<p>Northeastmom, This family has multiple youtube videos posted. If you had seen them on “Wife Swap”, you would have been able to get a better feel for the dynamics in this family.
The father is a loon. The kids are out of control. They have the vocabulary of a sailor and the parents encourage their rebelliousness. </p>
<p>I’m glad the kid is OK. After initially finding out who was involved, I wasn’t surprised that they would be linked to a story like this.</p>
<p>I did not see them on “Wife Swap”, but I am familiar with the show. They find some very unusual families, so I do believe what you are saying. I did see one of their youtube clips today on TV.</p>
<p>Anybody want to bet Mr. Henne will sue the state of CO, police, National Guard, sheriff’s, any agency involved for destruction of his homemade balloon. He’ll sue for materials, labor and pain and suffering. :D</p>
<p>They are on “Larry King” right now.</p>
<p>Of course they are…</p>
<p>Now that’s a surprise. Not.</p>
<p>I think it’s pretty suspicious, too. I know it sounds terrible to say so.</p>
<p>Anyone ever watch “Malcolm In The Middle”??? Now that we know the boy is safe, I have to tell you that when I first saw this on Breaking News, all I could think of (besides real worry) is that this is SO the type of prank that Dewey on MITM would have pulled !</p>
<p>Okay, I watched the show. I have questions about whether this was some kind of stunt rather than a terrifying family trauma that ended well. Hmmm, some of the cc posters might be right. I really don’t know.</p>
<p>Did you see the father squirm when the reporter asked him to ask his son to clarify the son’s remark that “we did it for the show”?</p>
<p>IMO—the father set this all up for the publicity.</p>
<p>They’re on Larry King Live? Seriously? Already?</p>
<p>I saw an interview earlier today (before the boy was found) on CNN with a little friend of the boy. The friend looked to be about 8-10 years old. It appeared that his parents were standing a ways behind him. The interviewer was asking the kid a lot of questions which made me feel somewhat uncomfortable; his parents never did step in, which I would have in a heartbeat. </p>
<p>My question: Why do people speak so freely to the news media? It seems like in our current society most people believe that it is normal behavior to talk to the media and to even have your children talk to the media, regardless of the circumstances.</p>
<p>THAT didn’t take long :rolleyes:</p>
<p>If it turns out to be a hoax and either of the parents had anything to do with it, I sure hope the state bills them for the cost of today’s multiple resources that were diverted from other necessary activities.</p>
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</p>
<p>That is the conculsion that I reached.</p>
<p>momlove, I cannot imagine having gone through this kind of trauma with one of my children, assuming this episode had been real. I do know that I would not have been composed enough to speak on TV shows the same day or the same week after having gone through something like this!!!</p>
<p>Honest question re: “we did it for the show” comment by the kid - did he seem upset, traumatized, etc.? Would he be after 4 hours hiding in a box from parents?</p>
<p>already on youtube… copy/paste to search for: “Balloon Boy” Falcon Henne Admits: "We Did This For The Show</p>
<p>Family should be billed for all expenses.
Kids should probably be taken away.</p>
<p>Family sure got all the “show” they wanted. I was appalled that ABC Nightly News with Charlie Gibson started this off as the lead story today (nothing else is going on in the world…)</p>
<p>Two things bother me about this. The first is the elder brother LYING consistently to authorities that yes, the boy was in the balloon, that he saw him get in, didn’t see him get out. Second, if I were a Colorado taxpayer I’d be pretty hot under the collar. Think of the valuable resources wasted on this family.</p>
<p>The parents were asked if they were going to punish the child, by grounding him, they replied they never punish their children. This might explain why the eldest continued to lie, but than it begs the question if they never punish their children why were they scared to tell the truth that he was in the garage?</p>
<p>I am totally appalled by these parents on so many levels. Obviously the children being home means they are home schooling, so than you have to ask where were the folks? The fact that they got upset for being asked if this was a hoax when the child said we did it for a show, shows how out of touch they are with reality. Didn’t they think that there was a negative image regarding them because of Wife Swap. All I thought was these are kids that will be arrested at a young age unless something changes drastically and soon.</p>
<p>From the AP - “Officials rerouted planes around the balloon’s flight path and briefly shut down Denver International Airport.” - yeah, if it is a hoax, and I were flying through Denver that day, I would be pretty hot under the collar…</p>