Kent Couch was living a normal life as the owner of a gas station until he decided he wanted to do more. He decided it was time to reach for the stars – and he almost got there.

But Couch didn’t become an astronaut or a pilot and he didn’t fly on a spaceship or a plane. He tied 105 balloons to a lawn chair and took off! He soared 16,000 feet in the air for more than 200 miles.

Many people would feel more safe taking flight in something more stable, but Couch had another dream. He uses a BB gun to shoot out the balloons to land and one time he needed to use a parachute for an emergency landing.

He talks with Growing Bolder about his flights and if he plans on using an object that shares his last name as his next vehicle.

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