I remember a time when Mr. Ballen didn’t have 500k subs and uploaded 3-4 or even 5 times a week. Those were some good times! Now waiting for a Mr Ballen episode is like waiting for next weeks episode that left you on a serious cliff hanger! You just can’t wait!! But I am happy to see your success for you and your family!❤
As someone who personally knew Colin (he was one of my best friends and was my roommate in college), his tale has certainly become a cautionary one for me. Colin was not only a very experienced hiker, he was truly a global citizen. He was very well travelled (backpacked Europe for months), a true polyglot (from what I remember he could speak at least 5-6 languages), and was possibly the kindest soul I've ever known. I fully credit him for helping inspire my love of internation travel, and also gave me that spark that ultimately lead me towards my career in education. But I also wanted to add a couple things. While his friends did go to the Russian police soon after Colin went missing, you omitted the part where the police detained his friends for hours, accused them of murdering him, and tried to force a false-confession. Also, the police never bothered searching for him until a few days later when his mother arrived from the US and pressured them to look. The first thing they asked her was "is your son gay?", which flabbergasted her. When she replied "no" his mother told me she saw a horrified look in the officer's eyes. They found his body less than a day later, less than 1 mile from where he disappeared. Also, the Russian authories initially listed his cause of death as hypothermia, which couldn't have happened as it didn't drop below 40F the night he went missing (not to mention the marks on his wrists and neck pointing to a more sinister reason). After testing Colin for THC they then shifted to the drug narrative. They also attempted to drug test his friends, claiming that they were all getting together to do drugs in the cabin. The police kept trying to push all these horrible and baseless accusations onto his friends, simply because "it''s odd for 4 men to share a cabin." Personally, I am under the belief that Colin was murdered by an off-duty police officer. Sadly, because of Russian secrecy on such matters, and the dissolving of any relationship between the US and Russia, I have no illusions about there being justice for my friend.
I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks for contributing what you know. I've heard that the Russian govt is notoriously homophobic, so that question from the police doesn't surprise me. I'd been thinking that an American visitor fluent in Russian who was involved in a peaceful protest might be enough of an excuse for some authority there to accuse him of being a spy or something, but it's possible it was more like what you believe, a violent police officer. I hope you and his family and other friends can find some sort of closure on his case someday.
I knew Russian police in the middle of Siberia didn’t just launch a huge investigation for an American off a couple of kids words! I knew there had to be more to it, thanks for clearing that up!!
Regardless of sexuality, Russians need to chill the fuck out. That part is what upsets me, because of (like you say) baseless accusations. I bet the off duty cop was one of the locals (based off the reaction of the officer who learned Colin wasn’t gay)
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
I can’t be the only one who would love to go on a long hike and camp out with John, hear all his stories he hasn’t released yet….. just to hear him whisper yell from the darkness: “I know how to get to Bells Canyon”
Why is that story so haunting? Anyone figured it out? He has many stories with worse endings. Nothing really even happened. But its the most memorable story he has told, imo.
I have limited hearing and have worn aids since I was 12. I usually have to turn on subtitles and still miss a lot of stuff. Mr. Ballen's channel is so clear and his voice is at such a wavelength that it comes as an enjoyable experience to me to not miss a thing. Thanks for that, Mr. B! Also I think it was a Siberian Sasquatch that took him.
I often lip read with the captions on to help as I have some type of auditory processing issue. I mentioned it in one of his early videos and ever since, they are always subtitled correctly. So many UA-camrs do not care from what I've noticed. Also i wad thinking Sasquatch as well something paranormal, perhaps aliens or portals. Reminds me of a missing 411 case.
That’s far less likely than the Russian government having something to do with it. Otherwise we could just say every missing person and every cold case was caused by a Sasquatch.
My husband stumbled across Mr.Ballen one day and came home telling...Hey you gotta listen to this guy tell a story. After one story i was hooked as well. Your animated and funny....A great story teller that can draw you into a story and when it ends...you are ready for more. Thank you. I love your giggles over LUNGY. 😅
The other night, I was lying in bed, remembering a video I had seen about some boys on a dock in the middle of a lake that eventually get swarmed by spiders. I was trying to remember where I had seen this video, it was such a vivid memory. I laughed to myself when I realized that it was actually a story told by Mr. Ballen. If that isn't a testament to how great of a storyteller he is, I don't what would be. Legend.
@OG Gaming LMFAO, I was JUST retelling that story the other day as one of MrBallen's most epic tales...isn't it horrific?!? LOL. At least to me it is, since i have arachnophobia...
This story proves to me even more how much the “murder” of an individual will be covered up. Maybe one day I will submit the mysterious story of what happened to my brother.. he went missing under extremely mysterious circumstances and another young man disappeared the same way a couple months later. Hoping to get exposure and insight at some point.. I want his story to be told and remembered as my brother is deeply loved. Thank you for what you do.
@@bayg6703 maybe because they don't want to publicly put their family's suffering and personal details out on the internet? what a weirdo comment to make lmfao
@@bayg6703 , or perhaps the re-telling of how her brother mysteriously disappeared would bring up painful memories. Jeez, not everyone on the internet is a liar. Sure, a lot of people are, but most aren’t.
@@MrBallen Mr. Allen, I was about to buy one of your "Do you know how to get to Bell's Canyon" shirts and everything is sold out. Are you going to get more?
Having grown up in Siberia, thanks for the backhanded compliment. Great Introduction. I grew up in a small town of 900 surrounded by deep woods. Nobody ever died of wild animals. We had a serial killer who targeted young women. Bring kids, we didn't know why anybody would strike a person from behind with a hammer. 30 years later it became an urban legend, but back then we had local police escorting women across the town. We all picked mushrooms in the forest and most Outsiders died of eating death cap mushrooms by mistake. Today you can survive and get a liver transplant in the West, but back then it was a death sentence. Most locals died of alcohol related accidents - either passing out in the winter cold and freezing to death or from swimming while drunk. Siberian tigers, unfortunately are very rare and live pretty much in the Aktai region, wolves too, have been hunted down. Great Lake Baikal was polluted and it's waters are no longer crystal clear. Siberian is not unique in humans sharing habitat with wildlife, so does Australia. That conspiracy theory about the kid's death is ridiculous. Most likely local criminals murdered him. Violent crime where the victim is murdered to prevent identification is more common in the former Soviet Union than in the West. He must have gone out to the outhouse when they grabbed him. Also, there are people who hate Westerners and Americans in the Post Soviet Era, and even back in the Soviet heyday, it was not uncommon to murder outside tourists hiking alone for their gear. Siberian was always a region of prisons and exiles and former inmates, and not everyone was a high falutin political prisoner, there were always criminals and violent people. There were hunters with firearms, and if you walked in the forest and saw a other person or a group, you detoured in a wide circle to avoid them. I still love the forest and the line of trees profiling against the sky still inspires and .mystifies me. I love cold weather hiking and go for long walks in blizzards. One thing I brought out of Russia is that I have zero fear of the darkness. Then again, we all told scary takes but I ended growing up without horror films
@Maxiell I don’t like Americans either and I am American. Thank you for your interesting post. As for leaving a cabin to pee . . . there’s a reason for piss pots in the history of our country. There was a saying growing up for people who were impoverished. “Piss poor.” It meant that person was to poor to purchase a pot to piss in.
@@KatWoodland Piss pots aren't used in Russia except for toddlers in nurseries. You simply go to the Outhouse. For the kids in nurseries was the afternoon nap and potty time when the adult would read a book to them. That ritual was still practiced in the 1990's, when there was an influx of abandoned kids going into the system.
@@KatWoodland You know about the theory that Native Americans and the early American settlers fought a genocidal war not because they were different, but because they were so much alike - wanting to trap the same animals and sell them to same fur traders? Same analogy still holds between Russia and the USA. Take an equilateral triangle. Out Americana on one point, Mother Russia on the other and Old World on the third, and there you have it. Russia is similar to United States in some respects and to Old World European culture in others. And same goes for the other two. Back in 1700s DeTocqueville wrote that Russian Empire and United States being ideological opposites that will eventually become enemies when they teach each other and he was not wrong. Term American Exceptionalism was coined by Joseph Stalin, after his minions visited the U.S. in the 1930's to learn mass food service. Stalin lived the fast food hamburger and the Automat cafeterias as a way to feed the Soviet Worker. Anyway, Stalin said that it was impossible to do a Bolshevik revolution in America, because America already reached the targets for its working class that the Soviet Union was trying to reach.
Mr Ballen, you are a model for other youtubers: clear speech, excellent use of plain straightforward vocab, good scripts with good background info, engaging body language and 'eye contact', good background visuals. A pleasure to listen to, every time. Really appreciate the effort you must put in to producing your content. Thanks!
Mr. Ballen, I live in Indiana and I have a friend that went missing a year and a couple of months ago. Her case was featured in disappeared season 10 ep. 1.Her name is Kirsten brueggeman. Can you do a video about her to bring awareness to her disappearance please. There are way to many inconsistencies that need attention brought to it.🙏🏾
His mother writes the script he reads to us. She is obviously a very talented writer ..probably published . Using fictional techniques to tell a true story is indicative of novelist imo
I love how MrBallen elaborates on what THC is. I’m sure most of us know, but he always is so extra in explaining everything to us in layman’s terms and I adore it!
