13 things about Gifu native Mayumi Heene

Mayumi Iizuka Heene is a former rock band guitarist from Gifu, Japan. She has been living in the United States since 1987.

When Heene was in college in Japan, she joined an all-girls band called Women. She was influenced by her grandmother and her big brother to play the guitar.

BIOGRAPHY

Heene is Richard Heene‘s wife. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. She was born in Gifu City, Gifu to two English teachers.
2. She is the youngest of three children.
3. She and Richard have three sons together namely Bradford Heene, Ryo Heene and Falcon Heene.
4. In 1986, she taught English to high school students in Japan.
5. In 1987, she moved to Los Angeles, California, USA and entered Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California.
6. In 1997, she met Richard at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, an acting school in Hollywood, California. 
7. In 1999, she became a mother.
8. In 2008, she and Richard appeared in the ABC show “Wife Swap” with their three sons.
9. In 2009, she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor because she would face deportation to Japan if found guilty, according to her then lawyer David Lane.
10. In 2010, she, Richard and their three sons moved from Colorado, USA to Florida, USA.
11. In 2019, she, Richard and their three sons moved from Florida to New York, USA.
12. In 2020, she, Richard and their three sons moved back to Florida and 43rd Colorado governor Jared Polis pardoned her and her husband.
13. On January 2, 2025, she turned 61.

TIMELINE

Mayumi and Richard’s three sons are the members of the heavy metal band called the Heene Boyz. Falcon is the vocalist, Bradford is the guitarist and Ryo is the drummer.

1990s

• On October 12, 1997, she and Richard got married in Nevada, USA.
• On August 25, 1999, she gave birth to Bradford.

2000s

• On November 10, 2000, she gave birth to Ryo.
• On December 31, 2002, she gave birth to Falcon.
• She, Richard and their three sons appeared in a “Wife Swap” episode aired on ABC on October 3, 2008. They were voted by the viewers to be featured again in the reality show’s 100th episode on March 13, 2009.
• In April 2009, she and Richard signed an option with “Wife Swap” producers to pitch a reality show about homemade science experiments including a balloon made in the shape of a flying saucer.
• On October 15, 2009, she, Richard and their children were involved in a controversy due to their homemade helium-filled gas balloon shaped to resemble a silver flying saucer they released into the atmosphere above Fort Collins, Colorado. 
• On November 13, 2009, she pleaded guilty to false reporting, a misdemeanor.
• On December 23, 2009, a judge ordered her to serve a Saturday and Sunday work detail for 20 days.

2010s

• In April 2010, she started serving her 20-day weekend jail-supervised community service.
• She, Richard and their three sons left Fort Collins on August 30, 2010 and moved to Spring Hill, Florida on September 2, 2010. 
• In May 2019, she, Richard and their three sons moved from Florida to a camper trailer in New Hampton, New York.
• In September 2019, a version of the story about what happened to her family on October 15, 2009 was released by 5280 Magazine senior writer Robert Sanchez.

2020s

• On May 30, 2020, she moved from New Hampton to Archer with Richard and their three sons.
• On December 23, 2020, she and Richard were among the 18 people pardoned by Polis. In a statement, the governor said, “Richard and Mayumi have paid the price in the eyes of the public, served their sentences and it’s time for all of us to move on.”
• On July 15, 2025, Netflix released “Trainwreck: Balloon Boy”, a documentary about her family.