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Hoodwinked by ‘balloon boy’

Posted: Thursday, October 22, 2009 11:43 AM

By Lee Cowan, NBC News correspondent

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – I believed.  

Even though it was a head-scratcher, I somehow thought a 6-year-old boy really had stowed himself away on a flying saucer. I was as fascinated by it all, as I was embarrassed that I couldn’t turn away.

And then, there was that landing, straight out of a sci-fi movie. It was "War of the Worlds" meets "Close Encounters." A muffled cheer even went up in our newsroom. It looked like it was all going to be OK.

But of course, it wasn’t. And maybe that’s why the so-called "balloon boy" saga drew such a visceral reaction.  

VIDEO: 911 tapes from 'balloon boy' saga emerge

While the world was worried about the fate of Falcon Heene floating across the Colorado plains, he was hiding in his family’s garage.

If what investigators say is true, the Heene family had barged into our living rooms, and then stole from us the happy ending we thought we all deserved. Accusations were quickly made that Falcon was just a pawn in his parents attempt to get publicity for a reality TV show.

But that wasn’t the end of the deception. The man with the white hat was the Larimer County sheriff. Surely he’d make it all right.

But from day one, Sheriff Jim Alderdan told most of the media (the ones he didn’t know) that he actually believed the family. He said their story was credible, and even hinted that the case was closed.

So I started to believe again. Maybe we were rushing to judgment. Maybe this family that took pride in being different was just that: different, but not criminal.

Problem is, the sheriff never really believed a word he was saying. He spent two days fibbing in front of the cameras (ours included) just as convincingly as Falcon’s father, Richard Heene, had done. A hoax used to out a hoax.

The difference of course is the end. Richard Heene is accused of lying to become famous. The sheriff admitted to misleading the public to get justice.

But lost in it all was trust. The "balloon boy" story will be remembered for all its lunacy and its hype. It was a good yarn, trivial by almost every measure that started with those fantastic pictures, and ended with a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

I believed. My bad.

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Comments

We were all hoodwinked until the balloon came to rest on Mother Earth and the boy was not in it. The father is a total failure as a role model and parent. The boy should be given therapy and the father given jail time. The problem with the jail time theory is that he may try to spin it into a new reality show!

George Hall, Benton Harbor Michigan (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:14 PM)

If the sheriff had refused to talk to the media, if no announcements had been made until the case was solved, would the media be happy with him?  I don't believe so. I have worked in a position where I am aware of how the media hounds persons associated with a story, and can't take no for an answer.  This rush by the media to get the news out often results in inaccurate information, what's the difference if that inaccurate information comes from the media or from a person they are interviewing?

Joan Williams, Fort Collins, CO (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:25 PM)

I was inthralled at this story from the moment its started for me 12pm that day.I watched both on the televison and on the internet with my 6 year old daughter on my lap, for the whole time this farce was going on my daughter and i could not look away for fear and worry that this litte boy (that is the same age as all my daugter's friends) would not live past this ordeal. When they could not find the boy in the balloon after it landed my daughter was very quiet , she knew somthing very bad had happened to a small person she turn to me and asked,"where is he?", all i could do is shead a tear for the family for fear of the worst. So if some one asks me if its harsh to send these people to jail all i will say is what about how my daughter will view the world now that she knows people will do anything to harm her childhood innocence.

Steve , Mt.Vernon ,Wa. (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:33 PM)

Hmm, I thought it strange that the saucer balloon was so small - didn't seem like it could carry the weight of a 6-yr old kid.

Anyway, I hope they send a message by putting the father into jail for a while.  Certainly he should pay back the tens of thousands of dollars his little publicity stunt cost the taxpayers.  We don't need this kind of 'entertainment' during these economic times...

Buck E. Beaver, Washington DC (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:33 PM)

They all just need to go away.  It's over, the more publicity these people get, the more likely some other nut-job is going to try something like it.  It's not news any more, let's move on!

ken okidd, Richmond, VA (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:45 PM)

I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING COMMUNITY WORK BUT
THEY SHOULD NOT GO TO JAIL.  THE CHILDREN SHOULD NOT
BE GIVEN TO FOSTER PARENTS, THEY SHOULD THEY WITH THEIR OWN FAMILY.  

