Kriti Mehrotra
As a Yon Motskin-directed original living up to its title in every way conceivable, Netflix’s ‘Encounters: Messengers’ can only be described as equal parts bewildering, intriguing, and haunting. That’s because it incorporates not just archival footage as well as dramatic recreations but also exclusive interviews to really underscore the 2008 enigmatic light sightings in Stephenville, Texas. Amongst those to help navigate the same was former Naval Intelligence Cryptologist Matthew Roberts.
Who is Matthew Roberts?
It was reportedly back in 2003 or 2004 when Matthew joined the United States Navy as an expert in the study of intelligence codes, making his military job classified in every sense of the term. However, he himself has since revealed he was stationed onboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt as its fighter jets found/recorded the infamous “Gimbal” flying object off Florida’s coast in 2015. It’s this feat that ultimately played a significant role in having the Pentagon publish a UFO report in 2021, which revealed it had already discretely set up the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) to study such unexplained aerial phenomena in 2007.
“[January 2015] was the first time I saw the Gimbal footage,” Matthew elucidated in the documentary episode. “I don’t – – I can’t even describe the shape. I mean, it looks a little bit disc-like. It’s flying along, and then it kind of tilts up onto its side. I was watching this footage, and I could see no kind of aviation surfaces that you would expect to see — wings, tail, rudder, there was none of that. I couldn’t really make sense of why this thing was kind of up in the air like it was… I knew it wasn’t ours, I knew it wasn’t anybody else’s. I mean, that only leaves one other option, I think.”
This cryptologic technician admittedly had a very emotional response to the incident even if he didn’t realize it at first, driving him to transfer to the Naval Intelligence Office in Washington DC. That’s where he accessed additional classified files and uncovered “this was not a one-off event for the Navy. This, uh… These things happen frequently. All the time. They happen all the time.” Though what Matthew never expected was for him to subsequently begin having persistent, intense, personal experiences concerning the phenomenon — albeit he insists he wasn’t hallucinating.
“I would wake up several times a week, and I would feel my body kind of sliding across the bed,” Matthew stated. “I knew they were taking me. I woke up ’cause I felt a hand grab my [upper right] arm. So I tried to raise my hands to my face to wipe the sleep away, and I realized I couldn’t move. I could see this outline of a shadowy figure with a torso, two arms, and a head standing over me.” There wasn’t a particular message “they” wanted him to deliver to humanity, yet his terrifying journey has made him believe there’s non-human consciousness that has profound implications.
Where is Matthew Roberts Now?
Matthew actually parted ways with the Navy in March 2020 following 16 years of highly decorated service as he wished to share his experiences with the world, resulting in him writing a book. ‘Initiated: UAP (Unexplained Aerial Phenomena), Dreams, Depression, Delusions, Shadow People, Psychosis, Sleep Paralysis, and Pandemics’ was hence published on November 28, 2020. Throughout this memoir/paranormal piece of sorts, he reiterates there’s a kind of universal truth that underlies the phenomenon, and it has everything to do with our purpose on this Earth.
According to the production, Matthew has since also asserted, “There’s all kinds of sensor evidence, radar evidence. I think there’s enough footage that if [the government] released all of it and said, ‘Hey, this is what we have.’ They don’t even have to give an explanation, just say, ‘We don’t know. This is what we got,’ there would be no doubt as to whether or not the phenomenon is real.” As for his current standing, since he left the military four years before his retirement, he walked away with little to no pension, healthcare, or benefits, but he doesn’t seem to regret it one bit.
Today, Matthew is currently working towards a degree in psychology because this is where he feels he can have the biggest impact, all the while dabbling with the idea of a second book. This written piece will reportedly delve deeper into his depression following the paranormal experiences, how he got to a point of contentedness, his outlook on life these days, as well as much more. Nevertheless, if you wish to explore some of these facets in detail right now, you can check out this public figure’s Reddit Ask Me Anything forum, where he answers almost every question without holding back.
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