I recently received the following email:

Friday October 5, 2019 around 10 pm my 17yo son and I were coming home through Richmond, Illinois. He wanted McDonald’s. We took the back roads home (we live in Wisconsin on border) and on Rt 173 and Broadway (I believe it’s Broadway) we both saw something very tall (6-7 feet) hunched over looking with the brightest red eyes we’ve ever seen! It looked as if it were floating or hopping. We couldn’t make out much as it was very dark, but it was not like any animal we’ve seen before! When I got home I started Googling animals and found some Mothman myth. I'm not sure what we saw but it was out of the ordinary. We take this road often but only a few times at night and had never seen this before. It was maybe 10-20 feet from our car and my son was freaking out telling me to go, so we didn’t stop. Our family thinks we’re crazy and teases us we saw a zombie, so I’d prefer this to stay anonymous. I came across your info and thought I’d share. We didn’t notice any wings but it was dark out. We both thought it was hopping like a kangaroo and now I’m curious if there are any other odd sightings in this area. MO

I was later able to talk by telephone to 'MO.' She had left work late on Friday October 5, 2019 and had picked up her 17 year-old son on the way home. The time was approximately 10 pm. They on Rt. 173 (Kenosha St.) and Broadway Rd. on their way to a McDonalds. They were also adjacent to the North Branch Conservation Area.

They both noticed a pair of very bright red eyes along the side of the road. The creature was about 7 ft. in height and dark in color. It was stooped or hunched over, as if something heavy was attached to its back. The witnesses never saw wings, but it seemed some structure was on its back. As they approached it, the creature looked at them and started to 'hop' back. They had gotten very close to it, about 20 ft. or less. As it hopped back towards the field, they looked back and it seemed that it suddenly disappeared. It never took flight. OM stated that the eyes were similar to 2 very bright lights the emanated from within the creature.

OM wanted to turn around and look again, but her son was totally freaked out by the encounter and insisted she continue driving.

The witness had no indication of the winged humanoid sightings in and around Chicago. She immediately began to research her sighting and found my information.

NOTE: Phantoms & Monsters Fortean Research team investigators will be at the site within the week. This encounter will be added to the Chicago & Regional Winged Humanoid / Flying Entity Sightings & Encounters Interactive Map. Lon

Have you had a sighting of a flying humanoid or huge bat-like creature in the Chicago, Illinois metro area or nearby? The entity has also been referred to as the 'Chicago Phantom', 'Chicago Mothman', 'Chicago Owlman' & 'Chicago Man-Bat.' Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] - 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 #ChicagoPhantom #ChicagoMothman