Falcon Heene: Boy in The Balloon

         In the late morning of Thursday, October 15th, 2009 six year old Falcon Heene was reported missing. His family had a home made hot air balloon floating loosely in the back yard. Falcon had reportedly climbed in and the air balloon had surprisingly taken off with the little boy inside. By 3:15PM officials had located the balloon and were trying to discuss the options available for retrieving the child. By this time the balloon had already been aloft for nearly two hours and the health concerns due to exposure and hypothermia were mounting against Falcon.

         Falcon Heene’s family has already had small moments of fame on ABC’s reality TV show “Wife Swap” as an eccentric storm chasing family. Richard and Mayumi Heene and their three sons were featured on the show in which the mothers of two often opposite families switch places for two weeks. Mayumi Heene traded places with Karen Martel, whose husband runs a child-proofing business intended to keep children safe, according to a recap posted on Reality TV Magazine. In listing information on the Heene family, ABC’s “Wife Swap” Web site described them as “When the Heene family aren’t chasing storms, they devote their time to scientific experiments that include looking for extraterrestrials and building a research-gathering flying saucer to send into the eye of the storm.”

           The balloon was owned by the boy’s parents and tethered behind the family’s home. Two sons were playing outside when the older boy saw the younger one go into a compartment at the bottom of the balloon and fly away. Similar balloons to this one have been reported to fly as high as 10,000 feet.

          Eventually the balloon landed, half deflated, in an empty field. When officials reached the balloon, the basket was crumpled with no one inside, furthering the mystery. Now officials say there is a possibility that Falcon might be hiding in his Fort Collins neighborhood, fearful of being punished. “That’s good news and that’s bad news,” Mr. Nilsson, the Larimer County emergency manager, said in a telephone interview. “He was no longer in danger from a balloon crash. The bad news is we don’t know where he is.” Mr. Nilsson said that dozens of law enforcement officers were searching for the 6-year-old boy in his neighborhood. “I am hoping the scenario is that he is scared of punishment and does not want to be found,” he said.

           At around 6PM the surreal panic left when Falcon was found, completely safe, hiding inside his family’s garage. Further investigations into the situation will undoubtedly be held. Their is no information yet on whether the Heene’s will be faced with any charges due to child endangerment, due to the incredibly dangerous circumstances and what could have been had Falcon actually been inside the balloon.