared with a wider audience, sparking both amazement and skepticism. Eventually, James is able to find closure and move on from his past life memories after a visit to Japan, where he pays his respects to the deceased pilot.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. James Deer's behavior was strange and frightening to his parents at the age of two.
2. His parents spent several years trying to find the reason for his odd behavior.
3. A trip to a World War II museum with his parents at a young age seemed to have influenced James' behavior.
4. James showed a keen interest in airplanes after the museum trip.
5. He had frequent nightmares, which began at a younger age than typical for children.
6. James' parents took him to see a doctor, who advised them not to panic and to try to calm James during his nightmares.
7. James' parents asked him to describe his nightmares, which led to him talking about a plane and a pilot.
8. James' drawings of Japanese warplanes from World War II were accurate.
9. James' father discovered a list of pilots killed on March 3, 1945, which included a pilot named James Houston Jr.
10. James' parents met with a veteran named Jack Larson, who confirmed the details James had described about his past life as a pilot.
11. A psychotherapist, Carol Bowman, investigated James' case and explained that his experiences could be a result of reincarnation.
12. Bowman advised James' parents to talk lovingly with the pilot's spirit and ask him to share his memories.
13. James' nightmares decreased in severity after his parents followed Bowman's advice.
14. James' story appeared in newspapers and a film was made about him when he was six years old.
15. James and his family visited the sister of the deceased James Houston, who confirmed that James had told her things that only she and her brother knew.
16. A skeptics association attempted to refute James' story, but their arguments were not convincing.
17. James is now a 17-year-old who leads a normal life and no longer has nightmares or memories of his past life.