I've had a recent run in with a landshark, I'm glad you have opened up people's awareness to this threat because it is real and it is dangerous and people need to be prepared once again another great story
@@judywright4241 unfortunately the canons were ready but I hadn't cleaned them, they backfired and I got the shark but lost my house, I figured a Civil War Canon wouldnt have issues, if I only had the simplisafe home security system the house would still be with us 💣💨
Once a landshark broke into my house and stole my favorite pair of New Balances. I swear, if i ever see another landshark...lets just say it wont be pretty.
@@tecticeditz5549 I hear you, my new balances are behind a lock and key it's one of the things along with a CW Canon that helps, you can hope to run away 🏃♂️ 🏃♀️
This is a dark and mysterious story, and sad. I feel for Collin’s parents and loved ones. The lack of answers and justice must eat at them. Prayers and love to his family and friends.
I would guess he was taken by some corrupt policeman hoping he would help them abduct or rob his new come friends, once he refused, they tried to torture him into submission by the waterboarding method , scuffled wrists and suffocation sure seem compatible. If done by someone not proficient it will cause death. Blaming his demise on drugs and alcohol is the most common form of autopsy results issued by Russian corrupt police.
They are a bit more lucky than most others in far eastern russia, because the police there normally does nothing at all. The Irkutsk police is the only one that is at least functioning a little, but on the extreme countryside and most surrounding regions, like Buryatia, Transbaikal, Amur, Yakutia and other very low density places, police does not really exist.
I remember listening to Ballen when he just started, years later, and EVERY one of my friends knows and adores his stories!. So cool to see him living his best life.
We have been fans for awhile now and YOU are most certainly keeping the historical ART of storytelling alive almost by yourself as you are the best out there! MY family also appreciates that you are supporting your family and that you keep it informative, exciting and clean! Keep on with the good work!
@@thelifeofcollinrs6030 I'm not sure that that's a valid account. I've seen those posts over and over and this was a brand new account by McBallen and I don't know that he supports that.
Hey Mr.Ballen. I recently got out of the Marine Corps & I wanted to say that you’re videos have made such a big difference in my mental well-being. Nights have been especially hard, and you’re videos have done an amazing job at keeping my mind at ease (well at “ease” may not be the right word, but at least distracted😂) so from the bottom of my heart thank you, I’m in a much better place now and I’m not sure where or what I would’ve done without these. All I know is you’re videos were the one thing I looked forward too for a long time, so again, seriously, thank you for being such a great story teller and content creator. Thank you thank you thank you. 🙏🏼
I read a book based on Markov’s experience with the Siberian tiger. If I recall correctly, his offense against the tiger was that he stole part of the tiger’s hidden meat cache. You gotta hunt your own food in Siberia. The tiger 🐅 taught him that.
That's right. Also, he had olny shot the tiger through a hole in His cabin after it had taken one of his dogs and destroyed the shed he had put the two boar meat slabs. He only took a park of the fresh kill. Vladimir begged his neighbors for help, but they all declined, saying that he had been marked by the tiger. When Vladimir sadly went back to his now destroyed cabin, the tiger had brought back one of his injured dogs which the professional tiger hunters believed it to have been a trap to distract Vladimir while it attacked him from behind. The tiger killed at least one other hunter before it was found and killed. Side note the tiger piled Vladimirs body separately from his skinned head, which was believed to have been left as a warning ⚠️
I love how unlike other UA-camrs he give examples,facts and background info before the story. And the pictures he uses helps you understand what he's talking about
That’s horrible what the parents had to go through. That must have been so hard losing their son & then to try to get justice for him afterwards- 😢💔 Thanks so much for another great story John!! Love your podcasts too !
Good day Mr. Ballen. The tiger that attacked Markov wasn’t just angry that it was shot, Markov also stole from it. It’s an interesting story and I think you should talk about it.
Markov deserved what he got. The article I just read had a great line "the tiger eating Markov was secondary, he just had a bone to pick". (Markov's bones that is.
I just read a ridiculously long excerpt from a book about this incident called, "Tiger." Apparently, Markov, a poacher, one of the lowest forms of human life, shot the rider then took part of its kill. The tiger stalked him, staked out his cabin, then killed and ate Markov and his dog. I feel sorry for the dog. It's a very gruesome story. That guy was stupid. The tiger was not.
I love this channel! My daughter was in the Navy as was her husband who was a career Navy Chief. They have a number of Seal friends from their time in service. Thank you for your service! Bravo Zulu! But I love his storytelling. He gets so animated it cracks me up. Hands and arms all over the place, it adds to the story. He'd be great to have on a camp-out, everyone around the campfire at night!
EVERYONE PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
I know I'm really late seeing this video, but I absolutely love Mr. Ballen's little giggle when he was telling us about the shark coming through his window. It absolutely made my day.
MR. BALLEN is a great story teller. I love everything about him: the content, the precision ,and the directness. I haven’t seen another storyteller like him. Much respect!
This was such a lazy video. Nothing happened. He went to the woods, died, and that’s it. No reveal, no interesting theories. This channel is officially done
yup, but he should do more research. Because he states some facts that are not true. In this case I found 3 facts that are not true. I wrote him about it before, but the stories outside USA keep having wrong facts.
I first found him on tiktok and found him annoying but as soon as I heard the full stories on UA-cam I was hooked. This man deserves all the success he has earned and I love when a notification pops up for a new story.
The giggling about the shark that broke into your home caught me off guard by how cute it was. Completely made me forget about the horror of this story for a few minutes lol
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
I started watching him when he only had less than 50k subscribers. And every episode was knocking my socks off. And I could never understand why he didn’t have more? I’m so happy he is doing so good, he’s not only a veteran, but a really good man!!
People don't know how spooky it can be to be miles deep in the WOODS then you start to hear whispers. It sounds like words but it's just the wind right? You have to go solo to get that type of experience.
I was talking to someone from Russia recently about Siberia and because she’s still learning English, she called permafrost “the eternal ice” which just makes the place seem even more brutal!
As a Russian who comes from a Siberian city, I can tell you that most of what he said about Siberia is BS. It's not cold year round here. Summers are actually quite hot here, but winters can get as cold as -40 C. You only get permafrost in the Far North areas, but barely anyone lives there.
@@Ohlookitsdaisyy Yeah, I mean Irkutsk isn't nearly as cold as Yakutsk. These are several hundred km to the north we are talking about, right? How people not understand it?
@@yuliapanina8815 in the general collective mindset, when people think of “Siberia” they’re really only thinking about a relatively small area way up north, probably because of Hollywood (the same with most common misconceptions). My point (to anyone reading this) was that she DID live pretty far up north where it IS very cold and I loved her way of saying permafrost ☺️
Imagine having Mr Ballen as your dad. I would be in bed 3 in the afternoon, every day with my PJs on, ready for storytime. Dinner? Who needs mere food when there are tales to be told.
Been following and watching Mr ballen for a couple of years now. His stories and enthusiasm is what makes his channel so entertaining. Happy for your accomplishments and congrats on 8 million subscribers.
I wonder if those codes apply in Europe as well 😅 maybe not for simply safe because I have Alexa and cannons but some of the products have way better offers in the videos than you get over here
@@annam8810 John Ballen always makes me laugh and I end up watching the 'commercials' several times. I willingly watch his commercials as well as Ryan Reynolds' commercials.
@@00jyjsarang tell the right story at the right time and you can fire a mind into action, my best teachers where Biology, Chemistry and English and they all told excellent stories that related even in a tiny way to the subject matter. Just wish the Maths and Computing teacher where not so droll and boring.
Ohh that is so sweet to say that. I am certain that you are right. John Allen would make a great school teacher and he would be very kind and take kids under his wings.
It's Crazy I started watching his videos when he barely had 35k and then in a matter of weeks it's was over 100k. Now the man has over 6M. Well deserved you amazing story teller, badass seal and hero.
He's so good at telling a story that I can actually listen and retain the story, whereas I cannot do the same with books on tape. I'm recently blind and my hobbies beforehand were reading, sewing, and embroidery, so sitting around I total boredom has been incessantly frustrating. But then I found Mr. Ballen a week ago and I've been binging his stories. The man is a Godsend while I adjust to what my life is now.
I'm curious to know what, if anything, was found in Colin's stomach? He had to have eaten something in the 8 days he was missing. If he was being held captive somewhere, it seems likely he would have at least been given food (unless the captor's plan was to starve him to death). Was there evidence of prepared food, or just stuff like berries, nuts, bugs, etc. he'd find out in the wilderness? Also, it seems unlikely he could have stayed alive out in the exposed cold for over a week, so that would suggest he was in some sort of sheltered place. How about DNA samples on his body? Long story, short - there's a lot of unanswered questions... And since this was recent (2016), the forensics, if done properly, should have provided a mountain of clues...
