Lawn Chair Larry: Balloon Flight Tragedy

By Muhammad Saleem

Lawn Chair Larry, a person became the center of the world’s attention due to his courage and unique ideas. He performed the unbelievable feat of tying a chair to balloons and lifting himself to the heights of the sky. This amazing adventure left people worldwide astonished, but something happened to him that led to his suicide. In today’s blog, we will tell you the detailed story of this person’s life.

The man’s name is Larry, and he is 33 years old. He seems a bit crazy, but his dreams are big, and one of his biggest dreams was to fly, not in a plane but by his own method.

One day, Larry had an idea that was far beyond normal thinking. He wanted to do something unique that would amaze people. This idea became an obsession for him—to find a unique way to fly. 

He thought about it day and night, and finally, he came up with a strange but interesting idea. He decided to take a big bunch of balloons and tie them to his lawn chair to fly.

Larry Walters girlfriend

To make this crazy dream a reality, Larry talked to his girlfriend Carol, who was a significant part of his life. She was impressed by his passion and agreed to help him without hesitation. They both started preparing to implement the plan. Carol bought everything necessary for the project, including 45 weather balloons of 8 feet each, helium tanks, and other essential items.

To fulfill Larry’s dream, Carol gave him her backyard to work on. Larry began tying the balloons to his lawn chair there. He packed essential items for the mission, including a pellet gun, a soda bottle, a two-way radio, and water bottles. He took these items thoughtfully to avoid any problems during the journey.

Lawn chair balloon flight video

Carol wasn’t the only one involved in Larry’s extraordinary plan; his friend Ron was also there to witness and record the video of  the event. Larry planned everything carefully. He tied his chair to a car bumper to control his height initially. He also planned to inform the Federal Aviation Administration and the local airport before taking off to avoid any accidents.

His dream was to lift his chair 100 feet high with the help of balloons and then have his friend release the chair from the car bumper to travel about 250 miles. His ultimate goal was to start from the San Pedro neighborhood and reach the Mojave Desert. This plan was not only dangerous but incredibly daring.

The next phase of Larry’s dream was a test of his intelligence and courage. He planned to shoot the balloons one by one with his pellet gun when he reached the Mojave Desert to slowly bring his chair down. If successful, Larry would not only be the first person to turn this dream into reality but also become a living legend for his courage and uniqueness. The world would recognize him as a hero.

However, every great plan has hidden dangers, and Larry’s incredible dream was also fraught with risks. Larry decided to sit on his chair to turn his intentions into reality. He was excited, but perhaps he didn’t fully anticipate the challenges he would face. As everything was ready for launch, Larry made himself comfortable on his chair and prepared to lift off.

But fate took a dangerous turn. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind broke the chair loose from the car bumper, and before anyone could understand what had happened, Larry started rising rapidly into the sky with the balloons. The ascent was much faster than Larry and his companions had imagined.

Larry’s chair began to ascend at about 1,000 feet per minute. At that moment, Larry felt his dream becoming a reality, but the intensity of the dangers also became clear. 

Lawnchair Larry Preparation

Larry was suspended in the air, and people on the ground were amazed and worried, watching the lawn chair disappear into the sky. Every scene of this moment was unforgettable, but this was where Larry’s dream and reality clashed, and the story took a new turn.

The speed of Larry’s journey was incredible. Ascending at about 1,000 feet per minute, he was rising so quickly that it could be compared to the height of the Empire State Building. The top of the Empire State Building is about 1,250 feet tall, and Larry’s chair was gaining an Empire State Building’s worth of height every minute. 

Carol and Ron, standing on the ground, were in a state of shock; their fear and helplessness were evident. They had never imagined that this adventure would take such a dangerous turn.

Larry had planned to inform the local airport and the FAA before taking off, but the strong wind didn’t give him the chance, and the local airport or air traffic control was unaware of his plan, meaning his balloons could collide with any airplane at any time. 

While Larry was in the air, two commercial airplanes passed close by. Their pilots saw this strange sight and immediately reported it to air traffic control, which led to a helicopter being dispatched to assess the unusual situation.

Carol, who was on the ground, tried to talk to Larry through the two-way radio. Her voice was clearly filled with anxiety. She said to Larry, “It’s time to come down!” But Larry, who was watching his dream come true, had reached an altitude of 16,000 feet. The temperature was extremely cold, his feet were getting numb, and the low air pressure was making it hard for him to breathe. If he went any higher, he could die.

Larry never thought his plan could be dangerous and that the balloons would carry him to such a height. Then he realized that if he went any higher, it would be hard to breathe, and he wouldn’t survive. 

Finally, Larry took out his pellet gun to shoot the balloons and come down. He started shooting at the balloons, causing the chair to tilt dangerously, and the pellet gun slipped from his hand and fell. It was a terrifying moment, but fortunately, enough balloons had burst that the chair started descending slowly.

However, while descending, he saw that his chair would hit power lines, which would be dangerous for him. And it did; his chair got entangled in the power lines, causing a blackout in the nearby area. Despite this, Larry miraculously survived the electric shock and managed to land safely.

In this dangerous journey, Larry could only cover a distance of ten miles. Through this mission, he wanted to become famous worldwide, but that didn’t happen. 

What was Larry Walters charged with?

As soon as Larry landed, he was arrested on charges of airspace violations, but his story was so extraordinary and absurd that he wasn’t kept in jail for long. 

Soon, the charges against him were dropped, and people started knowing about his mission, calling him “Lawn Chair Larry.” 

Lawnchair Larry Smithsonian

His lawn chair, which once symbolized his dream, was donated to a museum and became a part of history.

Larry Walters cause of death

But this story ended on a sad note. Despite fame and success, Larry could not escape his inner loneliness and despair. Ten years later, he shot himself and ended his life. Larry’s story reflects courage, the pursuit of dreams, and the complexities of human weaknesses.