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Trainwreck: Balloon Boy is a documentary that is scheduled to be released on Netflix on July 15, 2025. The trailer for the documentary, directed by Gillian Pachter, was dropped a month before its release. It is based on one of the news stories about a "home-built UFO powered by helium" that captured national attention in the United States.
Produced by RAW and BBH, Trainwreck: Balloon Boy sees members of the Heene family at the center of the story speak out for the first time since the incident happened 16 years ago. In October 2009, a homemade flying saucer was seen floating across the sky in Colorado. It was supposedly carrying a little boy, but how did he end up there? Let's find out.
The true story behind Trainwreck: Balloon Boy
In the Trainwreck: Ballon Boy trailer, there's a footage from the fateful day of October 15, 2009, when a father, Richard Heene, residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, called 911 to report that his 6-year-old son, Falcon Heene, was aboard the homemade saucer that had escaped their backyard. Panic quickly replaced the awe people were feeling while watching the flying saucer.
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Local news helicopters were capturing the footage of the saucer in the sky and live-streaming the chase. From the National Guard to the Sheriff, and Homeland Security, everyone had one thing on their mind — rescuing the little boy and bringing him back safely to his family.
People were praying for a miracle while they waited with bated breath to find out if the kid, nicknamed 'Balloon Boy', was safe inside the saucer. However, once the saucer landed, it turned out that there was, in fact, no child inside it. Then, where was he?
Much to the rightful outrage of the public, it was revealed that Falcon Heene was hiding in his own house while this entire fiasco unfolded on national television for millions to see. After an investigation, it was concluded that the whole thing might have been a hoax, while some claimed it was a publicity stunt that the family did to gain attention in the media.
According to NBC News, Richard and Mayumi Heene pleaded guilty to the charges filed against them, but later they claimed that it was due to the fear of Mayumi Heene's deportation because she is a Japanese citizen. They both faced jail time. Governor Polis pardoned them in 2020 and removed Mayumi's misdemeanor charge and Richard's felony charge from the records, as reported by People magazine.
Also read: Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy: Release date, plot, and everything we know so far
Members of the Heene family open up about the incident in the Trainwreck: Balloon Boy trailer
The trailer for the documentary Trainwreck: Balloon Boy was released on June 15, 2025. It gave an insight into the upcoming project, centering on the 2009 controversy that left many viewers frustrated. Richard Heene said in the trailer:
"All I wanted to do was make a really fantastic project for the kids."
Falcon Heene, who is going to be 22 years old in October 2025, recalled:
"I think it was crazy how I was 6 years old and I was able to affect the whole state of the country."
While one person claimed that Richard and Mayumi Heene loved the kids, another suggested that Richard Heene did it intentionally.
Trainwreck: Balloon Boy will be released on Netflix on July 15, 2025.
