"Balloon boy" responders dealt with roller coaster of emotions

[Liberal_in_LA]

But there also was a second toll to the hours-long drama, one difficult to measure — the emotional wear on those who tracked the flight of the silvery craft, who feared for the safety of Falcon Heene, who despaired that he may have fallen to his death, who ultimately got the happy ending everyone was hoping for.

For them, it was an afternoon of emotional upheaval.

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"If we thought the kid's life was in jeopardy, maybe this hoist would come into play — it would have been an extreme measure, because it would have been quite dangerous," Petty said.

Petty swooped in above the balloon, joining another National Guard helicopter and two news choppers.

"By the time we got there, the balloon was starting what looked like a pretty controlled, slow descent," Petty said. "We circled around and just got good eyes on it and watched it come down.

"When it landed, we thought, 'Oh, great, a happy ending.' "


Dreading the search

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In Platteville, Brian Bostron followed the drama on television for a time. Then the captain in the Platteville Gilcrest Fire Protection District headed out to join the search.

"You always hope for the best and leave it at that," he said.

He spent close to two hours on a four-wheeler, bouncing across the brush and grassland of rural Weld County, looking for something he hoped never to find.

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13586330

[Jeep789]

1. Yep, they felt just like any parent who has ever lost sight of

their kid in a store. Frantic at first, relieved when they are found and angry at them for putting you through it. That is life, enough already.

[Swamp Rat]

2. No, not just like any parents - the Heenes are scam artists who broke the law by perpetrating a hoax

I certainly have empathy for parents who might at some point lose a child in a store, etc., but the Heenes are despicable.

[Jeep789]

3. Are they really? Or are they in need of some psychological help?

Is it both of them or just one of them that are despicable? What about the kids? Are they despicable as well?

Remember that at one time we could force people to get help when needed. Reagan stopped it so that he could grant his supporters tax cuts.

[Swamp Rat]

4. I'll save my empathy for poor people and homeless children.

You can donate your time and money to the Heenes if you wish.

Yes, both of the Heene parents are despicable (or obnoxious/bad if the word despicable displeases you), AND they need psychological help, which they should have to pay for out of their own pockets.

[stray cat]

5. I didn't think empathy was a limited commodity - money yes but empathy?

it doesn't need saved....

[FormerDittoHead]

6. Balloon Boy responders taught us that we're all set to find a fake boy trapped in a balloon.

Certain things happen and let us know other things.

Like, on 9/10/01, were we ready for a band of men with box cutters hijacking 4 planes and flying them into buildings? No.

Were we ready for the insurgency in Iraq after the invasion? No.

Were we ready for the levees breaking in New Orleans after Katrina? No.

Were we ready for the housing market to start falling which led to the economic collapse? No.

But we got that "fake boy in the staged balloon hoax" thing ALL COVERED.