It all started on October 15, 2009, when Richard and Mayumi Heene dialled 911 at approximately 11:35 a.m. local time. They reported that Falcom, their six-year-old son, was trapped inside a homemade helium-filled gas balloon, which was drifting away, gaining altitude, and heading eastward uncontrollably over populated areas.
The incident, which was quite bizarre, was quick to gain media traction, and the boy was hereby named “Balloon Boy”. However, the event, which initially appeared to be a simple missing-child case, quickly turned out to be a hoax.
The Heene Family and the Reality TV Context Behind Balloon Boy
Richard Heene was born on September 10, 1961. He had a keen interest in amateur science, invention, and storm chasing. He also attended an acting school in Hollywood, where he met his wife, Mayumi Heene, who immigrated to the US in 1987.
The couple got married on October 12, 1997. They had three sons: Bradford, Ryo, and Falcon. Falcon, being the youngest, was born in 2003.
Because of Richard’s love for Science, the family adopted an unconventional lifestyle. All the children were often engaged in scientific experimentation, physical challenges, and outdoor pursuits. One of Richard’s many keen interests was chasing storms, and he always had his sons involved.
He became a storm chaser after a storm tore the roof off a building he was working on. He reportedly participated in quite adventurous activities while chasing a storm, such as riding a motorcycle into a tornado and flying a plane around the perimeter of Hurricane Wilma in 2005.
The family also appeared on ABC’s Wife Swap twice. They were seen on the show for the first time in October 2008, swapping with the Martel family, and again in March 2009 for the show’s 100th episode, swapping with the Silver family.
During the show, Richard was seen obsessing over scientific experiments and shoving traditional family values under the rug. He also stated his ‘belief’ that humanity actually descended from aliens, which aligns with his vision of making home-made flying saucers and sending them into storms.
It is also stated that by April 2009, the family had signed an option agreement with the producers of Wife Swap to develop a new reality series focused mainly on homemade science experiments.
The Balloon Launch and the 911 Call that Sparked a National Chase
On October 15, 2009, as always, the Heene family was conducting experiments in their backyard, but this time on a much larger scale. The family had a homemade helium-filled balloon in their backyard in Fort Collins, Colorado, in Larimer County. The balloon was constructed in the family’s garage.
The balloon was approximately 20 feet in diameter and 6 feet tall, made with 16 pie-shaped sheets of thin plastic joined with two rolls of duct tape. It resembles a saucer-like envelope filled with helium, with a strengthened plywood rim for structural support. This balloon was not tested out beforehand.
According to a home video, which recorded the launch of the balloon, Richard is first seen inspecting the balloon’s “basket”, then the family counted down in unison, “three, two, one” before releasing the cord. When it floats away, the family starts screaming in distress.
At the end of the video, Richard Heene is seen kicking the wooden frame that supported the balloon, looking visibly upset that it had drifted away, and stating, “You didn’t put the fucking tether down!”
After the balloon was launched at around 11:30 a.m. local time, the family dialled 911, reporting that Falcon, their youngest son, was trapped inside it. According to Falcon’s brother, he has seen Falcon climb into the cardboard box attached to the balloon before it launched to the sky.
The balloon, which was supposed to only hover a few feet above the ground, was now in the sky with Falcon inside. Behind the call was Richard Heene, who said, “I don’t know whether it’s possible you guys could detect the electricity that it emits … it emits a million volts on the outer skin.”
According to Richard, the saucer-shaped balloon was a prototype for a vehicle intended for heavy traffic. He also stated that once “the high voltage timer” was switched on, the balloon “would emit one million volts every five minutes for one minute” to “move left and right — horizontal”.
Falcon was said to be inside a box attached to the balloon, made from a fragile piece of plywood and cardboard on one side, held together by string and duct tape.
According to the initial report, the family first called the Federal Aviation Administration; however, a sheriff’s office later debunked that claim, stating that “they had no confirmation that Richard Heene actually made the call to the FAA.”
