I read this story a day or two ago about a French skydiver who planned to break four world records at once as he leapt from a balloon in the Earth’s stratosphere.

The former paratrooper had hoped to set new marks for the highest jump, fastest free fall, longest free fall and the highest altitude reached by a man in a balloon.

Michel Fournier, a 64 year old and current French record holder for highest parachute jump at 40,000 feet, was hoping to break the highest jump, fastest free fall, longest free fall and highest altitude reached by a man in a balloon records on Tuesday.

Still clad in his bright yellow pressure suit, the visibly frustrated Fournier waved away cameras after his ride slipped away shortly after 5 a.m. (7 a.m. ET). There was no immediate word on how the effort was botched, but his flight crew was attempting to recover the balloon, according to his official Web site

Apparently Fournier has spent the last twenty years and nearly $20 million on this adventure, how disappointing would that be to witness your extremely expensive stratospheric balloon float off into the skies without you?  What’s even more sad is that, according to his website, he has sold just about all of his possessions to finance the launch.  

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