Chicagoans reflect on Memorial Day as life begins returning to normal

When it came to the weather this Memorial Day, there were mixed reviews.

The one thing it seemed everyone could agree on—that it appears life is slowly getting back to normal. But that was just a piece of what people were reflecting upon.

At the 63rd Street beach, Navy veteran Anthony Cherry had a front row seat to the lake. A serene spot to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day.

"The reason for today is really about, you know, the lives that were lost and the things that we went through as a country," said Cherry, who lives in Chicago. "A lot of people just gave it all."

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Cherry was one of the many people grabbing a bite to eat at Reggies on the Beach. This is the first full season the restaurant will be open.

"You can't expect every day to be the sunniest day," said co-owner Ed Calahan. "But just to be able to be open, to be able to engage with everybody at the beach, it's been fun."

While the weather kept many beach-goers at a distance, others still socialized and grilled nearby.

At the 31st Street beach, there was a glimmer of hope on this cloudy Memorial Day for families like Noma Yasir’s. This is the first time her extended family of about 30 people has gathered since the start of the pandemic.

"Things are normalizing," said Yasir, who lives in Chicago. "We’re happy!"

For her, the day was about remembrance, alongside the ones she loves.

"It's all about family, right?" said Yasir. "It's all about love."

This Memorial Day looked much different than last year as 22 Chicago beaches officially reopened on Friday for the first time since September of 2019.