A Chicago Department of Aviation employee has an encounter with a black red-eyed 7-8 foot tall winged being outside of her place of employment as she left work.
The following report was received by Phantoms & Monsters Fortean Research investigator Manuel Navarette:
"Good Afternoon - I wanted to relate a possible sighting of the Chicago Mothman that I had on April 15, 2021 at approximately 9pm at Chicago O’Hare. I initially was not going to report this and had kept it to myself for fear of someone thinking I had lost my mind and was seeing things. That changed when I read the sighting that was posted on Facebook about the gentleman who had the Mothman sighting not even two blocks from where I work. The sighting prompted me to look up your website and eventually send this to you.
I work for the Chicago Department of Aviation at the office located on the airport grounds. I have worked there for about 9 years and had previously worked at the airport in another capacity for 5 years prior. I know the airport like I know the palm of my hand and I have heard the stories that people tell about all the strange going-ons that happen with surprising frequency.
My sighting happened after I stayed late to catch up on work and had left about 9pm. As I walked out of the building into the parking lot, I heard what I could only describe as wings fluttering, kind of like you hear when a bird is going to take off or land. I dismissed it as just geese as the airport has literally hundreds of them that hang around doing whatever geese seem to do. What followed was a loud screech, nothing like a goose’s honk but a very, very loud ear splitting screech like what you hear when a train is applying it’s brakes but it was different as it went from a higher octave to a lower one and then higher again. I know it was not the train as the train tracks are on the other side of the airport, about 3-4 miles away.
I continued walking toward my car when I heard the screech again and it sounded like it was coming from behind me. I turned and looked toward the trees over by the road and saw what looked like two red eyes looking right at me. I stood there looking at those eyes for what seemed an eternity, I couldn’t move and it felt like the air was being sucked out of my lungs almost like I was having an asthma attack. I saw this thing emerge from around the trees, it was illuminated from behind by the warehouses that were across the road and it must have been 7-8 feet tall and was black. About this time a large truck was coming down the road and it shot into the air and was gone in the matter of a second. I stood there for a few seconds, still too afraid to move when I finally came to my senses and practically sprinted for my car. I could not get into my car fast enough and as I closed the door, I heard the screech again. I turned on my car and left as quickly as I could.
I am not one for over exaggerations but I felt almost as if I was being stalked. I felt sick to my stomach for 2-3 days after that encounter and it took just as long for the feelings of paranoia to finally go away. It was the feeling of utter and complete hopelessness that disturbed me the most and it helped contribute to my hesitancy of telling someone, I didn’t even tell my boyfriend of this until after I had decided to send this to you."
Investigators Notes:
I spoke with the witness via email and IM and after lengthy discussions about her job at the Chicago Department of Aviation she proceeded to tell me about her sighting. The office where she works is located almost directly in line with the structure where the previously submitted winged humanoid sighting occurred. It is approximately 300 yards away and within visual sight of the office. The witness advised that she parked on the other side of the building, facing the tarmac and cargo offloading area for a pair of long warehouses that house a multitude of air cargo companies based out of O’Hare. It is also within a city block of a reported sighting last year by a cargo company employee that was submitted to Phantoms and Monsters in approximately 2019.
The witness says she left her office at approximately 2100 and was walking to her car. I asked her if she saw anything as she initially walked out and she said she did not as she was checking her phone and did not look up. When asked about the sound of what she described as “flapping wings” the witness advised that there are geese in the area nearly every single day and she just assumed it was a goose that was in the parking lot or nearby and paid it no mind. When asked about the screeching sound, the witness said that even now the thought of that sound sends chills down her spine and brings up a feeling of fear in her. The witness said it sounded like train brakes but modulating from high to low and it would fade off before coming back again.
When asked about the sighting of the entity itself, the witness said that from the moment she saw it, she was frozen in fear and could not move, her mind was only focused on the eyes and everything else seemed to fade into the background. When the entity came out from behind the trees it stood there and stared at her for a few seconds before the vehicle interrupted the encounter. When asked if it made any advancement toward her, the witness said that it did not, yet she felt as if it was sizing her up or stalking her. When the vehicle coming down the road caused the creature to fly away, the witness stated that she still felt spellbound for a few seconds, almost as if in a trance.
When asked to describe the entity, she only said it was black, skinny and tall approximately 7-8 feet tall and that it had glowing red eyes. She described the wings as black and an estimated 10 foot wide span. She said that from the time of the entity unfurling its wings to the time it was in the air was only a matter of 1-2 seconds after which it was out of sight.
After speaking with the witness, it is the investigators opinion that she did witness something and that this case merits further investigation. A visit to the site of the incident will be conducted soon and all photos and data obtained will be posted on the website for all to see.
Have you had a sighting of a flying humanoid or huge bat-like creature in the Chicago, Illinois metro area / Lake Michigan region? The entity has also been referred to as the 'Chicago Mothman', 'Chicago Owlman' & 'O'Hare Mothman.' - Chicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive Map - Please feel free to contact me at lonstrickler@phantomsandmonsters.com - your anonymity is guaranteed. Our investigative group is conducting a serious examination of his phenomenon. We are merely seeking the truth and wish to determine what eyewitnesses have been encountering. Your cooperation is truly appreciated. You can call me directly at 410-241-5974 as well. Thanks. Lon Strickler