Honestly, the part about police's and forensics neglect is the least surprising. Russian police notoriously does not give a fuck about solving anything, ever, unless there is a massive public coverage of the case. Or unless they need to find "enemies of the state", which is not the case here.
@@goody2shoes384 this made me wonder EXACTLY how many days prior had he smoked this cannabis? Was it the night he disappeared? Was it before? Was it during the time he was missing? I’m gunna look into this …
There is only 1of 2 things this could be: he either did something extra and specific at one of the protest or he came across something he shouldn't have, knew it was him an was hunted down.
17:22 when you're Russian, murder is something ubiquitous and often encouraged. The unjustified atrocities of our glorious army in Ukraine just mirror what Tolstoy, Chekov, Stanisław Lem, Maxim Gorky, Gogol, and WWII veteran Leonid Rabichev wrote in their memoirs about the deviancy of the russian troops. Stanislaw Lem wrote that when Soviets occupied the Eastern part of Poland in september 1939 Russian troops rареd pregnant and postnatal women, children and 80+ year-old women. Rabichev reported the same cases in the liberated Berlin in 1945, when Russians rареd little girls while having their parents watch and then left mutilated bodies by the roads with vodka bottles shoved inside the girls' vаginas. I found this in the archives that the war museum made public soon after the Soviet union collapsed, but it's never made it to the public. Overall, Russian culture has not evolved. The inborn deviancy is still encouraged, nurtured and capitalised on by each and every ruler that my country has had. By the way, the Russian genocide of Crimean Tatars and Chechens started during the Russian Empire times and continued even during Gorbachev's times who authorised another deportation and murder of Crimean Tatars (The West closed its eyes on this fact because Gorby let the empire of evil collapse...). Then the same genocide resumed after the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. Wherever we go we bring death, torture, and dehumanisation.
Most likely a local tribe. There are primitive tribes living there, who tend to hate foreigners due to assumption they have money. So I would immediately suspect burglary+murder by local tribes. That's why police couldn't do anything, these tribes are unregistered and navigate the terrain way better than anyone else.
I was with Mr. Ballen since the start as well. Back when he put up that hand with four or 5 fingers and telling it 4 or 5 times a week . Always sitting patiently till that notification hits- much respect for your thoroughness in all all you do and my hats off to you for you service brother- Ash
Excellent story teller . My mom and I watch together (sorta ) every week. She lives 4 hours away and this connects us every week and we watch as we are on the phone together then discuss it ! We love you John 🖤
I’m so thankful to have found Mr. Ballen on You Tube about 2 years ago. I instantly was a fan. My husband asked me how I could just watch a dude telling a story. He made fun of me,until one day I walked in the door from work and low and behold,my hubby-watching Mr.Ballen!! He and I will watch episode after episodes together and be totally entertained. I personally love how Mr Ballen will define or describe things to make sure you’re not left feeling lost. Amazing story teller, infectious laugh, beautiful smile and kind eyes. Thank you for sharing your talents with us Mr Ballen! Keep up the great work! Xoxoxo
it can be like that sometimes on both sides lol. or even him showing interest in something you enjoy and seeing what it's about and just so happened to get sucked into this world
It's sad because it sounds like maybe the person or even the victim heard the search party and both of them knew it was the end. That had to be terrifying watching your abductor get more and more agitated knowing it means a bad end for you. He had to have been so scared and desperate listening to people looking for him and being killed just hours before they could get to him to save him. Probably died listening to the search party just feet away
but tornd apart cloths and cuts in both hands dont add up...i dont wanna sound stupid fut it sounds like some mythical creature/shapeshifter..maybe i am totally wrong...
If you read this, Mr Ballen, I was in the war when you were wounded. Awesome to see your recovery, brother. Edit: oof, honored that Mr Ballen responded, but not expecting the debate in the comments. Didn't mean to set anybody off. I was a member of an aircrew of the USAF. Mr Ballen went thru 10x the hell I did. Just happy to see him alive and well.
@@FostuRKid There were hundreds of thousands of soldiers in that war, not exactly hard to believe And if he's lying, let him be. He clearly needs the attention.
no matter the video content the way you put it all together makes every video interesting. I just cant get enough. from the missing 411 videos to places people shouldnt go and what happened to them when they did. You have incredible story telling skills, thats the reason I watch. I always feel for the families of these people. I personally know the pain of loss and its horrible for anyone to go through it, especially when its too soon for the victim to leave them. ❤
This is truly heartbreaking as a parent… I can’t imagine what his parents are going through & not even able to get closure because they still don’t know who, or what killed their son 💔
I think he saw something or someone outside that needed urgent help, which is why he put on his boots without socks because he was in a hurry...when I run outside really quickly I always just throw on my shoes without socks.
@@deez2569 that's a really good point! Someone couldve lured him away. But also when you are outdoors and have to pee outside at night, it's kind of a temporary shoe-wearing experience with no need to put on socks and lace things up. I wish his friends had stayed awake to remember why he went outside.
Your laughter is a real treat. I love when it's so hard for you to say the scenarios without being able to get through them because of your own jokes. Makes my day.
First my deepest condolences to the Madsen family for their loss being a father of a twenty-eight-year-old and 21 year old I can only imagine the horror and pain they've suffered. And the struggle of them striving so hard to find answers and getting not much resolve.... An autopsy can give you the end result of cause and affect but not provide any motives.... . I will try to answer this to help the family as simple and direct as possible. Colin Madsen died in Arshan, Republic of Buryatia, Russia 2016, his body found 8 days after disappearance. Normally I give a really long drawn-out in detail what I thank did and did not happen but in this case I have to go with short and simple because in my opinion.... The answer is clearly in front of our face in my opinion. Colin was a university student and apparently got into environmentalism and this was counter to the socio-economic livelihood of the people living in the area of Republic of Buryatia and Colin upset the apple cart by participating in protests.... Long story short I think the locals wanted to make an example of Colin because not only would the environmentalism cause certain jobs and industries to dry up this would deprive much of the locals of income and they wouldn't be able to feed their families and the local governments would not receive their tax money so not only did the locals have a motive for killing Colin but government officials as well.... The reason why this was labeled as hypothermia caused by drug usage is that it frees up all politics involved and everyone gets off scot-free.... Its clear from viewing autopsy photos which were graphic that he was tortured, it looks like on his feet and ankles as if he was poked with knives or some other sharp instruments to elicit pain.... And the position of his body shows that whoever dumped him there wanted to show their disdain for him as if a piece of garbage they were throwing away his left arm was positioned in a very unusual and unnatural positioning as was his left leg at a very strange position indicative of being just tossed like a rag doll from a truck or horse or maybe he was strung up and hung and after he died they just dropped his body and it fell irregardless this poor young man was brutalized by some very angry angry people... And if they seen him as an agent of force that would cause them to lose their money and livelihood then that's where the anger would come from.... I know the mother had concerns that there might be some thinking that he was killed because he was viewed as possibly homosexual I think this is absurd.... Now another possibility because of the area being Buryat which or mostly Mongol descent it could have been a racial motivation but I don't think this is as much of a cause as much as the socio-economic cause of his death so the simplicity of this case to me is right on the surface.... He got into environmentalism and pissed off the wrong people.... They became very angry and they stalked him and they murdered him and on a local level they covered it up... And in no way shape or form do I feel that Colin deserved this type of retribution and it's a deeply disturbing and deeply sad affair for the family and friends and neighbors and co-workers of Colin and even two people like myself that did not know him or his family... It breaks my heart... The fact that the one police official was yelling and spitting at the mother shows you how intense their hatred fir Colin was... They seen him as a threat to their way of life.... And how many examples of this type of situation have we seen throughout the world and on TV shows... Mr and Mrs Madsen if you're reading this know that I'm not doing this to upset but to try to help you understand what more than likely happened to your son.... I'm a father myself and the story is deeply saddening and I see my son in your son in your pain is great beyond words.... So you have two choices at this point....go deeper or let it rest.... And the only way you're going to be able to go deeper is if you move to that area get to know the people get to know the culture get to know everything and find your killers then bring them to justice any way you choose.... Or like I said just walk away and accept the probability of what I have said here and remember him each and every day with a smile on your face the wonderful times that you spent with Colin and that you tried your damnedest .... Again I hope this message gets to you and I hope you make the choice best for you....
He had no business telling Siberian people how to live their lives. This is what happens when you’re a no good busy body who has no idea how hard it is to live on the frozen tundra. He was gonna go back to his cush life in the West after making life harder for Siberian natives.
