Witness Reports Bizarre Occurrences Following Winged Humanoid Sighting in Rosemont, Illinois

A witness recently detailed a series of strange events following a very unusual sighting last month involving a winged humanoid in Rosemont, Illinois.

The initial report was received by Manuel Navarette of UFO Clearinghouse, and was later released with personal information redacted by Lon Strickler of Phantoms & Monsters.

I’m very hesitant to write to you with what I saw but the more I think about it, the more I have to tell someone about it. My name is (REDACTED) and I live in Rosemont, Illinois, on (REDACTED). I have been living in Rosemont most of my adult life and I work in a nearby suburb as an (REDACTED). One of the perks of living where I live is that there is a (REDACTED) nearby and I can take walks to the park, sit down and escape for a little while. I enjoy taking walks at night when I am usually alone and can lose myself in my thoughts.
This particular night, I could not sleep and decided to take a walk and sit for a few minutes in the cold and maybe that would bring about the urge to sleep and I could come back and get ready for bed. I put on my jacket and step outside and (REDACTED). As I step across (REDACTED), I notice that the area seemed strangely quiet, even with two expressways nearby. Mind you, I did not expect to hear crickets and such with the cold but the whole vibe seemed a bit...off.
I sat at the usual place and I had not been there for more than five minutes when I saw the strangest thing. It looked like a very tall man standing by the (REDACTED) but the man was unusually tall and very thin. The man was standing next to what looked like a smaller man who seemed also very frail and thin but whose head was disproportionate to his body. They seemed to be conversing but I could not hear anything from where I was sitting. As I watched them, a pair of women walked up and just stood there, almost as if they were in a daze. The tall person then did something that just shook me to my core and it was then that I realized that I should not have been there at that particular moment. The tall gentleman unfurled what looked like huge wings and stretched them out and then tucked them back in as the women approached. The smaller man then turned to the two women and that is when the area was bathed in bright (blue) light. The light only lasted at the very most one to two seconds and then only the tall winged being remained. The being then unfurled his wings and walked away from the waterfall, took a step or two while flapping his wings and took off. I watched it fly away and it reminded me how a goose would fly, low and steadily gaining speed. I remained where I was and it was almost a full minute before I took a breath and tried to wrap my head around what I had just seen. To tell you the truth I was almost afraid to leave that (REDACTED) and make the walk back home, but when I did leave I almost sprinted back home and only felt secure when I shut the main door behind me and made my way upstairs to my apartment.
I do not know what I saw. I have no explanation for what I witnessed and there is no way I can describe it to anyone. I am certain that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time and I pray to God that I was not noticed. Whatever the result of this report, I had to get it off of my chest and tell someone about what I saw that night and hope that someone will believe me and not think that my cheese has slipped off of my cracker.

Both Strickler and Singular Fortean Society lead investigator Tobias Wayland were given the witness’ email address, and both contacted her on October 29th.

"Manuel did speak very highly of you and the other investigator," an email response received by the Singular Fortean Society from the witness read. "I do wish to speak with you, and like I told Manuel I do a lot of activities in the evening so the best way to communicate is via email during the week as I can answer them during work. I can speak with you and the other investigators either Friday or Saturday when I am home and have the free time."

The witness' emailed response to Strickler included additional information regarding her subsequent experiences.

Thank you for getting in touch with me so quickly. Manuel did speak to me about you and Tobias and he praised your professionalism and highly recommended you both. I do a lot of after hours volunteering (REDACTED) so during the week it's hard for me to talk on the phone. I can answer emails because I'm able to during work when I'm in front of my computer. This is something I don't want to talk about within (REDACTED) but I can speak with you and the other investigators when I'm home and have time.
I do have a question that I want to ask and that is in regards to dreams. Starting on the night after this happening I started having extremely lucid dreams. I want to find myself in a brightly-lit room and something telling me that I'm going to be fine. Then a "hand" reaches out and touches my arm, then things go black and I wake up.
I'm not terrified but I am concerned. The dream had come to me 4 times already and each time it's the same thing.
This never occurred to me before but since that night it's been happening more and more. Could this be related? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And on October 30th, the following email was received by Strickler, Wayland, and Navarette.

I just had a very strange occurrence happened to me and (REDACTED). I went to lunch and as I was putting my trash in the receptacle I was approached by a gentleman who said he was an investigator. He said he wanted to speak to me in regards to what I saw. The man insisted that I speak with him and that he was an investigator who was trying to sort out what it was I had seen and reported. I asked him with what organization he was with and how did he know who I was.
The gentleman only answered that he was an investigator and that it was imperative that I speak with him about what I saw. The man gave me a very bad vibe and I did not want to speak to him. My coworker, who was with me, had gone to the bathroom and this is when the gentleman approached me and insisted that I talk to him. I told him that I had already spoken with investigators and again asked him who he represented and he only answered again that he was an investigator. My friend returned from the bathroom and the man walked away without another word.
This incident kind of shook me up and left me with even more questions than before. By any chance did any of you send an investigator to speak with me and how did you know where I was going to be for lunch?
I'm more than willing to talk but being approached in such a way in public and out of the blue just does not jive with me. I have had instances in the past where I've been stalked by an obsessive ex-boyfriend and it left me traumatized and a little jumpy and to have somebody approached me out of the blue and insistently ask me to speak with him kind of raised a lot of red flags for me.

