Arlington Heights Trustee Makes it Home from Boston Marathon

Tom Hayes crossed the Boston Marathon finish line around the two-hour mark then headed to the Wyndham Hotel in Beacon Hill about a quarter mile away.

An hour later, chaos broke out near the finish line as two explosions went off in the area.

Hayes learned about the attack in the hotel lobby. He was surprised because he didn’t hear any explosions as he walked to his hotel.

He started getting phones calls, a lot of texts and emails from family and friends trying to make sure he was fine following the explosions.

His flight back from Boston left at 5 p.m. Hayes, who will be sworn in as Arlington Heights’s mayor on May 6, made it back for the village board meeting.

“Glad to see you home safely,” Village Attorney Jack Siegel told Hayes.

An avid marathon runner, Hayes has participated in the Boston Marathon for nine years. He also runs in the Chicago Marathon. He plans to run in that marathon later this year. Monday's incident will not change his plans.

“It’s just like 9/11, we can’t change what we do on a daily basis,” he said. “It’s very disconcerting that something like that could happen. But it is something we have to expect from some who want to hurt our country.”

The experience has left Hayes with an increased awareness for the need of more security in public places, at events or to the transportation system, he said.

“Unfortunately, we will have to be on heightened security,” he said.