Type: Medical Documentation
Source: Attending Physicians (1967)
On May 20, 1967, Stefan Michalak experienced Canada’s most famous close encounter at Falcon Lake, Manitoba. A burst of hot gas from a craft hit him, catching his shirt on fire and leaving him with severe physical symptoms and an unexplained grid-pattern of burns on his stomach.Initial Medical TreatmentWinnipeg Hospitalization: Michalak was initially treated at Misericordia Hospital in Winnipeg. Doctors documented first-degree burns on his upper abdomen arranged in an unusual grid-like pattern that mirrored the vents of the alleged craft.Immediate Symptoms: Alongside the burns, he suffered from nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid weight loss, and blackouts. He was also reported to emit a foul, sulfurous smell.The Mayo Clinic EvaluationMedical Assessment: Due to the severity and unusual nature of his symptoms, Michalak underwent extensive physical and psychological evaluations at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota later that year.Findings: Doctors concluded that he was entirely of sound mind, ruling out hallucinations or mental instability. However, they were unable to provide a clinical explanation for the cause of his burns and systemic illness.Long-Term Health ImpactRecurrent Symptoms: For years following the incident, Michalak claimed the burn marks on his chest flared up periodically, turning into red welts.Official Investigations: Canadian health departments initially considered quarantining the area because of suspected high radiation, though this was later attributed to a natural radium vein. Nevertheless, both the RCMP and the RCAF were unable to explain what caused his injuries or the incident itself.