By now I’m sure many of you have heard that Michael J. Hughes - ‘Mad’ Mike - perished yesterday during a rocket launch. Although there were many things we disagreed on, we found commonality in his perspective of the human condition. He had a soft spirit and empathy for the world that contrasted with his public persona. He was often lonely and felt his accomplishments as a daredevil had been forgotten. Ultimately, he just wanted to lead a meaningful life. He had very little money, but he found a way to bring excitement and purpose to his life by doing affordable stunts with rockets that he built himself using spare parts. His flat Earth perspective brought attention and needed funds to his stunts, but it was a double-edged sword that also brought him ridicule. He didn’t really care if the Earth was flat, and was fully ready to concede his error once he could see it with his own eyes in a final stunt that he was working towards – going 62 miles up to the edge of space in a contraption known as a rockoon. The stunt that took his life was never intended to prove anything; it was just another way for Mike to raise awareness and funding.
The filmmakers are deeply saddened at the news of Mad Mike. We didn’t know what to expect when we decided to document his unusual life, and were fully prepared to dismiss him and his crazy ideas - but we ended up going on an incredible adventure and we gained new perspectives on how people view the world and our place in it. As Carl Sagan said, “We should confront ignorance with kindness” – something that’s not always easy to do, and sorely lacking in today’s world. Right now, many are laughing at Mad Mike, but as Mike said, “If you can’t laugh at me, then you need to get a better sense of humor!” No one laughed harder at Mad Mike Hughes, than himself.
He will be deeply missed. 🚀
#thisisrocketman 📷 by
@tobybrusseau
Filmmakers:
@tobybrusseau @directorlinn 