NORMA BARNEY SUMMERFIELD NC (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:48 PM)

What a family of sad characters!   A father with a creative mind, but undisciplined.  Children with youth and energy, but no guidance.  And finally, a wife who came to America for adventure and got more than she bargained for.

I wish there could be a happy ending, but I foresee only more sadness for this non-standard family.

David Brock (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 12:59 PM)

I agree with Joan Williams.  The only reason that NBC correspondent Cowan is upset is because the sheriff played the media to his own ends, not because of concern for the little boy or upset about a reality show publicity scam, a phenomena actually created by the media (note the pathetic "Apprentice" and "Biggest Loser" on NBC).  As far as the sheriff's actions are concerned I say: "Good on him".

John Galt, Reno, NV (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:08 PM)

There is a much deeper story here about a man that was addicted to somethign not easily gotten: fame.  i think being on TV, and then being famous for being on TV, for no personnel talent, is a curse, and Heene was sucked into that; he wanted more, but it's hard to get and easy to lose.  This is an example of our 24 hour media, and the people it chews up and spits out to face the world with: Hey, did I see you on TV?  

Gary, Seattle, Wash (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:09 PM)

I think they've had their 15 (or more) minutes of fame, and should be ignored by the public and media altogether. Shame when parents use their kids in this matter, and like octamom, some staion will probably pick up a show on them. Disgusting really.

Debbie, Ona WV (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:20 PM)

Leave the Sheriff alone.  He was just doing his job in the best way he knew how and it paid off.  The news media can and has been very melious many times and have also be wrong many times.

Everrette Roberts - Loveland, CO (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:42 PM)

To perpitrate the hoax they put people lives in danger, cost the taxpayers thousands tying up resource needed elsewhere. They are criminals, forget our thoughts regarding any of it.

n.frazza (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:44 PM)

 I was a Firefighter for over 20 years and have delt with the press on many occasions,they will tell you anything to get a "Story" this includes lying to you and making things up if you don't give them the "Facts".

Tom Allen , Johnstown,CO. (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:48 PM)

Can we allow justice to take its proper, procedural course BEFORE we convict a man?  Do we have to convict a man solely upon the unopposed claims of a sheriff?  If so, then let's do away with the courts, the witnesses, and the jury.  I want to hear ALL of the facts from both sides BEFORE I make a decision to convict or to acquit.  That's justice as close as we can get, in this life!

J. D. Hill (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 1:49 PM)

Oh the thrill of it all- But I was tipped off by 2 things- First the landing-  NO WAY no how could the balloon that lost so much gas come down so softly- and the reaction of the ground rescue crew- They seemed more interested in tossing a rope over the balloon and pilling dirt on it (oh yea and beating it to death with a shovel)than getting any kid out of it.  Shame on you balloon boy family- and I feel very sorry for the kid- Falcon_ having to live with balloon boy nickname for the rest of his life- and having him puke on the Today show- in front of millions- that kid is going to be in therapy for a loooong time.

Joe Donut, Donutville, WI (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:06 PM)

My first question was why are mom and dad home this time of day, instead of at work?  Why are the kids at home, instead of school?  What in the world are they living on, if they aren't working at jobs?

How many people in the U.S. are happy with any television shows lately? What's happening to eveyone's brains?  What happened to good stories?
Most all reality shows are not even entertaining.  Are real writers brain dead these days?

Linda Kammerer, Denver, CO (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:16 PM)

THIS FAMILY NEED SOME THERAPY.  THE KIDS ARE GOING TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS IF THEY ARE NOT FOCUSED.  AS PART OF THEIR PUNISHMENT, I WOULD FORCE THEM TO TAKE THERAPY AND DO SOME COMMUNITY SERVICES - MAKING SURE THEY ARE SORRY FOR THIS WASTE OF MONEY, AND WILL NOT ATTEMPT A PUBLICITY STUNT AGAIN....

