The Balloon and the Burden

By: Zoppi, David James

This is a story about a young boy named Thomas Willson who celebrates his birthday party turning six years old. As many young children have done over the years, young Thomas let his balloon go to fly up into the air. However, as the balloon traveled on its journey, the balloon and a jet plane soon crossed paths resulting in the balloon getting sucked into the engine of the low flying commercial jet. This resulted in a tragic plane crash with all souls onboard lost. Once the trajectory of the balloon was traced back to young Thomas's house, the authorities visit the home. Thomas's father takes the blame and tells the police he was the one who released the balloon. Thomas' father lies to the police to protect his son, allowing the police to take him into custody; subjecting himself to jail time, litigation and more until the truth is finally discovered. This story is a reflection on the fragility of life, the weight of unintended consequences, and the resilience of the human spirit. It follows the journey of a family grappling with a tragic accident caused by a momentary lapse, exploring themes of responsibility, accountability, morality, justice, and forgiveness. While the events are fictional, they are a reminder that life can change at any moment, and that some things are beyond our control.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FYN6Y21R
• ISBN13: 9798272319692
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 52 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 11.0"