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Little Boy Redefines “Air Mail”

Posted at 5:05 PM, Oct 25, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-25 17:05:14-04

WEST BEND, Wisconsin-  A little boy in Wisconsin is taking the idea of “pen pals” to new heights. Recently, he got in touch with a man in Michigan, all thanks to a balloon.

WITI reports that 10-year-old Jack Steele got the idea after getting a bunch of his balloons for his birthday. Instead of watching them deflate and sink to the ground, he tied a letter to them, and released them into the air.

“I had no expectations for them going very far at all, so I was real surprised when the letter came,” said Kevin Steele, Jack’s father.

Just four days later, a man from Traverse City wrote back, after finding the little boy’s letter tangled up in a bush.

“Got your balloons.  Hope you had a very happy birthday. October 15th, Traverse City, Michigan,” reads Jack, “I said ‘Dad, what’s MI?'”

Jack’s father, Kevin, says not only was this a great experience, but that it’s also educational for his son. “This gives him an opportunity to look things up on the weather, different jet stream paths, whatever,” says Kevin.

Traverse City is about 160 miles away from the Steele household.

Now, Jack is trying to figure out what to put in his next letter.

To see WITI’s original report, click here.