Reports from the Void: 'My Children and I Saw Something Strange in the Sky Last Night'

The Singular Fortean Society received an email in March of 2019 from a woman who claimed to have seen a very unusual creature flying over Elmhurst, Illinois.

Elmhurst is a western suburb of Chicago, and the York Theatre mentioned in her written testimony is approximately 15 miles from Lake Michigan.

According to the woman,

My children and I saw something strange in the sky last night, March 16th, at approximately 8:25 pm. Something we've never seen before, nor could we identify (ex…an airplane). It kept bothering my daughter [because of] what we had just seen! So, today she googled "pterodactyl sighting in Chicago.” When we came across your page and saw what other people had witnessed, we knew we weren't crazy!
We had just taken in a movie at the York Theatre in downtown Elmhurst. My children and I were loading into the van. My 15-year-old daughter is physically handicapped and in a wheelchair, and she had just tilted her chair up to take in the beauty of the stars. Living so close to the city, we don't get to see them too often with all the city lights. As she looked up, she said "Mom! What is that?!" As my seven-year-old son and I both looked up, we saw what appeared to be a huge bat/bird/pterodactyl...but we knew it wasn't! The wings had to be about four feet in length on each side and it was a dark brown/grayish color with a human-like figure. It never flapped its wings. It was gliding silently heading east. As we stood there in shock, and now questioning what we just saw, my son jumped into the van—quickly shutting the door behind him. I laughed and told him it was Batman—whom he loves, by the way—just to calm his nerves. I must say it was very fascinating, but it scared the [expletive] out of my daughter and I! Never have I ever seen or witnessed anything like this!
Thank you for taking the time to read my email.

Investigator Tobias Wayland attempted to follow up with the witness via email, but received no response.

Given the description provided by the witness and the sighting location, this encounter could be related to the string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. The 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; humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported. A feeling of stark fear is commonly reported by witnesses, sometimes beginning prior to the sighting itself. 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 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. A number of associated high strangeness incidents have also occurred alongside the creature sightings; including reports of UFOs, other anomalous flying creatures and mysterious humanoids, parapsychological phenomena, and bizarre events experienced by those investigating the sightings.

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 Lake Michigan Mothman sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.

Reports from the Void is a repository to share those stories for which we do not have enough information to make a full report. This is usually because of little or no communication from the witness following their initial submission. The Singular Fortean Society will always provide as much information as possible regarding any correspondence during our attempts to speak with those involved.

This series is meant only to present you with the full breadth of the information sent to us, and makes no judgments towards the veracity of any stories shared within it.

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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