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“Such A Hoax”: ‘Balloon Boy’ Family Speaks Out About Controversy For “The First Time” After 16 Years
Sixteen years after their science experiment turned into a full-blown national emergency, the Heene family is finally speaking out “for the first time” in the upcoming Netflix documentary.
The bizarre story of the “balloon boy,” who zipped through the sky in a “homemade flying saucer,” will now be told in the Netflix’s Trainwreck: Balloon Boy.
Highlights
- The story of the “balloon boy” has become the subject of a new Netflix documentary.
- The notorious Heene family will be sharing their side of the bizarre incident about 16 years after the controversy.
- In October 2009, Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed their 6-year-old son Falcon had floated away in a homemade helium balloon.
- The 20-foot object drifted around thousands of feet in the air for nearly two hours.
The news of the documentary triggered skepticism online, with one saying, “Such a hoax! Family doesn’t deserve anymore airtime!”
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In October 2009, Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed their 6-year-old son Falcon had floated away in a homemade helium balloon
Image credits: Netflix
It was the story that made headlines, sparked massive outrage, and even landed parents Richard and Mayumi Heene in jail.
Back in October 2009, the couple alerted authorities and said their 6-year-old son, Falcon Heene, had floated away in a 20-foot “homemade flying saucer.”
Image credits: Netflix
A number of law enforcement agencies, including the local sheriff’s office, the National Guard and even Homeland Security, got involved in the frenzied situation.
Now, a deep dive into the bizarre incident will take place through the new documentary, premiering on Netflix on Tuesday, July 15.
Sixteen years later, the Heene family is finally speaking out in Netflix’s Trainwreck: Balloon Boy
Image credits: Netflix
The documentary will showcase interviews with members of the Heene family, including father Richard and his son Falcon.
“All I wanted to do was make a really fantastic project for the kids,” the father said in the trailer for Trainwreck: Balloon Boy.
Image credits: CBS News
Richard was the brain behind the notorious flying saucer, while Falcon was the boy who was thought to be trapped inside it.
“I think it was crazy how I was 6 years old and I was able to affect the whole state of the country,” said Falcon, now in his early 20s.
The incident made global headlines, but quickly spiraled into scandal
Image credits: NewsFootage
The Heene family unexpectedly triggered a national emergency over a small science project.
They made a homemade, helium-filled silver balloon shaped like a flying saucer in the backyard of their home in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Image credits: Netflix
Richard and Mayumi alerted authorities and claimed their son Falcon had floated off in the balloon. And shortly after that, TV screens across the nation saw the balloon-shaped flying saucer zipping across the sky.
The UFO-like object drifted around thousands of feet in the air for nearly two hours.
It covered about 70 miles before landing northeast of Denver International Airport.
The balloon landed empty and sparked panic about Falcon possibly falling out of the flying saucer
Image credits: Netflix
What was even more baffling was that the boy wasn’t even inside the balloon when it was finally recovered upon touchdown.
A frantic search then began to find Falcon, as law enforcement agents initially thought he may have fallen out of the flying saucer.
Image credits: Netflix
The spiraling adventures came to an end when the child was found hiding in a cardboard box in an attic above the family garage.
He apparently retreated to the attic after Richard scolded him for playing around with the experimental flying saucer, tied up in the family yard.
Richard and Mayumi Heene served jail time and were ordered to pay $36,000 in restitution to authorities
Image credits: Netflix
Richard said his “legs got weak” when he found his son safe and unharmed in the house.
“I’m really sorry I yelled at him,” the father told reporters. “He scared the heck out of us.”
“I was in the attic and he scared me because he yelled at me,” the boy told reporters shortly after being found. “That’s why I went in the attic.”
Image credits: CBS News
In the events that followed, the family was accused of planning the crazy stunt for fame.
Richard and Mayumi even served some jail time and were ordered to pay $36,000 in restitution to authorities.
The upcoming documentary will showcase interviews with members of the Heene family, including Richard and Falcon
Image credits: Netflix
In the upcoming documentary Trainwreck: Balloon Boy, several people defended the Heene family, with one saying, “Richard and Mayumi love those kids.”
But others continued to question the family’s claims and called the entire fiasco a hoax.
“Richard did this purposely,” one speculated in the trailer.
Image credits: Netflix
Netizens had varied reactions to the news of the upcoming documentary.
They “sent everyone on a wild goose chase,” one said, while another wrote, “I mean their goal was to get on tv because of it, I guess it worked.”
“That was ridiculous, we were glued to the tv waiting to see what was going to happen to that little boy, what a hoax!” read another comment.
“Wasn’t this the family that kept trying to get a TV show or be on one or something?” one commented online
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What do you think ?
Trisec Tebeakesse 8 months ago
Sure, because they missed the prime "internet influencer make money" era by being too early. Gotta cash in somehow. Attention whores; don't give them the time of day.
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 8 months ago
Such a core memory for me. I had just walked in from school and turned on the TV and it was just video of the balloon. No channel signage. No news ticker. Just video. I legitimately thought I was looking at a UFO for a few seconds.
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
Wasn’t this the one where, in a televised interview at the time, the kid basically said his parents told him to lie about the whole thing because it was “for the show”—-the reality show the parents wanted to pitch to the networks? In other words, we knew about this 16 years ago.
Trisec Tebeakesse 8 months ago
Sure, because they missed the prime "internet influencer make money" era by being too early. Gotta cash in somehow. Attention whores; don't give them the time of day.
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 8 months ago
Such a core memory for me. I had just walked in from school and turned on the TV and it was just video of the balloon. No channel signage. No news ticker. Just video. I legitimately thought I was looking at a UFO for a few seconds.
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
Wasn’t this the one where, in a televised interview at the time, the kid basically said his parents told him to lie about the whole thing because it was “for the show”—-the reality show the parents wanted to pitch to the networks? In other words, we knew about this 16 years ago.
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