Happy Ending.... That little boy is safe and alive
I watched that weather balloon coverage for a couple hours...
Let me tell you though, I had the TV on mute and caught a glimpse of that thing floating around... the whole story was weird... Imagine what was going thru his head...
Last edited by Sweetcaroline; 10-15-2009 at 07:11 PM.
my son called me about an hour ago to ask if I had seen it...I told him I had and was scared the boy was dead...he told me the kid was at home...thank God...
my son also told me that his high school class Myth Busted the story and figured the balloon couldn't carry a kid!
I think the landing was one of the most dramatic things I have seen in a long while. Thank goodness he's alright, but at the same time I hope the parents are sent a bill from the multiple agencies that aided in the effort.
Did you know it was the parents who called 9News (the station that broke the story)?
They just posted a link on Fark where the little kid was interviewed saying his parents told him to do it "for the show." (they were on wife swap or some such apparently).
The kid has "had to vomit" two times during subsequent interviews when he was asked why he said they "did it for a show" and his DAD was left to answer for him.
It was a total setup...I also hope they're billed, but they probably won't be.
I think the landing was one of the most dramatic things I have seen in a long while. Thank goodness he's alright, but at the same time I hope the parents are sent a bill from the multiple agencies that aided in the effort.
Did you know it was the parents who called 9News (the station that broke the story)?
I was at work and I was just so afraid that the kid had fallen out of the balloon. I'm so glad he's safe, but I won't be amused at all if it shakes out to be a hoax. I hadn't heard that the parents called the news.
EZ, I just told DD she should tell her AP Physics teacher about your son's class Myth-Busting it. What a great exercise!
A story today said they'd only been building their "experimental balloon" for a week or two...I bet it was a setup to get the balloon on TV for attention and funding for the project...
I think a very thorough investigation needs to be done and dad needs a lie detector. Some counseling, parenting classes, etc. seem to be in order here in the very, very least.
2. The whole thing seems like something more and more rotten in Denmark with each passing minute. Apparently the family had been planning a reality show of their own but it fell through. (Better that than the kid!) Could a helium-filled balloon of that size be able to support a 6-year-old boy's weight? ETA: You beat me to it, EZMoney. And the whole interior compartment of the balloon would apparently be filled with helium and that kid would have suffocated if he had been in it for any length of time. Get to the bottom of it, and if necessary shake the parents down for every $ spent chasing the balloon and searching for the kid
3. That said, the first thing that came to my mind as I was reading the story was an old movie I'd seen on TV as a kid: A Ticklish Affair with Gig Young and Shirley Jones. Here's the page on the TCM website: click the "See synopsis" link to read the plot, which likewise involves a little boy flying away tied to helium-filled wx balloons http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=723
I think the odds are good that the family will be prosecuted.
My understanding is that not only were local law enforcement and fire department personnel involved, but military equipment and personnel as well. In my experience law enforcement, and government agencies (even city government) do not appreciate being "misused." What will come of it, or whether their publicity stunt works well enough for them to be able to pay damages and still make a profit, who knows?
I think the odds are good that the family will be prosecuted.
My understanding is that not only were local law enforcement and fire department personnel involved, but military equipment and personnel as well. In my experience law enforcement, and government agencies (even city government) do not appreciate being "misused." What will come of it, or whether their publicity stunt works well enough for them to be able to pay damages and still make a profit, who knows?
That and since it landed 12 miles from the international airport, I think they had to divert some flights as well? A lot of people putting a lot of time and effort into something that's looking rather shady...
I have never seen Wife Swap but I watched the clips of their second appearance on there. Obviously how people live their lives, raise their kids, is their own business, and there's probably some element of "hamming it up" for the camera, but at the same time, it was still kind of appalling seeing the boys' dad behaving that badly. Screaming, throwing milk on a woman for attempting to enforce her vegetarian rule, encouraging the boys to act out... wow. It was like watching a spoiled little kid throwing tantrums.
there's probably some element of "hamming it up" for the camera, but at the same time, it was still kind of appalling seeing the boys' dad behaving that badly. Screaming, throwing milk on a woman for attempting to enforce her vegetarian rule, encouraging the boys to act out... wow. It was like watching a spoiled little kid throwing tantrums.
I didn't see any of that, but I did wonder from the beginning why a 6 year old would "hide" for being reprimanded, unless the adult was emotionally or physically abusive. It's not the hiding, but the hiding for so long that seemed really weird to me. When my parents would yell at us, we'd sometimes hide and pout (they'll be sorry when they can't find me, and think I ran away), but we never stayed hidden for very long (besides which our hiding spots weren't very well hidden - like our bedroom closet).
Then when I heard that the boy became physically ill on two seperate occasions when questioned about the lie (which I don't kow to be true) it just made me very uncomfortable. It's very traumatic for children to lie for an adult - or even to be a silent witness to an adult's lie. I remember as a kid, I was large for my age, so waitresses wouldn't believe I was under the age limit for the children's menu. My parents never fought it, but my brother was vey small for his age, and so when he outgrew the children's menu, my parents would tell the waitress he was younger than he was. I guess they figured it all balanced out, since they paid adult price for me when I was under the age limit. Still, it stressed both my brother and me out (I'd turn bright red, so it was kind of hard not to see that I was embarassed). I think my parents must have figured that out, because they didn't try it more than a couple times. I can't imagine being 6 and being expected to keep such a big secret/lie. Maybe it isn't abuse, but I think it comes pretty close. The parents are, at the very least (lets just say donkeys)for putting a 6 year old through that.
Happy Ending.... That little boy is safe and alive
