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Real drama or hoax? Balloon goes up on boy in the attic who sparked alert
David Gardner in Los Angeles16.10.09
The dramatic story of the six-year-old American boy who was feared trapped in a runaway homemade helium balloon may all have been a hoax, it emerged today.
The boy's father, Richard Heene was forced to deny that it was all a publicity stunt after his son, Falcon, who spent several hours hiding in a garage attic, told CNN: "We did this for a show."
The world watched in horror under the misapprehension that Falcon was on board as the home-made silver balloon floated out of control for two hours, travelling for 50 miles across Colorado at up to 7,000 feet.
Asked about the suggestions it was a stunt, Mr Heene said: "That's horrible. I am really appalled after all of the feelings I have been through up and down."
The boy's mother, Mayumi, added: "This was real. That is all I know. I have nothing else to say to these people. I really thought we might have lost him."
Boy admits 'we did this for the show'
Falcon said he went into the garage because his father had shouted at him for playing in the balloon.
He first played and then took a nap in a cardboard box in the attic of the garage, ignoring cries of his family and police, and came out because he was "bored".
Mr Heene, a retired weatherman and amateur scientist, became irritated when he was asked on television for clarification on Falcon's remarks, saying he was simply referring to questions he was asked at earlier interviews.
Suspicion grew after is emerged that Falcon's parents, from Fort Collins, Colorado, have appeared twice in the American reality show Wife Swap, in which spouses switch families to see how they cope with another partner.
The Heenes have also posted a video on YouTube showing the family discussing how they chased a hurricane.
Explaining why he built the balloon, Mr Heene told CNN: "The experiment was one of our family inventions.
"We tried to build a craft to where people don't need to drive in their cars, but just elevate to work at 50 to 100 feet off the ground.
Balloon boy's father 'I'm appalled at you!'
"We did this in our back yard,' he said.
He said they started to inflate the craft with helium but it somehow came free.
"I freaked out a little bit and I asked my wife what happened to the tether. My 10-year-old son, Bradford was trying to attract my attention and finally he said, 'Falcon was inside the saucer.'"
The Heenes said they searched everywhere and decided to call in the authorities because "the clock was ticking".
"At that point we were 100 per cent certain that Falcon was in there," said Mr Heene.
When the balloon landed and his son was not inside, he said he feared the worst. Crying, he added: "I lost it at that point. I thought maybe he had fallen out. The door on it is cardboard and he could have jumped out or fallen out. I am just so glad that he is here."
He heard his wife scream when Falcon emerged. "I dropped to my knees. He was safe and he was alive. It was a great moment."
Although police said there was no reason to doubt the story, there was grumbling at the cost of a search which involved police, the US Air Force and the National Guard.
A £3,000-an-hour Black Hawk helicopter was in the air for three hours and a £400 an hour Kiowa chopper was also deployed.
