The aircraft was scheduled to take off for the practically three-hour flight at 7:35 p.m. Shortly earlier than, Ball boarded with the opposite passengers, solely to deplane when a flight attendant introduced the aircraft had mechanical points. Ball stayed on the gate, ready for updates. Hours glided by. He laid down on the chilly, carpeted O’Hare ground, headphones in. He tried to remain affected person. If his lengthy, irritating rehab journey had taught him something, it was that getting upset doesn’t get you wherever quicker. After a couple of extra hours, he reboarded the aircraft with the hope Chicago’s famed snow removing staff would clear a runway. One other hour handed earlier than a flight attendant introduced it wasn’t protected to take off. Everybody deplaned — once more. At 9 a.m. the subsequent morning, the flight lastly took off. Ball wasn’t on it. “Looking back at it,” he told ESPN, “it was a blessing I didn’t do it.” -via ESPN / December 5, 2024