@@toscadonnathings are never only black and white. If you'd actually give it a thought, you'd understand that things may appear simple on the surface but 10 on 10, they go deeper. Firstly, no one knows why he died. It is all speculations. And if we take into account what op said as the reason, then you need to have awareness and perspective. By saying that "oh he had no business ruining the livelyhoods of the villagers as he doesn't understand how they live there and he will be back to the states without a care" sounds really pathetic coming from you. In the video, MrBallen repeatedly states that he loved Siberia till he moved there and even learnt the language. He spent countless hours in there and knows the area so well that he was even helping to create paths for other explorers. It also stated in the video that this place "siberia" is amongst the only few remaining natural wildlife untouched by civilisation. Your statement that he doesn't know how hard the livelyhoods of the villagers in siberia is, is definitely wrong since he lives there and def have a much better idea than you commenting on your iphone at home. Then you talk about him leaving there without a care after all is said, when he himself chose to stay there and had no need to go back. So he himself was living that life that he chose by himself. And as for having perspective that you don't have, is that the place doesn't need civilisation. The same happened in Africa and now the savannah is merely 3% wild only. 97% got destroyed by the villagers and now they are regretting this and doing all they can to protect that 3% cause they realised that altogether it was the savannah itself that was their livelyhood. And as stated in the video, Colin loved the wild and Siberia. He didn't go there for the people nor the concrete jungle of Russia but for the last remaining wild on earth. He was passionate and had conviction. He fought for what's right and he had good morals and values to be able to stand for something precious and priceless in this world. But you wouldn't understand that since based on your ridicule comment, i see that you don't have any values. Maybe you are someone from the tictoc generation who is just lost and shallow.
Been here since you had 400k !! Please Bring back the top 3 places you can’t go but people went anyways & disturbing photos with their backstories!! Keep up the great work 💪🏽
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
It so good to see you have well over 5 million subscribers, you deserve this kind of success for all your hard work. I'm so glad I found your channel, I hope you never stop doing what you do.
I love seeing a return to “the strange, dark and mysterious”, instead of the true crime and easily explained natural accidents. Time to return to Bells Canyon!!
I'm very intrigued about the stories of missing cases where bodies seem to have died only hours before they are found after missing for many many days. I think the case is incredibly interesting but I find it very very sad thinking that these people might have wandered for many days or felt fear for many days before they finally passed away. However I hope that isn't the case thank you for covering this once again! May they rest in peace
What I appreciate the most is the exceptional job Mr. Ballen does to give you the run-down on each stories' setting, a bit of its history, and who the stories are pertaining to. Thank You Mr.Ballen!!!
I love listening to your stories! I have massive ADHD problem and still you capture my full attention the entire time you tell your stories! Can't wait for the next one!
Absolutely heartbreaking for the family. Incredibly suspicious of police but after watching all of your Missing 411 videos I still believe it’s possible for something that has been living in those woods to be responsible.
@@themightybalian except people freeze to death in Siberia. Perhaps they are only there in summer months? But then where do they go in the winter? And why would they return to Siberia once they have found a more comfortable place to stay? It's obviously the government. Why would they create a false autopsy and then close the case?
It always stabs me in the heart when he says “we upload 1 time a week” miss the days when it use to be 3-4 times a a week but I’m grateful for anything we get ❤
after hearing this my 2 main suspects would either be his 3 friends, or someone living close by. It is really strange that he was found 8 days later, and apperently died hours before he was found. That almost sounds like whoever did it knew that the searchparty was getting close to his location, or feared they would be found out if they managed to find him alive. So they went ahead of the group and silenced him. I can't really explain it any other way.
they got a pretty corrupt government over there that tends to brainwash people (just an observation). Their conclusion to the case was just ridiculous. They don’t care. What they say is the final word, no questions. I think the friends is plausible but unlikely. I don’t see much of a motive there. Maybe some Siberian Forest serial killers snagged him when he went to use the bathroom. Makes sense why his socks weren’t on. I wouldn’t put socks on either if it was just a short walk outside and then back to bed. Something must’ve happened when he went out to use the bathroom (or maybe he heard something outside and went to investigate and got snatched).
Please do a full video on the Tiger’s revenge story. There are so many layers to it, totally fascinating. I’ve ordered the book by Vallient. It seemed to think Vladimir had stolen not only his kill/food but also now wounded him so stolen all future kills as he could no longer hunt. So it was two birds with one stone to hunt him, a meal to survive but also revenge. He did mess with the man a lot before, like a lot of cats do. So interesting how it could imagine the human’s state of mind though. Very smart animals.
Must resist the urge to go to Siberia and befriend one of these tigers Would be heck of a cuddle buddy and body guard should someone or something do something to me I wouldn't mind being murdered if after my death there was a cool adventure of the tiger going off and avenging me
Pretty sure its a fake story. The one i heard before was the tigers showed up and he wasnt home so it destroyed his house then waited for him to return and killed him lol. Im also pretty sure that if he did get eaten it wasnt the one he shot. Not like the wound goes away in a day if it did live. More likely just a random tiger that took the opportunity more than a tiger getting shot stalking the man all the way home then killing him.
I also heard a different story. Story I heard was that the tiger mate was killed so the tiger got revenge for the partner they loss. Tiger waited for hunter to return home and then killed him
It’s incredible that this former soldier is so darn good at story telling! I hated videos like this until I stumbled onto his channel. Makes you remember how to use your imagination while listening to the story he builds.
If you like soldiers telling stories, read or listen to the book "Horus Rising." It starts out with a soldier telling a story about the time Horus slew the false emperor!
Just throwing this out there if youve alrdy went thru all MrBallens videos. While i agree this is hands down the best storytelling channel, there is another that, imo, is definitely entertaining! Mr Nightmare! I check youtube everyday to see if theyve dropped new vids! I think you may like him as well. :)
I agree. Someone from Mr. Nightmare’s channel recommended Ballen, & when I first checked him out I wasn’t impressed - I’m not a fan of people videoing themselves as they narrate the story. But I really liked the content he was presenting so I continued to watch, & I’ve been binging ever since. Ha! The content is so interesting & not like the usual stories we hear, like man kills wife or crazy man hides in the closet. Plus, Ballen is an excellent storyteller. He made this skeptic a fan! 😊
Not trying to be pedantic, or be that guy, but only Army members are called soldiers. Navy members are called sailors, Marine members are called Marines, and Air Force members are called Airmen.
I discovered Mr.Ballen about a year ago and I instantly fell in love with the stories, his voice and his enthusiasm for telling the strange, dark and Mysterious. I hope you are doing well my dude! Keep on keeping on!
I remember hearing this on John Lorden's channel several years ago. Collin's mother was interviewed and it was heartbreaking. Good job, Mr Ballen, telling this tale. I don't ever hear about it, so it's good to bring attention to it again.
Thanks, MrBallen! I found your channel about a month ago. You’re a great storyteller and I appreciate your time and energy. Have a great weekend everyone!
I feel so horrible for Colin's family and friends, having absolutely no answers about what happened to him. I'm glad his body was at least found. Great job, as always, telling the story of this case, Mr. Ballen.
Thank you. As someone who knew Colin (I considered him as one of my best friends), I still think think back upon his murder from time to time. Even though we got his body back, and had a proper funeral for him, I looked at his casket and I was filled with anger and grief (I doubt I was the only one). Anger, becuase we were lied to when his body told the truth of what happened to him. Could he have done something different? Did it have to be him? I've come to the realization after having talked about it with his family that Colin was simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Taken by those with evil and hate in their hearts, and that we'll sadly never get the full story. Colin was truly a kind and loving soul, who did not deserve to die in such a horrible manner. I'm glad I got to know him, even if it was only for a few years, because he truly changed my life. I just wish he could've lived longer, because people like him truly made the world a better place, and it feels like those people are far and few nowadays.
@@ShortCircuit15 I am so very sorry for your and Colin's family's loss. This was a horrible crime, and it never should have happened. That said, I want to warn all Americans in foreign countries: don't get involved in politics or protests overseas. You won't be given the same rights and respect over there that you get here in America. People over there who don't like what you're doing or saying will kill you.
Don't want to burn out the man, plus this time gives him the ability to really find good stories.. id rather have reliable uploads than excessive This kind of schedule gives me the feeling Mr Ballen will be around for a long time to come
Well thats what I ment by burning out. He has always been great, but I suppose im just thinking negatively when assuming that if he kept up that pace that quality would drop over time, or he'd lose out somewhere in life. Perhaps he will put out bigger and better things as his new deals go through
Thank God for giving you this amazing gift, you’re helping so many people through their loneliness & depression by having a community to come to & take their mind off their own problems. Bless you Mr. Ballen ❤
Our Mr. B has grown up so fast. 😢 He had that supernatural period, and then the odd ‘child went missing phase’, and more than a few implied Sasquatch’s along the way. There were campfire type stories [some with subterranean munitions!] and now he’s really hitting his stride with a larger True Crime thread throughout. Glad to see it. Here’s hoping his continued success and many more stories to tell. Cheers!
@@pauulkubasek1815 Good call. I used to scuba dive - recreational only. No caves, no overhead environments, no mixed gas dives - and his stories of people lost while cave diving [often, but not always, because they were diving way outside of their ability] would cause these little twitches of some of the most claustrophobic near-panic terror to start creeping over me I've ever felt while being in no actual danger.
eh no. Because he is saying things that are not correct in stories outside the USA. Per example bears in Europe and Russia are not infamous. People are not thinking about bears in a negative way at all. Russians are even proud of their bears and the bear is the Russian symbol. Weird remark and I did not notice in Alaska that the Grizlie is infamous. The Baikal lake is not only the deepest but way more important the BIGGEST lake on earth. It is the biggest sweet water bassin we have on this planet and it is an amazing place. Russian authorities don't like to mess with tourists and foreigners living in Russia. I have been there in total 2 years, 1,5 year in Siberia. Enviroment protests are a normal thing in Siberia. I documented and photographed several. I joined them and never received a warning by gouvernment. Besides that, the european part of Russia is also a very wild and cold enviroment. Not like Siberia, but you can compare it easily with Alaska.
