Thaindian News

By Madhuri Dey
Oct 18 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Richard Heene, father of the infamous ‘balloon boy’ Falcon Heene, the boy who created international furor by disappearing for hours, attempted to put an end to the endless misery being caused to his son by the curiosity of the press.

Falcon’s family had assumed that he had sailed away in the helium-filled balloon that his father had been experimenting with when both went missing at the same time. Next ensued a frantic but fruitless search that included the media until Falcon was discovered hiding in the attic. The incident resulted in the boy being becoming an overnight celebrity and appearing in numerous shows, to be questioned over and over again about the incident and whether it was only a publicity gimmick, until he fell too sick on a show.

On the 17th of October, Richard made an announcement on his front porch, as he had promised, concerning the interviews and appearances. He had invited the media and in front of fifty or so reporters, he placed a big cardboard box and simply asked everybody to place their written queries in it. As reply to the questions hurled at him by the reporters present there as to whether the alleged flight had been a gag for publicity or not, he simply said that their family would not be entertaining phone calls, interviews or e-mails any more, but that every deposited question would be answered by seven in the evening. The event meant profit and business for some neighbors, and irritation for others.

The sheriff of Larimer County’s office had announced that Richard Heene and his family were going to be charged.