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full screen Antony, 8, and little brother Angelo, 7. Photo: Private
Brothers Antony, 8, and Angelo, 7, sent balloon mail.
And got an answer – from Norway.
– We didn’t think it was true, says mother Ann-Sofie.
Antony, 8, and little brother Angelo, 7, had been at the hospital for a check-up at the end of October. Afterwards, they each received a helium balloon, and they immediately knew how the balloons would come in handy.
– They wanted to see how far they could get if they let them go, we live almost up on a mountain north of Hisingen, says Ann-Sofie.
She suggested they stick a note with where they are from and her phone number.
– We thought that the balloons would perhaps reach Marstrand or out to sea, not that any of them would end up in Norway.
Thought the message was spam
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full screen Photo: Private
A little over two weeks later, on Saturday, the Norwegian Annie was out walking in the forest in Heirmåsan, about 4 miles outside Oslo.
– I saw it in a marsh, and it shouldn’t be in the forest, so I was going to take it home.
But when she saw the phone number, she decided to contact the sender.
At home in Sweden, Antony, Angelo and Ann-Sofie were, to say the least, surprised when they received an answer.
– I saw that the SMS was in Norwegian, so I thought it was spam at first. But then I saw that Annie told me about the balloon. I could never have believed that. It would just as easily have ended up in the sea or in a deserted forest.
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full screen The brothers released the balloon almost two weeks ago. Photo: Private
Waiting for the second balloon Annie with the famous balloon. Photo: Private
Since Saturday, they have written to each other a little, and Annie has sent pictures of where she found the balloon.
– The children think it’s very fun to get in touch with someone in this way. It’s a bit exciting now that everything is digital. It’s different, but in an honest way, says Ann-Sofie.
Annie in Norway thinks it was very special to find the balloon.
– I didn’t know that kind of balloons could go that far. We live an hour and a half from the Swedish border, but it was fun that we found it in the forest, she says.
Now it’s just a matter of Antony and Angelo getting answers from the other balloon as well – wherever it is.
– It is important not to give up hope, says Ann-Sofie.