It would be absolutely devastating for Collins parents not knowing what happened to their son in those days between going missing and his body being found. I think these stories are what mrballen does best though. They stay with you along time afterwards trying to piece together in your mind as to what might have happened. Truly strange dark and mysterious!
ukrainians becoming pretty arrogant these days with recent ''victories'' [slaughters] - watch this space and remember what Nietzsche said about hunting monsters.
It's lovely that the things Mr. Ballen asks you to do to the like button, ranges from pretty harmless pranks like putting your finger over the lense while taking a picture of them, to extremely vicious like putting acid in their eye drops.
I really miss hearing you 3-4x a week! I'm so proud of you, and so glad for your success.... but I miss hearing you tell stories as much as you used to. Please don't stop! God bless.
I remember a time when Mr. Ballen didn’t have 500k subs and uploaded 3-4 or even 5 times a week. Those were some good times! Now waiting for a Mr Ballen episode is like waiting for next weeks episode that left you on a serious cliff hanger! You just can’t wait!! But I am happy to see your success for you and your family!❤
The podcast helps fill in the gaps!
THAT was the mistake. Uploading 3-4 or even 5 times a week . Like a marathon runner who does the first 400 metres in a sprint and is then exhausted.
I miss when he uploaded all the time
Same!! As soon as I finished watching all of his videos he started doing 1 or 2 times a week. 😄
right? I keep looking for new posts on his channels I haven't heard before I wish he could go back to 2x a week.
mad respect for this guy for telling us this entire story in the middle of a forest.
fr!!
legit!
Mr. Ballen spares no expenses
and creepy foggy forest !
The amount of time I’ve seen this overused comment
As someone who personally knew Colin (he was one of my best friends and was my roommate in college), his tale has certainly become a cautionary one for me. Colin was not only a very experienced hiker, he was truly a global citizen. He was very well travelled (backpacked Europe for months), a true polyglot (from what I remember he could speak at least 5-6 languages), and was possibly the kindest soul I've ever known. I fully credit him for helping inspire my love of internation travel, and also gave me that spark that ultimately lead me towards my career in education.
But I also wanted to add a couple things.
While his friends did go to the Russian police soon after Colin went missing, you omitted the part where the police detained his friends for hours, accused them of murdering him, and tried to force a false-confession. Also, the police never bothered searching for him until a few days later when his mother arrived from the US and pressured them to look. The first thing they asked her was "is your son gay?", which flabbergasted her. When she replied "no" his mother told me she saw a horrified look in the officer's eyes. They found his body less than a day later, less than 1 mile from where he disappeared.
Also, the Russian authories initially listed his cause of death as hypothermia, which couldn't have happened as it didn't drop below 40F the night he went missing (not to mention the marks on his wrists and neck pointing to a more sinister reason). After testing Colin for THC they then shifted to the drug narrative. They also attempted to drug test his friends, claiming that they were all getting together to do drugs in the cabin. The police kept trying to push all these horrible and baseless accusations onto his friends, simply because "it''s odd for 4 men to share a cabin."
Personally, I am under the belief that Colin was murdered by an off-duty police officer. Sadly, because of Russian secrecy on such matters, and the dissolving of any relationship between the US and Russia, I have no illusions about there being justice for my friend.
thank you for sharing your perspective and I'm sorry about your friend. Seemed like a great guy.
Thank you and my deep condolences.
I'm sorry for your loss. Thanks for contributing what you know. I've heard that the Russian govt is notoriously homophobic, so that question from the police doesn't surprise me. I'd been thinking that an American visitor fluent in Russian who was involved in a peaceful protest might be enough of an excuse for some authority there to accuse him of being a spy or something, but it's possible it was more like what you believe, a violent police officer. I hope you and his family and other friends can find some sort of closure on his case someday.
I knew Russian police in the middle of Siberia didn’t just launch a huge investigation for an American off a couple of kids words! I knew there had to be more to it, thanks for clearing that up!!
Regardless of sexuality, Russians need to chill the fuck out. That part is what upsets me, because of (like you say) baseless accusations. I bet the off duty cop was one of the locals (based off the reaction of the officer who learned Colin wasn’t gay)
What's really great about getting old is your memory ain't what it used to be so I can watch n rewatch MrBallen videos n enjoy em over n over again 😀
Same!!!
That makes me very sad to hear. My grandma/ mom has dementia :( however I pray you age with grace and keep your memory as well as stay sane ❤️
Life on the bright side. I don't have to spend much time washing or combing my hair; because, there is so much less.
MS helps with that, too. Sometimes I know I've heard it but I don't remember it.
Siberia isnt cold everyday,summers can be hot as hell
This kid sounded like a good lad, as a father I can't imagine what his parents went through
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
Good story
Hello does anyone here believe in Jesus?
@@connorlancaster7541 nah
@@connorlancaster7541 yes❤
I can’t be the only one who would love to go on a long hike and camp out with John, hear all his stories he hasn’t released yet….. just to hear him whisper yell from the darkness: “I know how to get to Bells Canyon”
Wanna go camping, I know where Devils Den is.... Il let you snuggle,,,,,,,my 200lb bully dog lol
I just camped with John during this video on UA-cam
Why is that story so haunting? Anyone figured it out? He has many stories with worse endings. Nothing really even happened. But its the most memorable story he has told, imo.
I would definitely join!
Can confirm, Bells canyon is a fun hike
I have limited hearing and have worn aids since I was 12. I usually have to turn on subtitles and still miss a lot of stuff. Mr. Ballen's channel is so clear and his voice is at such a wavelength that it comes as an enjoyable experience to me to not miss a thing. Thanks for that, Mr. B! Also I think it was a Siberian Sasquatch that took him.
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT!
I often lip read with the captions on to help as I have some type of auditory processing issue. I mentioned it in one of his early videos and ever since, they are always subtitled correctly. So many UA-camrs do not care from what I've noticed. Also i wad thinking Sasquatch as well something paranormal, perhaps aliens or portals. Reminds me of a missing 411 case.
That’s far less likely than the Russian government having something to do with it. Otherwise we could just say every missing person and every cold case was caused by a Sasquatch.
@@kaluca shout out to those of us that can barely hear! Might as well be a train whistle
@@kaluca he's accurate in his movements. Easy to follow. Even when they go to the pics, I can still catch what's going on. JOHN BALLEN FOR PRESIDENT!
My husband stumbled across Mr.Ballen one day and came home telling...Hey you gotta listen to this guy tell a story. After one story i was hooked as well. Your animated and funny....A great story teller that can draw you into a story and when it ends...you are ready for more. Thank you. I love your giggles over LUNGY. 😅
Does your husband realize your crush on MrBallen?
@@ericswiatek827get your mind out of the gutter, butt for brains
The other night, I was lying in bed, remembering a video I had seen about some boys on a dock in the middle of a lake that eventually get swarmed by spiders. I was trying to remember where I had seen this video, it was such a vivid memory. I laughed to myself when I realized that it was actually a story told by Mr. Ballen. If that isn't a testament to how great of a storyteller he is, I don't what would be.
Legend.
HHahaha I did the same thing with that story the other day and didn't realize it till you said this!!! Weird!
@OG Gaming LMFAO, I was JUST retelling that story the other day as one of MrBallen's most epic tales...isn't it horrific?!? LOL. At least to me it is, since i have arachnophobia...
What story is this? The name? Sounds like nightmare fuel no doubt.
@@JadedBelle one of the top 3 places u can't go but ppl did anyway. Think it's called the far away dock. Very creepy.
Def a nightmare vid
This story proves to me even more how much the “murder” of an individual will be covered up. Maybe one day I will submit the mysterious story of what happened to my brother.. he went missing under extremely mysterious circumstances and another young man disappeared the same way a couple months later. Hoping to get exposure and insight at some point.. I want his story to be told and remembered as my brother is deeply loved. Thank you for what you do.
🙄y tell the story about your brother missing and someone else did in the same circumstances but didn't tell us their names?LIES
If you want his story to be told then why “maybe”
@@bayg6703 maybe because they don't want to publicly put their family's suffering and personal details out on the internet? what a weirdo comment to make lmfao
@@bayg6703 , or perhaps the re-telling of how her brother mysteriously disappeared would bring up painful memories.
Jeez, not everyone on the internet is a liar. Sure, a lot of people are, but most aren’t.
Sorry for you loss man 🖤
Finally!! Someone taking the land shark threat seriously and bringing attention to it.. thank you!
Yes!
Sadly, the shark was just the muscle, and all the little sucker fish that came with it robbed him blind
@@tinamarie7568 Suckering-Sucker Fish!
@@MrBallen Mr. Allen, I was about to buy one of your "Do you know how to get to Bell's Canyon" shirts and everything is sold out. Are you going to get more?
