Robert Nelson was born in Central Florida on May 2, 1949. He recalls his earliest memory, from less than a year old, when his father carried him down a fire escape in Central Florida, singing “Yankee Doodle.” He remembers being sickly as a child, often ill with common diseases, and believes that his weakened immune system had a deeper cause, which he would come to understand later in life.

At around three or four years old, Nelson experienced vivid visions of what he described as large, glowing, brown spheres rolling toward him in slow motion. He referred to them as “Watchers,” although he did not understand the meaning of the word at the time. These experiences made him fearful, particularly of a reptilian-like presence that he sensed watching him constantly. He often felt pursued by this presence, which he described as resembling a small dinosaur.