Balloon Fixation: Hoax or No Hoax?


I was gone for most of the day on Thursday and caught a bit of this strange story on my phone via Twitter of all places.. thanks Twit buddies :)

As it turns out this might have been a hoax.. what do you all think? Hoax or no hoax?

7 comments:

  1. I'm thinking hoax. Dad called the media first, according to the anchor on the air live while the balloon was in the air. Then there was the kid saying it was 'for the show' to CNN's Wolfe Blitzer. Lastly, it seems the difference from a balloon that can lift itself to a balloon that can lift a 6 year old is pretty big. Dad should have known that it wouldn't have gone so high with the kid on board.

    I guess the local authorities still believe him, but it seems fishy to me.

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  2. I'm also thinking hoax. This family has been on reality shows twice....they like the fame. I'm not so sure Dad is the best actor of all.
    Just guessing... but that's my take.
    I was holding my breath watching and praying the little boy was safe and alive. For that I'm thankful, hoax or not.

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  3. If it wasn't a hox, I'm pretty concerned about the fear a 6yo boy would have of his father that would keep him so focused in hiding for 5 hours. When my boys were that age, they'd forget what they were doing in 10 minutes.

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  4. I think the kid said he fell asleep, which makes seems plausible.

    The kid also had run some news folks up to the attic to show them the box. It's been suggested that that maybe was the 'show' he was talking about. I dunno, it sounds fishy to me, but I guess no one really knows what the truth is yet.

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  5. Of course I can't say for sure, but I strongly suspect "hoax".
    1. They just "happened" to be filming the dramatic moment when the balloon escaped.
    2. I saw no effort on the part of the father to try to leap for the balloon or the ropes that had tethered it, and I think that would be pretty much instinctual.
    3. Apparently the parents immediately called the police and THE LOCAL TV STATION. (Hint, hint).
    4. In at least 2 separate interviews, the boy said that he did this "for the show".
    5. The parents have sought publicity a number of times: pitching a "reality show", appearing on a separate "reality show", sending in video clips to the media...

    Put all those factors together, and their story just doesn't seem credible.

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  6. Didn't follow it after I found out the kid hadn't fallen from the sky and died.

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  7. What a messed up family. I think it was a hoax that got completely out of hand. the boys seem like such a handfull to begin with. I don't think the entire family lives very desciplined lives.

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