'Balloon man' taking fame in his stride

Stephen McCormack. Photo / APN

From all over the world, reporters have tried to track down the Bay of Plenty man they're calling the "human balloon".

But Stephen McCormack, who has become an internet sensation and had his face plastered across newspapers, is not an easy man to find.

The shack he shares with partner Ali Cooper has no power, no landline and is tucked away on the side of a gorge south of Opotiki. And at the moment, that's something the 48-year-old is thankful for.

When he made a trip into town yesterday, Mr McCormack met a barrage of hugs, concerned questions about his welfare and plenty of cheeky wisecracks.

If you didn't already know - and where have you been? - Mr McCormack's body was inflated to three times its original size in a bizarre accident when a compressed air nozzle pierced his left buttock.

"Everyone noticed me. I'm feeling too scared to go into town because of all the publicity. My workmates have already started calling me Balloon," he said with a laugh.

"I never expected this much publicity. My boss has told me he's been getting calls from all around the world - Ireland, Aussie, America ..."

Mr McCormack described the surgery he needed as "horrible" - but he said the accident could have ended much more badly.

And Ms Cooper added: "If he wasn't such a big boy with lots of muscle, he'd be dead. A little fella would have blown up," she said.

"I'm just so glad he's still alive. He's been in my life for six years - I needed a big mountain man to come along, and here he is."

It has been nearly a week since Mr McCormack was standing on the plate between the cab of his truck and semitrailer when he slipped, and broke the hose off a brass nipple connected to the compressed air reservoir powering the truck's brakes.

The nozzle pierced his left buttock and air compressed to 100 pounds per square inch began rushing into his body.

When paramedics arrived, they were astonished at the sight before them.

"I was blown up like a balloon, about twice my normal size. But they should have seen me when it first happened - I was three times the size."

He thanked a workmate, Jason Wenham, who stayed at his side throughout the ordeal.

After his lungs were cleared at Whakatane Hospital, a drill was used to clear the wound in his buttock - leaving a hole about 2cm wide and 5cm deep.

His boss, Robbie Petersen, said it was up to Mr McCormack when he wanted to come back to work - and in the meantime, Mr Petersen said he didn't mind taking cellphone calls from international reporters.

"I guess it's kind of entertaining. But it was a serious couple of hours at the time - he's a bloody lucky guy."

Asked whether he could get used to his newfound celebrity status, Mr McCormack said: "I don't know - what's the pay like?"