The family also called Denver NBC affiliate KUSA-TV, requesting that the station send a news helicopter to track the balloon’s progress, and then finally called emergency services.
Because the balloon was reportedly ascending rapidly into the sky, the family was panicking about the child’s safety. Due to the high risk, several alerts were sent to aviation authorities and local media. Soon, the balloon became visible on radar and was also tracked with ground observations.
The risk was high because when fully inflated, the balloon is expected to have around 1,000 cubic feet (28 m3) of helium. According to the observations, the balloon was estimated to have reached 7,000 feet (2,100 m), with Falon apparently ‘trapped’ inside the cardboard box stuck to it.
After the emergency services were called, Larimer County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Heenes’ house. Falcon was not found inside the house nor in the garage. Failing to find the boy, the authorities checked nearby houses. They also search the wooded area near the house.
About an hour after the balloon launch, the news went national. The footage of the balloon flying across the country was then broadcast on cable news, and most people believed a 6-year-old child was stuck in it, flying at a great altitude.
A bunch of reporters were seen flooding the Heenes’ neighbourhood. Within minutes of the emergency call, the whole nation was now worried about Falcon, who was given the nickname of “The Balloon Boy”.
The balloon was tracked by helicopters and emergency services. It drifted for 60 miles (approximately 97 km) and passed through Adams and Weld Counties. Since the news was already making headlines, several planes were rerouted around the balloon’s flight path to ensure the child’s safety.
About 90 minutes after the call, the balloon started deflating. The footage streamed on cable TV showed one side of the balloon sagging. The balloon began slowly circling a freshly planted field about 50 miles from the launch location.
The balloon finally landed 2 hours after the launch at around 1:35 p.m. local time near Keenesburg, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Denver International Airport. When the balloon was finally deflated on the ground, deputies and health care officers searched the craft.
But to everyone’s surprise, Falcon was nowhere to be found.
According to a deputy, he had seen an object fall from the balloon a few miles earlier. The authorities begin searching for the boy once again. According to Richard, the discovery was “the worst moment of my life.”
While the search operations continued, one investigator at the Heenes’ house, about to make a call, heard a shriek. And there he was, Falcon present inside his home, as if he had been there all along.
According to Falcon, he has been hiding inside a box in the garage’s attic. The boy told the police that he was scared and had been scolded by his father before the launch, which had him hiding in his safe place, where he had played with some toy cars, and then fell asleep.
While the six-year-old was asleep in the attic, the total cost of his ‘search and rescue’ operation was estimated at over $ 40,000.
How The Balloon Boy Story Collapsed and The Debate Which Followed
After Falcon was found safe inside his home, the family sat down with CNN for an interview. But the interview, which initially felt heartwarming, quickly sparked doubts and allegations of a hoax.
During the interview, when Wolf Blitzer from CNN asked Richard, “Did he hear anything? Did he hear you screaming out ‘Falcon, Falcon?’ ”
Richard turned towards his son, asking, “Did you hear us calling your name at any time?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Falcon answered.
“You did?” Richard said, surprised. “Well, then why didn’t you come out?”
“Um.” Falcon paused. “You guys said…(pause) that, um…(pause) we did this for the show.”
“Man,” Richard said.
“No,” Mayumi said.
The authorities confronted the family based on their son’s statement. 2 days later, Larimer County law enforcement officials asked Richard to report to their office.
The discovery led to confusion, disappointment, and surprise. During the investigation, Richard and Mayumi were taken for polygraph examinations. While Richard successfully dodged the questions, his wife crumbled.
On October 24, 2009, Mayumi Heene confessed that the balloon launch was staged. She stated that it was a publicity stunt and her son was never endangered or inside the balloon at all.
Her statement was supported by a forensic analysis that confirmed there were no traces of the child having entered the balloon. There was an absence of fingerprints, hair, and clothing fibres on the interior surfaces of the balloon.