I love that the shark is there to rob you, not eat you lol
Having grown up in Siberia, thanks for the backhanded compliment. Great Introduction. I grew up in a small town of 900 surrounded by deep woods. Nobody ever died of wild animals. We had a serial killer who targeted young women. Bring kids, we didn't know why anybody would strike a person from behind with a hammer. 30 years later it became an urban legend, but back then we had local police escorting women across the town. We all picked mushrooms in the forest and most Outsiders died of eating death cap mushrooms by mistake. Today you can survive and get a liver transplant in the West, but back then it was a death sentence. Most locals died of alcohol related accidents - either passing out in the winter cold and freezing to death or from swimming while drunk. Siberian tigers, unfortunately are very rare and live pretty much in the Aktai region, wolves too, have been hunted down. Great Lake Baikal was polluted and it's waters are no longer crystal clear. Siberian is not unique in humans sharing habitat with wildlife, so does Australia. That conspiracy theory about the kid's death is ridiculous. Most likely local criminals murdered him. Violent crime where the victim is murdered to prevent identification is more common in the former Soviet Union than in the West. He must have gone out to the outhouse when they grabbed him. Also, there are people who hate Westerners and Americans in the Post Soviet Era, and even back in the Soviet heyday, it was not uncommon to murder outside tourists hiking alone for their gear. Siberian was always a region of prisons and exiles and former inmates, and not everyone was a high falutin political prisoner, there were always criminals and violent people. There were hunters with firearms, and if you walked in the forest and saw a other person or a group, you detoured in a wide circle to avoid them. I still love the forest and the line of trees profiling against the sky still inspires and .mystifies me. I love cold weather hiking and go for long walks in blizzards. One thing I brought out of Russia is that I have zero fear of the darkness. Then again, we all told scary takes but I ended growing up without horror films
@Maxiell I don’t like Americans either and I am American.
Thank you for your interesting post.
As for leaving a cabin to pee . . . there’s a reason for piss pots in the history of our country.
There was a saying growing up for people who were impoverished. “Piss poor.” It meant that person was to poor to purchase a pot to piss in.
*too* poor (oops)
@@KatWoodland Piss pots aren't used in Russia except for toddlers in nurseries. You simply go to the Outhouse. For the kids in nurseries was the afternoon nap and potty time when the adult would read a book to them. That ritual was still practiced in the 1990's, when there was an influx of abandoned kids going into the system.
@@MoxiellThere’s so much about Russia we are unaware of here in the USA.
@@KatWoodland You know about the theory that Native Americans and the early American settlers fought a genocidal war not because they were different, but because they were so much alike - wanting to trap the same animals and sell them to same fur traders? Same analogy still holds between Russia and the USA. Take an equilateral triangle. Out Americana on one point, Mother Russia on the other and Old World on the third, and there you have it. Russia is similar to United States in some respects and to Old World European culture in others. And same goes for the other two. Back in 1700s DeTocqueville wrote that Russian Empire and United States being ideological opposites that will eventually become enemies when they teach each other and he was not wrong. Term American Exceptionalism was coined by Joseph Stalin, after his minions visited the U.S. in the 1930's to learn mass food service. Stalin lived the fast food hamburger and the Automat cafeterias as a way to feed the Soviet Worker. Anyway, Stalin said that it was impossible to do a Bolshevik revolution in America, because America already reached the targets for its working class that the Soviet Union was trying to reach.
Mr Ballen, you are a model for other youtubers: clear speech, excellent use of plain straightforward vocab, good scripts with good background info, engaging body language and 'eye contact', good background visuals.
A pleasure to listen to, every time. Really appreciate the effort you must put in to producing your content. Thanks!
Thank you very much!
He used to make clickbait content.
@@remix4098 thats what everyone in youtube has to do in early days of their channel so pointing that out is stupid
@@remix4098 does it matter literally most you tubers clickbait
MrBallen Model: Get a greenscreen, clickbait till you build an audience, and use exaggerated hand gestures for every word in every sentence you speak.
Mr. Ballen, I live in Indiana and I have a friend that went missing a year and a couple of months ago. Her case was featured in disappeared season 10 ep. 1.Her name is Kirsten brueggeman. Can you do a video about her to bring awareness to her disappearance please. There are way to many inconsistencies that need attention brought to it.🙏🏾
Hope he sees this
MR. B DO THIS!!!!
Please!
Bump
Please do this one!
This man! Gotta love him, his sense of humor is out of bounds, and his talent for story telling is phenomenal!
I love it's amazing, I always look forward to the task he gives us for the like button. 😂
His mother writes the script he reads to us. She is obviously a very talented writer ..probably published .
Using fictional techniques to tell a true story is indicative of novelist imo
20:05
Wow!! Can't believe you won a ps5 AND a Mac Book pro from Mr Ballen himself?! Jeez, some people have all the luck.
@@dumbfuckjuice9915 I fucking love your name idec that you’re spamming a time stamp
I'm currently laid up in the hospital and these videos are helping keeping my mind off the pain. Thank you Mr.Ballen
I love how MrBallen elaborates on what THC is. I’m sure most of us know, but he always is so extra in explaining everything to us in layman’s terms and I adore it!
You'd be surprised at the percentage of even daily cannabis users that don't know what THC is
I’m 31 and I only learned about it about 5 years ago. I’ve never smoked though, so I know nothing about cannabis.
@@ruschev2 I’m from Colorado, so I’m probably spoiled in that kind of knowledge haha
It's cute how he stops and defines items we might not recognize, without talking down to anyone. Would make a successful teacher for sure.
First thing I thought was "MrBallen bakes"
I've had a recent run in with a landshark, I'm glad you have opened up people's awareness to this threat because it is real and it is dangerous and people need to be prepared once again another great story
Did you have your cannons ready? I woulda started throwing candy at it, miniature ones, so you know it’s gonna kill me just for that!
@@judywright4241 unfortunately the canons were ready but I hadn't cleaned them, they backfired and I got the shark but lost my house, I figured a Civil War Canon wouldnt have issues, if I only had the simplisafe home security system the house would still be with us 💣💨
Once a landshark broke into my house and stole my favorite pair of New Balances. I swear, if i ever see another landshark...lets just say it wont be pretty.
Brendan, what on Gods green earth, is a landshark?
@@tecticeditz5549 I hear you, my new balances are behind a lock and key it's one of the things along with a CW Canon that helps, you can hope to run away 🏃♂️ 🏃♀️
This is a dark and mysterious story, and sad. I feel for Collin’s parents and loved ones. The lack of answers and justice must eat at them. Prayers and love to his family and friends.
Collins picture made him look I'll prepared for Siberia. Judging a book by the cover...lol.
I would guess he was taken by some corrupt policeman hoping he would help them abduct or rob his new come friends, once he refused, they tried to torture him into submission by the waterboarding method , scuffled wrists and suffocation sure seem compatible. If done by someone not proficient it will cause death. Blaming his demise on drugs and alcohol is the most common form of autopsy results issued by Russian corrupt police.
They are a bit more lucky than most others in far eastern russia, because the police there normally does nothing at all. The Irkutsk police is the only one that is at least functioning a little, but on the extreme countryside and most surrounding regions, like Buryatia, Transbaikal, Amur, Yakutia and other very low density places, police does not really exist.
it maybe the work of a serial killer or killers as it had happened before.
I remember listening to Ballen when he just started, years later, and EVERY one of my friends knows and adores his stories!. So cool to see him living his best life.
It's MrBallen.
Rest in peace Colin and condolences to his family and friends. 🕊️
I'm one of his first cousins , thank you
We have been fans for awhile now and YOU are most certainly keeping the historical ART of storytelling alive almost by yourself as you are the best out there! MY family also appreciates that you are supporting your family and that you keep it informative, exciting and clean! Keep on with the good work!
Dude you need to jump on that prize man! You know it’s legit because it says Mr.Ballen on it
Its not even close...@mrballen is the best story teller out there, bar none 😎
@@thelifeofcollinrs6030 I'm not sure that that's a valid account. I've seen those posts over and over and this was a brand new account by McBallen and I don't know that he supports that.
Yeah, take it, it's probably the famous lickspittle award.
@@DimndSLM r/wooosh
Hey Mr.Ballen. I recently got out of the Marine Corps & I wanted to say that you’re videos have made such a big difference in my mental well-being. Nights have been especially hard, and you’re videos have done an amazing job at keeping my mind at ease (well at “ease” may not be the right word, but at least distracted😂) so from the bottom of my heart thank you, I’m in a much better place now and I’m not sure where or what I would’ve done without these. All I know is you’re videos were the one thing I looked forward too for a long time, so again, seriously, thank you for being such a great story teller and content creator. Thank you thank you thank you. 🙏🏼
Hey Jake!!
Thank you very much for your service! 💙
Because of ppl like you... you have made a big difference in my life. Just know that!
Thank you for your service!! I'm a former Army Medic. PTSD is crippling so I pray you continue in your healing!🙏💕
Thank you for your service - prayers sent
Thank you for your service!
