Long Island Medium On The Road in Chicago

Long Island Medium On the Road in Chicago Recap
Season 4: Long Island Medium “Chicago”
Original Airdate: Sunday, July 7, 2013
Long Island Medium On the Road in Chicago, Theresa Caputo thrilled at top of Jon Hancock building in ChicagoLong Island Medium Theresa Caputo headed to the Windy City of Chicago for her second Long Island Medium On the Road special (last season, she visited fans in Florida). Theresa’s first stop is in Deerfield, Ill., where she surprises a middle-aged woman named Jill when she shows up unannounced on her doorstep. “Driving to surprise someone is the most nerve-wracking thing ever, because I don’t even know if they are even ready for a reading,” Theresa says.

In true Publishers Clearing House stakeout style, cameras wait poised on the front door as Theresa knocks. A seriously shocked Jill opens the door and spews: “Oh my God, shut up!”

Theresa gives it back: “You shut up.”

“Are you kidding? Is it really you?” Jill asks, but knows it’s true. Then her friends and neighbors start appearing outside as Jill prances about announcing Caputo’s coming. It’s honestly amazing, the power this woman has on people.

“I’m completely surprised, shocked, it’s so surreal to see Theresa Caputo at my front door,” tells Jill. “In a million years I never thought I would have the opportunity to meet Theresa.”

Viewers learn that Jill’s husband Jason had sent a letter to Theresa explaining the importance that a reading from Theresa would mean to his wife (apparently without going into all the details). Jill and Theresa sit down and Theresa tells her that her mother was going to be the first one to speak today. “I also want to talk about the father figure, because she says hurry up and come – our baby daughter is here.”

Viewers learn that Jill lost her dad at age 13 and her mom at age 20. Theresa validates her mother’s presence through numbers (identifying her birthday) and asks Jill how she connects with 4. “Do you have four children?” She does. “It’s your mom’s way of acknowledging that she knows of your children and that she’s held each and every soul before they came to this Earth.” [My mom did the same thing when I interviewed Theresa.]

Here we learn that Jill lost both parents to lung cancer (different forms), and four years ago she too was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Gulp. Jill explained how she originally had surgery and was considered cured, and then within a year and a half had another surgery and was considered cured again, but the cancer came back and she no longer has surgery as an option. “The hardest thing for me was telling my kids,” Jill shares. “It’s so important to be honest. When my dad was dying I felt like I didn’t have that information.”

It’s heartbreaking hearing her situation and Theresa knows Jill fears leaving her children. “How do you connect with 18?” Jill tells that in Judaism it means Chai and represents life. A message Jill needed to hear. “Your father keeps telling me ‘don’t lose faith.’”

“Today was the greatest gift I had ever gotten,” Jill says. “I feel like I can enjoy life, my kids – as long as you have hope, anything can happen.”

Thankfully, the show moves to a commercial break because that was emotionally exhausting. Now, that movie trailer/commercial for The Conjuring couldn’t have been better planned. Talk about a scary spiritual visit, yikes!

Theresa Caputo and Larry Caputo in ChicagoNext up, Theresa and Larry take a break and head to Chicago’s Navy Pier, where they visit The Wiener’s Circle, a hot dog joint where the staff is known for cursing at their clients. Theresa was quick to give some Long Island attitude right on back.

“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” she says. “Throw a couple of F bombs at the top of your lungs – there’s something liberating about it.” Among all the F bombing, Theresa turns to a customer — who had no clue who she was — and asked about her mother. “Do you have your mother’s sweater?” The woman tells Theresa: “It’s in my car.” And Theresa goes on to explain who the heck she is and how she knows this information. “You are going to mess me up with that for real,” the woman tells her. Theresa goes on to share how her mother wants her to return to her faith and singing.

Theresa’s second stop on her On the Road special is at a luncheon hosted by a woman named Julie. Julie had invited several friends who were unaware that Theresa was coming — wonder how many of her friends who decided to pass on the luncheon are now kicking themselves? Theresa shows up and the women freak out. Only one of the gals — Cynthia — had absolutely no clue what everyone was getting all excited about. “I was like who the hell is this lady? I had no idea who she was,” Cynthia says. Turns out Cynthia’s father had a message for her. Theresa also made a connection with a woman who delivered a stillborn child 22 years ago, as well as with her deceased husband. The highlight, however, of this group was the wacky Josephine Angela (followed by two or three additional inaudible names) from Little Italy, who Theresa considers very interesting.

“Talk about a free spirit,” Theresa laughs. “I feel you have your own connection with a spirit.” Josephine acknowledges and tells, “I’m a medium, but if I’m not following my diet I’m more or less a large,” and then laughs hysterically at herself. Oh my, that’s a clip worth going back and watching. Theresa tells her that she is “being thanked by spirit for doing what you do.”

In her final surprise fan visit, Theresa travels just outside of Chicago to surprise a younger male named Michael, which his partner Greg had arranged. “Oh my God. Is this for real?” Michael says when seeing Theresa at his door. “When I saw the big white hair I was like holy crap — I’m in shock.” Viewers learn that Michael’s father passed before he had the opportunity to tell him that he was gay. Theresa tells Michael that his father wants to talk about his ties. Apparently his dad had hundreds of them and he has kept them all. “Who’s Johnny?” Theresa asks. Michael shares how his dad loved Johnny Carson and always said, “Here’s Johnny.”

“Do you keep going over the day your dad died? Your father wants you to stop doing that,” Theresa tells. “Your dad accepts, loves, honors and understands you completely from the other side. And tells that he will always be there loving and guiding you from the other side.” It was exactly what Michael needed to hear. “I don’t think anything could really top this.”

On their last day in Chicago, Theresa and Larry decided to face one of Theresa’s fears — riding elevators — and selected a long elevator ride visiting the John Hancock building, which has the fastest elevator in North America as it climbs 94 floors at roughly 20 mph. Praying the rosary, Theresa explains, “I’m freaking the freak out right now” as they travel up. But all is good when they get to the top.