Moreover, when authorities measured the balloon, they concluded it was not large enough to lift a child weighing around 17 kg, which was Falcon’s reported weight at that time.
It was there that it was concluded that the incident was a hoax. The couple had put up the publicity stunt in hopes of marketing themselves and getting a reality show signed.
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into Richard and Mayumi Heene, accusing them of creating a hoax. According to Sheriff Jim Alderden, the authority believes that the event was fabricated and planned to attract media attention.
Felony charges were pursued against the couple for misleading the emergency services. As part of the investigation, family members were re-interviewed, and a search warrant was obtained for the family’s residence to examine the balloon and related materials.
Many loopholes were discovered during the investigation. In November 2009, Richard faced a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant, and his wife, Mayumi Heene, was charged with a misdemeanour for false reporting to authorities.
On November 13, 2009, the couple entered a guilty plea.
The couple was also imposed a list of potential fines and penalties, all before the sentence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a fine of $11,000 USD for the “launching of an unauthorised aircraft.” Richard also proposed fines for committing a class 4 felony.
As a result, Richard could have received two to six years in prison and fines between $2,000 to $500,000. Mayumi Heene, on the other hand, faced a potential penalty of a class 3 misdemeanour; she could have received up to six months in prison and a fine ranging from $50 to $750.
Later, it was revealed that Mayumi admitted knowing about the plan all along, confirming the accusations of the hoax.
The couple appeared for sentencing on December 23, 2009, before Judge Stephen Schapanski.
As per the final verdict, Richard Heene received 90 days in jail, with 30 days served consecutively and the remaining 60 days on work release. Exemptions were granted to allow him to continue his employment.
In addition, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. The family was banned from receiving any financial benefit from the hoax.
Mayumi Heene was sentenced to 20 days in jail, to be served on weekends, along with four years of probation. Richard was also required to write a formal letter of apology to the court and the public, acknowledging his neglect and waste of resources.
The couple reportedly did not pursue any further appeals of their conviction and completed their punishment as specified. They also paid approximately $36,000 in restitution to Larimer County for emergency response costs.
Although they did not go for appeals, they did constantly state that they were innocent, with Mayumi Heene claiming to have confessed out of fear of deportation.
Finally, on December 23, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis pardoned both Richard and Mayumi Heene.
The Netflix Documentary and the Return of the Balloon Boy Case
In July 2025, a Netflix documentary, “Trainwreck: Balloon Boy,” forced people to revisit the hoax. Richard Heene, who is now a general contractor in Florida, says, “The whole story was not told.”
According to him, many details were kept from the public, making the incident look like a hoax rather than the reality it was. The documentary features footage from the 2009 incident, along with new interviews with family members, including Falcon.
While the documentary sheds new light on the situation, most people still believe the hoax is possible, while some argue in favour of the family.
“If Richard was going to pull a stunt like that, he would have called me first,” Diana, Richard’s sister, says. “He would have known I’d be worried, thinking one of my nephews’ lives was in danger. There’s no way he does something like that, worrying people he loves.”
On the other hand, the hoax not only received extensive media coverage but also spawned an Internet meme. The event was followed closely and circulated on social networking sites in real time. People were quick to speculate and edit images, which only added fuel to the fire.
Within hours of the event, the term “Balloon boy” became the No. 1 search on Google. About 34 of the top 40 Google searches were related to Falcon Heene and the incident.
In 2011, Richard auctioned the balloon, which was sold to Mike Fruitman, an Aurora, Colorado, businessman, for $2,502. The family confirmed that the proceeds from the auction went to the victims of the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
After the incident, not only Richard Heene but also the media were heavily criticised by experts and commentators. Many of these experts raised concerns about the exploitation of children for new stories and gaining popularity.
The family appears to be doing fine for now, with Richard focusing on raising his boys and creating a good future for the family, according to recent public interviews.
But the question remains the same: was “The Balloon Boy” just a hoax, or was a family genuinely terrified they had lost their son?
