Arts & Entertainment
That DNC Balloon Drop Wasn’t Just for Kamala Harris. Balloon Artists Created It for Chicago Colleague in Fight for His Life
Balloon drop at the Democratic National Convention 2024. All of the balloons were Sempertex brand, made from natural latex obtained from rubber trees. (Emily Soto / WTTW News)
For decades now, the celebratory balloon drop has been the metaphorical exclamation point that punctuates the end of every U.S. political convention, and Thursday night’s finale to the Democratic National Convention was no exception.
As the red, white and blue baubles — all 100,000 of them — rained down on delegates at the United Center, a few dozen of the country’s foremost balloon artists were logged onto Zoom for a watch party, thrilled to see their handiwork play out in front of a global audience.
They’d gathered in Chicago last week, traveling from 18 states and Canada to pitch in on the DNC installation, inflating something like 1,000 balloons every 10 minutes. (All the balloons were made from a biodegradable latex obtained from rubber trees.)
“There was so much excitement, the air was buzzing. We’ve all been high on the energy,” said Alissa Lane, owner of Party Lane, based in Merrillville, Indiana. “It was such a privilege to be part of creating something on a historic night.”
But there was so much more to the balloon drop than professional satisfaction. This job was personal.
Treb Heining, considered by many the king of balloon art, had assembled a hand-picked crew of his peers to work on the DNC installation, marshaling them not just for their skills. He brought them together in support of Tommy DeLorenzo, owner of Balloons by Tommy, one of the Chicago area’s premier balloon artists.
DeLorenzo has been battling Stage 4 lymphoma since 2022 and received a stem cell transplant on Tuesday.
As the balloon artists arrived in Chicago last week, they were able to visit with DeLorenzo and his husband, Scott, in advance of the transplant.
“It was a way for us to show community, we all came together,” Lane said. “Honestly, it was an amazing gift. What Treb did was amazing — I’m so happy we were able to rally and show support.”
DeLorenzo was never far from their minds as the team — including Balloons by Tommy staff — worked on the balloon drop, with many members of the volunteer crew sporting green ribbon stickers emblazoned with the name “Tommy.”
Lane met DeLorenzo a dozen years ago when she assisted him on a job. It’s a competitive industry and Chicago is a competitive market, she said, but there’s plenty of work to go around and an abundance of respect among artists.
Within this tight-knit community, DeLorenzo stands out as one of the best creative minds. “He’s extremely innovative,” Lane said.
And his talent is matched by a personality that lights up a room, she added.
“I can’t think of anyone who loves life more than Tommy,” Lane said. “He is joy personified. He really is such a special person. … It’s life-changing when he befriends you.”
Like most aspects of the convention, the particulars of the balloon drop had been kept under wraps until the last minute. Once word began to spread on social media, the balloon crew was able to share the inspirational story behind the moment.
Folks at home may have seen a celebration of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The balloon crew knew otherwise. Misti Kauffman, owner of Balloons by Misti in North Dakota, wrote: “Tommy DeLorenzo you have to know every balloon was filled with our love and well wishes.”
“For Tommy!” Lane said on Instagram. “Let them rip!”
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
