A story about a 6 old boy from Ft. Collins drifted away in a balloon turns out to be a hoax. The story of Falcon Heene who was allegedly climbed in the basket of the UFO shaped balloon and floated away. The truth the boy was in box in attic above the garage of his family’s home.
The boy’s parents Richard Heene said Falcon’s brother Brad has seen his brother climbed the basket of the balloon and the rope mysteriously untied and the balloon floated away around 11:00AM.
Heene said the family was in the backyard tinkering with balloon when Falcon climbed in. The father chastise his son for climbing into the balloon.
The family contacted authorities. The authorities say the balloon floated as high 15,ooo ft in the air and landed some 50 miles away near Brighton, Co.; in suburban Denver.
The boy’s family contacted Larimer County Sheriff Office which then put out a manhunt for the child. Military helicopter searched and followed the U.F. O. shaped balloon while the story is became an international sensation.
After the balloon crashed officials searched the craft and the child was not found the the hunt for Falcon Heene intensified. There were reports that basket attached to the balloon came apart and crashed to the ground thankfully that wasn’t the case.
Two hours later word came that little Falcon Heene was at home safe and sound.
“He’s been located. He’s alive. He’s at the house,” Larimer County Sheriff Alderden told reporters, giving a ‘thumbs-up.’
Apparently, Falcon was hiding in a box in the attic in the garage.
The Heene family held the press conference later.
“It was in the really early stages of the invention,” Richard Heene said of the experimental aircraft, holding Falcon in his arms. “This little guy got inside of it…I thought he did anyway, according to Brad.”
“He videotaped it and we watched it back and, sure enough, he got in,” He said. “But obviously he got out.”
“I was in the attic and he scared me because he yelled at me,” Falcon said. “That’s why I went in the attic.”
“I yelled at him. I’m really sorry I yelled at him,” Heene said, choking up and hugging Falcon to him during the news conference.
Heene said the balloon wasn’t tethered properly, and “it was a mishap. I’m not going to lay blame on anybody.”
Fox 31 News/ KDVR-TV