“Biggest nightmare ever,” Balloon Boy's family opens up about the viral incident after 16 years

Trainwreck: Balloon Boy delves into the complete story of the Heene family, who were embroiled in the 2009 Balloon Boy Hoax controversy. On October 15, 2009, a homemade helium-filled balloon was released into the Colorado atmosphere.

Richard and Mayumi Heene called the authorities and reported that their six-year-old son Falcon was inside the basket. The local authorities and a National Guard helicopter followed the balloon until it landed 12 miles northeast of Denver International Airport. However, authorities failed to find Falcon inside the basket.

Later that day, Falcon Heene was discovered hiding in a cardboard box in the attic of the Heene family garage. Richard and Mayumi Heene were charged and sentenced to prison for the Balloon Boy Hoax. As reported by People, in the trailer of the Netflix documentary, Richard Heene recalled the trauma connected to the incident, describing it as:

"Biggest Nightmare Ever."

Falcon Heene recalls his experience being part of the national controversy (Image via Netflix)

Richard's son, Falcon Heene, who was believed to be in the basket of the helium-filled balloon, reflects on being the center of a national controversy.

“I think it was crazy how I was six years old and I was able to affect the whole state of the country,” Falcon said.

The documentary explores the complete story of the controversy from the perspective of the Heene family (Image via Netflix)

Trainwreck: Balloon Boy is directed by Gillian Pachter. The Netflix documentary brings personal interviews from the Heene family members. Richard Heene was responsible for creating the homemade saucer-shaped helium balloon.

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What is the story behind the Balloon Boy controversy?

Richard Heene was responsible for creating the helium-filled balloon, which was launched from his residence (Image via Netflix)

As reported by CNN, it was on October 15, 2009, when a homemade helium balloon was launched from the Heene family residence in Fort Collins, Colorado. Authorities were told that Richard and Mayumi's six-year-old son, Falcon Heene, was in the balloon's basket.

In the trailer of the Netflix documentary, Richard said:

“All I wanted to do was make a really fantastic project for the kids.”

As reported by NBC News, the Local Sheriff's Office, National Guard, and Homeland Security got involved in the rescue operation. When the balloon landed near Keenesburg, Falcon was not found in the basket. After Falcon Heene was discovered hiding in the attic of the Heene family's garage, it led to public frustration and outrage.

People reported that the Heene family was accused of trying to get public attention for a reality TV show. Mayumi and Richard Heene, however, have maintained their innocence and denied being part of the Balloon Boy Hoax.

The Netflix documentary provides personal interviews from authorities who were connected with Falcon's rescue operation (Image via Netflix)

As reported by Time, it was on December 23, 2009, when Richard Heene received 90 days, and Mayumi Heene was sentenced to 20 days in prison. In 2020, Richard Heene and Mayumi Heene were pardoned by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Trainwreck: Balloon Boy narrates the Balloon Boy story from the perspective of the Heene family members.

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Check out our articles to learn more details about other cases in the Trainwreck series.