Wayland responded, "You were right not to speak to him. I can assure you that none of us spoke to anyone outside of each other regarding this incident, and anyone introducing themselves only as an investigator is bad news."

Since then, he has had no contact with the witness, despite two further attempts at communication.

Strickler received the following response after asking the witness "if she would be willing to talk to me on the telephone or meet one of the team in person."

Thank you for getting back to me and I don't want you to take this the wrong way but I do not want to talk about this anymore.
All sorts of strange things have been happening to me since the day that gentleman tried to talk to me. I have been plagued by numerous calls. When I pick up I hear nothing on the other side. I also have been followed and I've had people who do not belong in my neighborhood or at my job sitting there watching me. All this started after I had this sighting. I don't know what it was that I saw but apparently I was not meant to see it and now I'm scared something's going to happen to me. I have even considered purchasing a handgun just to protect myself.
I'm not crazy and I know what I saw was real. I saw it with my own two eyes but now I'm being stalked and have people coming up to me and asking questions who I don't even know and now people are calling and trying to intimidate me and frankly it's working. I have had little sleep since this has happened and my nerves are completely frazzled. I can't do this anymore. I don't care if people don't believe me or think I'm crazy but I know what I saw and now it seems like people want me to keep my mouth shut or they want to probe into what and who I am because of this incident.
I know you get probably hundreds report today dealing with all sorts of paranormal stuff and I'm just one person who saw one incident. But apparently it stirred up a hornet's nest and now I'm caught in the middle. It's nothing against you, but I'm scared and I want this to stop.

Strickler received one more email from the witness, after he wrote her and "explained the history of the winged humanoid sightings in the area and that her encounter was very unique. I also explained my background and how I have worked with hundreds of experiencers over the past 40 years. I wanted to gain her confidence and have her calmly recall to me what she observed that evening. I received the following email this past weekend."

It happened at (REDACTED), I was sitting at the (REDACTED). I go there to get away and relax. I was facing the (REDACTED) when I saw them.
I was sitting there, just relaxing in order to decompress so I could fall asleep.
I was only there about 5 minutes when I saw them standing there. I did not hear anything but it looked like they were talking. They continued this for about 1 minute before the two women showed up and they disappeared. The women looked completely normal, they walked up and just stood there like they were in a trance and then the bright blue light came out of nowhere and they were gone. The winged one then took off and was gone within 10-12 seconds of the others disappearing.
After the winged one left, The place was quiet, just like a normal night. I quickly left and went back home. Since that night I have had very lucid dreams and the latest one was last night. I saw the smaller being and it looks like a typical alien. In three dream it tells me that 'everything is going to be fine and that you are perfectly safe and will be spared.' That's where the dream ends.
Lately I have had a bad feeling of dread which is so not like me since I'm usually happy and talkative. I feel like something horrible is about to happen I can't shake this feeling and other people have started to notice a change in my demeanor.
I don't know how much else I can provide as that's all I remember and I hope it's able to help you with your investigation. I just don't want something to happen to me or somebody I love and things are starting to get a little too strange and scary for me.
I don't know how much else I can help you with. You have been nothing but kind and respectful I appreciate that wholeheartedly.
I will try to keep you informed if any more dreams come or if anything else happens. Right now I think I want to lay low. You said I could remain anonymous and I would like to take you up on that. The last thing I want is somebody at (REDACTED) to hear about this and then I would have to face not only people that I grew up with but family members.
Thank you.

The decision to redact identifying information was made following the witness’ reported encounter with the mystery investigator, and because of reports of harassment by those unaffiliated with the investigation that have been received from previous witnesses in the Chicago area.

So far, the witness’ identity has not been confirmed by investigators; while they were given a name and a few vague details, they have not been able to verify the information, nor have they spoken to the witness directly.

“That doesn’t mean she’s lying,” Wayland said. “But it will look suspicious to anyone from the outside, and being able to internally verify it—while protecting the witness’ privacy—would go a long way towards establishing this case’s credibility. I’ve contacted the witness one last time to hopefully be able to verify some of the details of who she is, and I implore her to help us in this regard.”

“Seeing good, credible cases, accurately reported, can be a great comfort to other experiencers,” he added. “I tried to stress that in my final email. It can do actual good.”

Strickler also added that "a remote viewing session was conducted this past weekend with three other participants who had no knowledge of this incident. This included a monitor (myself), a control and two viewers. The results were much in line with what [the witness] told me, including a description of the individual who confronted her at lunch. This information will also be released after our team gets a better handle on this investigation."

Any additional information regarding this investigation will be shared as it is received.

This is the third such report this month out of Rosemont, Illinois, following an October 5th sighting of a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings” near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and an October 19th sighting of a “giant-sized bat” outside of the Edward Hotel.

This is the latest news in a string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. These sightings ostensibly began in the spring of 2017, but more historical accounts are being reported as more people become aware of the phenomenon. Sightings of weird winged beings around Lake Michigan have been reported at all hours, often in or near a park, and around water. Witnesses consistently describe a large, gray or black bat or bird-like creature—although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like—sometimes with glowing or reflective red, yellow, or orange eyes; and humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported. Many of the sightings are also of something seen only briefly or are described only as a flying creature with few details, which leaves open the possibility that a large avian being could explain some encounters. Sightings of anomalous avians, including thunderbirds and pterosaurs, are often reported in or near the same locations as those where witnesses have reported winged humanoids.

To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

You can view a timeline of the sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.

To report your own encounter with the impossible, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

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