RONA (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:19 PM)

Seems to me a whole bunch of people have forgotten that this publicity stunt had put a whole lot of men in harm's way unnecessarily, from the pilots of the helos, to the guys driving ambulances and police cars. And while these rescuers were focussed on the boy, the rest of the population were deprived of protection. Good thing nothing bad happenned. Bad that those fine people were placed at hazard. That should be the focus of any charges to be laid to disuade any other copy cats, so our protectors are protected.

joe sayer, Mission, BC, Canada (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:20 PM)

I agree with Debbie. These people (the Henees, Octomom, etc.) all tried to get fame and fortune exploiting their children at whatever means they can try.  Unfortunately we are seeing more and more of these people nowadays and as long as the media are paying more attention to these stories.  All I could say is: shame, shame.....

Hilda W, Miami, FL (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:21 PM)

I don't know how anyone could have believed this guy was telling the truth right from the get. I mean the guy has been trying to get a reality tv show, his family appeared on wife swap, (and if you've seen this show you know that only the most errr "eccentric" families appear on it. Then, take the way he acted with all the media attention, i.e the "put your questions in this box" saga, in addition to the many, many other ridiculous interviews. You take all that, and throw in the fact that the son blurted out "Daddy said we were doing this for a show". The guys a moron, and if you believed this charade for a minuted then you have to be pretty niave.

Shane, Luna pier, Mi (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:21 PM)

The use of jail time in the U.S. has gotten way out of hand.  (Which is probably why the U.S. has more people in jail than any other nation in the world.)  Jail should be reserved for criminals who pose a likely threat or danger to others. The only thing that putting this guy in jail will do is to put him on the public dole for the duration of his sentence, and likely create another generation of freeloaders as his kids will in all probability have to be be put into either a series of foster homes, or some other publically funded program to care for and educate them.

Auslander, Washington, DC (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:24 PM)

The Sheriff lied to catch a lier.  Haven't you ever heard the phrase, "Send a thief to catch a thief," or "Send a maniac to catch a mania?"  There you go.....

S. Wheeler (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:25 PM)

Well you name your son Falcon then expect him NOT to fly??  Stupid man.

Sarah, Flagstaff, Az (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:27 PM)

I figured it was a hoax from the start after seeing the balloon in question. Mythbusters proved waaaay back that they couldn't left a 30 lb. child more than a couple of feet from the floor of a hangar where she was perched on a seat tied to thousands of large helium filled latex balloons.  For a hot second, I though 'is it plausible?' seeing as the balloon was a single balloon rather than many and made of lighter-weight mylar and there was no seat or rope to weigh in...but it wasn't THAT big.  It was hard to judge the size floating on video, but after seeing it on the ground with some size comparison...way too small to lift a child, even a very small one. And the sagging part...could it be the weight of the boy inside?  They said he was in the compartment underneath, which didn't looked weighted at all and the sagging part was in the helium-filled part (wouldn't you asphyxiate from the lack of oxygen if you were actually inside the balloon?).  It just didn't seem credible at all even before the verbal slip.

miteafrodite, AL (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:28 PM)

I think the Sheriff is LYING. Big time.   Why not?  He can come clean now and claim his own interviews were all a hoax, and says he didn't believe from the get-go that the little boy was in the baloon?  He was just playing along to trap Richard Heene in his lies?  Duh... NOT NECESSARY TO CATCH THE HOAXER!  I think he was just as hood-winked as everyone else and believed the concocted story hook, line and sinker.  

Now he doesn't want to look like a fool, so he's trying to lie out of it by claiming he didn't believe the story in first place.  LIAR!!!!!

Anne of Port Charlotte, Fl (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:44 PM)

I cried when they found the balloon without the boy.  I thought he had fallen out.  I have two small children.  I grieved for the parents.  I believed it because no good parent would ever create a lie like this.  My bad.

J Magnini (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:57 PM)

The main stream media sucks.  Be very careful of what they show you and of what they tell you.  Read independent and small news outlets as well.  Try AlterNet.org  Priortitize what news media you take-in.  Think critically if you can.  Don't be fooled by the hype.

