Thanksgiving means family reunions at O'Hare
As they scanned the stream of newly arriving passengers at O'Hare International Airport Wednesday, Bose and Shanthi Bendi's thoughts drifted back two decades to a long journey and a baby girl.
“Nineteen years ago we walked into the same airport with her ... she was not even able to walk,” reminisced Bose Bendi, holding a bouquet of roses for his daughter Sanjana, a University of Pittsburgh freshman.
“Now, we're walking back into this airport and she's independently coming back.”
More than 1.4 million passengers are expected to pass through O'Hare over the Thanksgiving break with Wednesday being the busiest. But the numbers didn't mean anything to the families and friends waiting for that one special person to come down the escalator.
Despite the marvels of technology and a smartphone that updated Bendi on his daughter's progress through the airport, she ended up surprising her family.
“There she is! There she is!” he called out en route to a hug.
Bose and Shanthi immigrated from India 19 years ago, settling in Palatine with Sanjana and later son Vijay, a junior high student.
“We're thankful for all we have and what we have to look forward to,” Bendi said. “It's nothing short of a miracle.”
On the departures floor, mom Shirley Sueltenfuss was thankful for Savannah and Michael, who entertained their baby brother Theodore while she multitasked.
“We have a full load here ... they're big helpers,” said Sueltenfuss, surrounded by suitcases.
Her two oldest said they were thankful for a reunion with cousins at their grandparents' ranch in Boerne, Texas.
“We're going to go hunting,” said Michael, 10.
“They have horses, a llama and a goat,” added Savannah, 9.
The scene at O'Hare midmorning was busy but calm without huge lines. But bad weather was causing delays between 30 to 90 minutes for travelers bound for Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia.
An East Coast storm has messed up Thanksgiving travel for many, with heavy rain from Virginia to Maine, snow in parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and upstate New York, and winds of up to 60 mph along the coast.
But Robin Gannon had a breeze traveling from Annandale, Va., near Washington D.C. to visit her daughter, a graphic designer in Chicago.
“I was so worried but it was a flawless trip,” she said. “We'll go shopping and then we'll cook together.”
Spilling out of Gannon's carry-on bag was a wooden animal puzzle, a present for the son of her daughter's friend.
Gannon learned just two weeks ago that the friend, a surrogate for her daughter, is pregnant with her grandchild.
“We're really excited,” Gannon said, “there's lots to be thankful for.”