Thank you very much for your service sir
So sad that he was alive the whole time😢 . RIP
I read a book based on Markov’s experience with the Siberian tiger. If I recall correctly, his offense against the tiger was that he stole part of the tiger’s hidden meat cache. You gotta hunt your own food in Siberia. The tiger 🐅 taught him that.
That's right. Also, he had olny shot the tiger through a hole in
His cabin after it had taken one of his dogs and destroyed the shed he had put the two boar meat slabs. He only took a park of the fresh kill. Vladimir begged his neighbors for help, but they all declined, saying that he had been marked by the tiger. When Vladimir sadly went back to his now destroyed cabin, the tiger had brought back one of his injured dogs
which the professional tiger hunters believed it to have been a trap to distract Vladimir while it attacked him from behind. The tiger killed at least one other hunter before it was found and killed.
Side note the tiger piled Vladimirs body separately from his skinned head, which was believed to have been left as a warning ⚠️
I love how unlike other UA-camrs he give examples,facts and background info before the story. And the pictures he uses helps you understand what he's talking about
That’s horrible what the parents had to go through.
That must have been so hard losing their son & then to try to get justice for him afterwards- 😢💔
Thanks so much for another great story John!! Love your podcasts too !
by far the best ever segway into a sponsor, had me in tears laughing
Good day Mr. Ballen. The tiger that attacked Markov wasn’t just angry that it was shot, Markov also stole from it. It’s an interesting story and I think you should talk about it.
He stole that poor lion's picnic basket.
Markov deserved what he got. The article I just read had a great line "the tiger eating Markov was secondary, he just had a bone to pick". (Markov's bones that is.
@@laurab5750 honking off a tiger is very poor life strategy. 😮
What he steal? A box of Tony the tiger cereal?
I just read a ridiculously long excerpt from a book about this incident called, "Tiger." Apparently, Markov, a poacher, one of the lowest forms of human life, shot the rider then took part of its kill. The tiger stalked him, staked out his cabin, then killed and ate Markov and his dog. I feel sorry for the dog.
It's a very gruesome story. That guy was stupid. The tiger was not.
I love this channel! My daughter was in the Navy as was her husband who was a career Navy Chief. They have a number of Seal friends from their time in service. Thank you for your service! Bravo Zulu!
But I love his storytelling. He gets so animated it cracks me up. Hands and arms all over the place, it adds to the story. He'd be great to have on a camp-out, everyone around the campfire at night!
Please tell them from me thank you for your service
@@mered30 Yes, I'll tell them. They only live 10 miles down the road from me.
Listening to him giggle is such a joy!
Great storytelling and hilarious commercial.😂
Unless you a female you dead wrong.
I rewatched his 'commercial' three times because his giggles are just so dang cute!
EVERYONE PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
@Slimetoo. WHA?
@@athenasheffield2836 me too! So adorbs.
I know I'm really late seeing this video, but I absolutely love Mr. Ballen's little giggle when he was telling us about the shark coming through his window. It absolutely made my day.
MR. BALLEN is a great story teller. I love everything about him: the content, the precision ,and the directness. I haven’t seen another storyteller like him. Much respect!
I agree!
This was such a lazy video. Nothing happened. He went to the woods, died, and that’s it. No reveal, no interesting theories. This channel is officially done
He is very relatable
yup, but he should do more research. Because he states some facts that are not true. In this case I found 3 facts that are not true. I wrote him about it before, but the stories outside USA keep having wrong facts.
I first found him on tiktok and found him annoying but as soon as I heard the full stories on UA-cam I was hooked. This man deserves all the success he has earned and I love when a notification pops up for a new story.
The giggling about the shark that broke into your home caught me off guard by how cute it was. Completely made me forget about the horror of this story for a few minutes lol
His wife is like “yeah we know he’s cute”
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
Or just cringe
@@knunn5171 factual bro
no I knowww
I started watching him when he only had less than 50k subscribers. And every episode was knocking my socks off. And I could never understand why he didn’t have more? I’m so happy he is doing so good, he’s not only a veteran, but a really good man!!
please don’t fall for this. any channel with “telegram” in it is an absolute HOAX.
Yea and he also hid "the secret" in many episode for us to find and IT WAS HARD!
People don't know how spooky it can be to be miles deep in the WOODS then you start to hear whispers. It sounds like words but it's just the wind right? You have to go solo to get that type of experience.
I was talking to someone from Russia recently about Siberia and because she’s still learning English, she called permafrost “the eternal ice” which just makes the place seem even more brutal!
Eternal ice sounds scary as hell lol.. ill stick with permafrost lol
@@waltnoble1051 I know right! Me too ahaha
As a Russian who comes from a Siberian city, I can tell you that most of what he said about Siberia is BS.
It's not cold year round here. Summers are actually quite hot here, but winters can get as cold as -40 C. You only get permafrost in the Far North areas, but barely anyone lives there.
@@Ohlookitsdaisyy Yeah, I mean Irkutsk isn't nearly as cold as Yakutsk. These are several hundred km to the north we are talking about, right? How people not understand it?
@@yuliapanina8815 in the general collective mindset, when people think of “Siberia” they’re really only thinking about a relatively small area way up north, probably because of Hollywood (the same with most common misconceptions). My point (to anyone reading this) was that she DID live pretty far up north where it IS very cold and I loved her way of saying permafrost ☺️
One of the best narrators out there. He draws you in like a magnet.
Love you Mr Ballen!
Imagine having Mr Ballen as your dad. I would be in bed 3 in the afternoon, every day with my PJs on, ready for storytime. Dinner? Who needs mere food when there are tales to be told.
What a bright young man he was, he hadn't even started into his journey we call life, very sad.
Been following and watching Mr ballen for a couple of years now. His stories and enthusiasm is what makes his channel so entertaining. Happy for your accomplishments and congrats on 8 million subscribers.
I believe Mr. Ballen is the only one that can make me sit thru a commercial during a story and actually enjoy and laugh at the commercial.
I'm glad fast forward is a thing. I'm tired of all this monetization.
I‘m actually looking forward to Mr. Ballens commercials 😅 they are literally the only commercials I like to watch 😂
I wonder if those codes apply in Europe as well 😅 maybe not for simply safe because I have Alexa and cannons but some of the products have way better offers in the videos than you get over here
@@annam8810 John Ballen always makes me laugh and I end up watching the 'commercials' several times. I willingly watch his commercials as well as Ryan Reynolds' commercials.
Him and Ryan Reynolds
I would be a doctor, physicist, astronaut, and a plumber if Mr. Ballen was my teacher back then.
Hard to teach calculus with entertaining stories.
@@00jyjsarang Mr is the Chuck Norris of storytelling... No story is too difficult
I would probably had grasped geometry if Mr Ballen taught it. 😂
@@00jyjsarang tell the right story at the right time and you can fire a mind into action, my best teachers where Biology, Chemistry and English and they all told excellent stories that related even in a tiny way to the subject matter. Just wish the Maths and Computing teacher where not so droll and boring.
Ohh that is so sweet to say that. I am certain that you are right. John Allen would make a great school teacher and he would be very kind and take kids under his wings.
It's Crazy I started watching his videos when he barely had 35k and then in a matter of weeks it's was over 100k. Now the man has over 6M. Well deserved you amazing story teller, badass seal and hero.
I started when he had 1.2m sub
He great and very humble
i remember the early days too. i’m so happy to see him grow. he deserves it.
Was he a navy seal?
@@markwinsor9835 yep, loves fish, great a clapping
Hits different hearing about Vladimir Markov after this week's video. I love binging your videos!
This dude is so good at telling stories that I sat through his sponsor story. 😂
He's so good at telling a story that I can actually listen and retain the story, whereas I cannot do the same with books on tape. I'm recently blind and my hobbies beforehand were reading, sewing, and embroidery, so sitting around I total boredom has been incessantly frustrating. But then I found Mr. Ballen a week ago and I've been binging his stories. The man is a Godsend while I adjust to what my life is now.
Agree! I did too, and didn't even realise it was a sponsor story at first!
fr i only do bc he makes them enjoyable 😂
@@MegaKat holy crap, Mr. Ballen audio books would be fucking mint! Yo Ballen! Get that paper dawg!
I live for the sponsor stories 😂🤣🤣
I'm curious to know what, if anything, was found in Colin's stomach? He had to have eaten something in the 8 days he was missing. If he was being held captive somewhere, it seems likely he would have at least been given food (unless the captor's plan was to starve him to death). Was there evidence of prepared food, or just stuff like berries, nuts, bugs, etc. he'd find out in the wilderness? Also, it seems unlikely he could have stayed alive out in the exposed cold for over a week, so that would suggest he was in some sort of sheltered place. How about DNA samples on his body? Long story, short - there's a lot of unanswered questions... And since this was recent (2016), the forensics, if done properly, should have provided a mountain of clues...
Honestly, the part about police's and forensics neglect is the least surprising. Russian police notoriously does not give a fuck about solving anything, ever, unless there is a massive public coverage of the case. Or unless they need to find "enemies of the state", which is not the case here.
I was wondering the same thing.
You could look into it … I heard about it a few years ago but I can’t remember all the details from that story. Good question, nevertheless.