Goodreader, Mars, Other Planet (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:58 PM)

that poor kid..who would do that they should be ashamed of themselves

kaitlyn adams benton ky (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:01 PM)

I feel bad for the boy but what's the problem with lying to be famous. How many famous people have been caught in big lies?

Robert Mullins (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:10 PM)

I think the family all need counseling, individual and together; the parents lack of responsibility is dangerous to the public but most of all to their children. I do believe the mother and father need to pay back every penny for this hoax and make a public apology.

M A Pemberton (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:15 PM)

The one thing that everyone is forgetting about this entire ordeal, is one childs life is permanently destroyed, possibly the other children to, as they will be laughed at and taunted in schools, for the rest of their days. Mercy should be spared on them and there is no way now I can see that happen. Their parents actions in greed, have cost their children a lifetime of ridicule from their peers. No wonder the boy was throwing up on TV.

Jackie Lewis , Blue Ridge ,Texas (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:18 PM)

I think it's great that the sheriff lied. The media can mess so many things up and have when they know the truth. I remember reading that he (the sheriff) suspected no foul play or whatever and thought 'What a moron! Really?!' So, I was relieved that I was deceived for a better outcome. He did what he had to in order to get what he wanted, within the limits of the law, mind you. So, I say, game on.

Ramsey Roberts, Long Beach, California (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:23 PM)

The balloon was filled with pop rocks and Barbara Masters.

Brad Masters (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:23 PM)

Come on folks!  I realized it was hoohey from the moment I heard about it.  I was positive it was baloney as soon as I saw the size of the "baloon".  No way was it large enough to lift anything as heavy as 36 lbs.
If P.T. Barnum was alive today he'd be saying: "There is a sucker born every split-second."  It used to be minute.

olde yankee (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:23 PM)

Poor kid! What kind of sick and twisted parents would do that???? Honestly... this poor boy has to live with that emmbarresing nickname for the rest of his life while his parents try to come up with aother stupid publicity stunt! Falcon needs extensive therepy and fast!

Maggie Garcia, Ft Lauderdale, FL (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:42 PM)

It was a prank, its done. Charge the parents (Low level misdemeanor), check. Make them feel like fools, Check. Spank the kid, Check. America feels stupid for following, Check. The mere fact that they had all of us beleiving or even watching for results just shows that we Americans are gullable fools for this reality crap. Parting words: Who cares, the kid is safe and the parents are crazy GET OVER IT because if this happens again tomorrow we wil all be there watching again and we know it, why because crap like this keeps us American fools going. Sheez.

Ernest Burgos (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:51 PM)

Seriously, you are going to jump on the Sheriff who was keeping information closed to reports so he could find out what was going on?!?!?  This is why I do not watch any televised newscast.....

s miller (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:00 PM)

The whole hoax was lame, the ballon would have to be a whole lot larger to hold such a payload, if you watched the way the ballon flew, you could see it was empty.

jim schroeder , upland , calif (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:02 PM)

I think the sheriff did a good job.  I have noticed that this generation of reporters' think they hav4 to scoop everone and are unable to work with law enforcement.  Many times investigation muct go on in and do not need to  be addressed by areporter.

George Jackson, Galena, Ks. (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:04 PM)

This whole thing is sick. Is this where reality tv is taking us? The parents should be made to pay back every penny that it cost each agency that was involved in this case. I think it's more than fair to not let the media know every single thing that's going on in a situation. Most often the ones in authority know what they're doing. We don't always have the "need to know." I hope that those little boys get some good therapy -- it sounds like they're going to need it. What a flake their father is.

Mountain Mama New Mexico (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:11 PM)

I believe that retribution is the most important consequence that Mr. and Mrs. Heene should face.  They indeed cost taxpayers incredible amounts of money since the FAA had to call on the military to protect the airport... not to mention all the rescue workers and resources that were involved.  The courts will decide if jail time is warranted, but people should not be allowed to freely (and falsely!) exploit resources that are in place to help PEOPLE IN NEED.

Kelly, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:15 PM)



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