@@goody2shoes384 this made me wonder EXACTLY how many days prior had he smoked this cannabis? Was it the night he disappeared? Was it before? Was it during the time he was missing? I’m gunna look into this …
@@goody2shoes384 cannabis induced sleep walking? 💀 come on bro
Love his story telling and his exaggerated hand gestures. He definitely is one of the best story tellers on YT.
exaggerated is an understatement. it's so much it's outright disturbing. he's like Stan S. Stanman from Monkey Island at this point
He used to be on sooooo much more, but he's branched out to multiple platforms. Miss him but proud he did it!
Seriously w the hands maaan!
He is the BEST❤️❤️
*the best
I got my hubby hooked on mr.ballen. His only complain is "WHY DOES HE HATE THE LIKE BUTTON SO MUCH??!" LOL!!!
Thanks John! my wife and I love listening together. Always amazing content from UA-cams #1 storyteller!!
It must be horrible for his mother to not know what happened really to her son. A bizzare story, well told, thanks MrBaljen!
What about his dad
There is only 1of 2 things this could be: he either did something extra and specific at one of the protest or he came across something he shouldn't have, knew it was him an was hunted down.
17:22 when you're Russian, murder is something ubiquitous and often encouraged. The unjustified atrocities of our glorious army in Ukraine just mirror what Tolstoy, Chekov, Stanisław Lem, Maxim Gorky, Gogol, and WWII veteran Leonid Rabichev wrote in their memoirs about the deviancy of the russian troops. Stanislaw Lem wrote that when Soviets occupied the Eastern part of Poland in september 1939 Russian troops rареd pregnant and postnatal women, children and 80+ year-old women. Rabichev reported the same cases in the liberated Berlin in 1945, when Russians rареd little girls while having their parents watch and then left mutilated bodies by the roads with vodka bottles shoved inside the girls' vаginas. I found this in the archives that the war museum made public soon after the Soviet union collapsed, but it's never made it to the public. Overall, Russian culture has not evolved. The inborn deviancy is still encouraged, nurtured and capitalised on by each and every ruler that my country has had.
By the way, the Russian genocide of Crimean Tatars and Chechens started during the Russian Empire times and continued even during Gorbachev's times who authorised another deportation and murder of Crimean Tatars (The West closed its eyes on this fact because Gorby let the empire of evil collapse...). Then the same genocide resumed after the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014. Wherever we go we bring death, torture, and dehumanisation.
What a parent should really be worried about is which 2 eternities they child soul is at.
Most likely a local tribe. There are primitive tribes living there, who tend to hate foreigners due to assumption they have money. So I would immediately suspect burglary+murder by local tribes. That's why police couldn't do anything, these tribes are unregistered and navigate the terrain way better than anyone else.
I was with Mr. Ballen since the start as well. Back when he put up that hand with four or 5 fingers and telling it 4 or 5 times a week .
Always sitting patiently till that notification hits- much respect for your thoroughness in all all you do and my hats off to you for you service brother- Ash
I’m new to Mr Ballen videos and I am totally hooked!!!! At night when I go outside to smoke I am literally terrified though 🤣
Excellent story teller . My mom and I watch together (sorta ) every week. She lives 4 hours away and this connects us every week and we watch as we are on the phone together then discuss it ! We love you John 🖤
I’m so thankful to have found Mr. Ballen on You Tube about 2 years ago. I instantly was a fan. My husband asked me how I could just watch a dude telling a story. He made fun of me,until one day I walked in the door from work and low and behold,my hubby-watching Mr.Ballen!! He and I will watch episode after episodes together and be totally entertained.
I personally love how Mr Ballen will define or describe things to make sure you’re not left feeling lost.
Amazing story teller, infectious laugh, beautiful smile and kind eyes. Thank you for sharing your talents with us Mr Ballen! Keep up the great work! Xoxoxo
it can be like that sometimes on both sides lol. or even him showing interest in something you enjoy and seeing what it's about and just so happened to get sucked into this world
Mr. Ballen talks with his hands more than my Italian wife and her mother, when they're telling any story...hahahaha!!
It's sad because it sounds like maybe the person or even the victim heard the search party and both of them knew it was the end. That had to be terrifying watching your abductor get more and more agitated knowing it means a bad end for you. He had to have been so scared and desperate listening to people looking for him and being killed just hours before they could get to him to save him. Probably died listening to the search party just feet away
This makes sense
but tornd apart cloths and cuts in both hands dont add up...i dont wanna sound stupid fut it sounds like some mythical creature/shapeshifter..maybe i am totally wrong...
@@durga_magi unfortunately you did sound stupid
@@durga_magiyou're right, that does sound silly.
Feet away? Nah.
If you read this, Mr Ballen, I was in the war when you were wounded. Awesome to see your recovery, brother.
Edit: oof, honored that Mr Ballen responded, but not expecting the debate in the comments. Didn't mean to set anybody off. I was a member of an aircrew of the USAF. Mr Ballen went thru 10x the hell I did. Just happy to see him alive and well.
No picture no proof.
Edit: I was joking…
@@FostuRKid he doesn't need proof
🙌🙏
If your name is Scott, I will trip tf out.
Thank you both for your service 🙏🏼
@@FostuRKid There were hundreds of thousands of soldiers in that war, not exactly hard to believe
And if he's lying, let him be. He clearly needs the attention.
no matter the video content the way you put it all together makes every video interesting. I just cant get enough. from the missing 411 videos to places people shouldnt go and what happened to them when they did. You have incredible story telling skills, thats the reason I watch. I always feel for the families of these people. I personally know the pain of loss and its horrible for anyone to go through it, especially when its too soon for the victim to leave them. ❤
On the other platforms I miss watching you tell stories. You put so much energy into telling them.
Narrates a story better than anyone. I am addicted to these videos like thousands of others!
This is truly heartbreaking as a parent… I can’t imagine what his parents are going through & not even able to get closure because they still don’t know who, or what killed their son 💔
I think he saw something or someone outside that needed urgent help, which is why he put on his boots without socks because he was in a hurry...when I run outside really quickly I always just throw on my shoes without socks.
@@deez2569 that's a really good point! Someone couldve lured him away. But also when you are outdoors and have to pee outside at night, it's kind of a temporary shoe-wearing experience with no need to put on socks and lace things up. I wish his friends had stayed awake to remember why he went outside.
Your laughter is a real treat. I love when it's so hard for you to say the scenarios without being able to get through them because of your own jokes. Makes my day.
The lion story still cracks me up. His laughing while trying to tell the story is the best part.
Laughing at your own jokes - in the UK, we call that Lame!
@@glamdolly30 I'd rather laugh at my own jokes than live in a country with a new PM every week. You Brits are the epitome of stability
@@glamdolly30 Fancy a cuppa?
@@glamdolly30 aw you're just jealous. And being nasty because you're jealous.... THAT'S LAME
First my deepest condolences to the Madsen family for their loss being a father of a twenty-eight-year-old and 21 year old I can only imagine the horror and pain they've suffered. And the struggle of them striving so hard to find answers and getting not much resolve.... An autopsy can give you the end result of cause and affect but not provide any motives....
.
I will try to answer this to help the family as simple and direct as possible.
Colin Madsen died in Arshan, Republic of Buryatia, Russia 2016, his body found 8 days after disappearance.
Normally I give a really long drawn-out in detail what I thank did and did not happen but in this case I have to go with short and simple because in my opinion.... The answer is clearly in front of our face in my opinion.
Colin was a university student and apparently got into environmentalism and this was counter to the socio-economic livelihood of the people living in the area of Republic of Buryatia and Colin upset the apple cart by participating in protests.... Long story short I think the locals wanted to make an example of Colin because not only would the environmentalism cause certain jobs and industries to dry up this would deprive much of the locals of income and they wouldn't be able to feed their families and the local governments would not receive their tax money so not only did the locals have a motive for killing Colin but government officials as well.... The reason why this was labeled as hypothermia caused by drug usage is that it frees up all politics involved and everyone gets off scot-free....
Its clear from viewing autopsy photos which were graphic that he was tortured, it looks like on his feet and ankles as if he was poked with knives or some other sharp instruments to elicit pain.... And the position of his body shows that whoever dumped him there wanted to show their disdain for him as if a piece of garbage they were throwing away his left arm was positioned in a very unusual and unnatural positioning as was his left leg at a very strange position indicative of being just tossed like a rag doll from a truck or horse or maybe he was strung up and hung and after he died they just dropped his body and it fell irregardless this poor young man was brutalized by some very angry angry people... And if they seen him as an agent of force that would cause them to lose their money and livelihood then that's where the anger would come from....
I know the mother had concerns that there might be some thinking that he was killed because he was viewed as possibly homosexual I think this is absurd.... Now another possibility because of the area being Buryat which or mostly Mongol descent it could have been a racial motivation but I don't think this is as much of a cause as much as the socio-economic cause of his death so the simplicity of this case to me is right on the surface....
He got into environmentalism and pissed off the wrong people.... They became very angry and they stalked him and they murdered him and on a local level they covered it up...
And in no way shape or form do I feel that Colin deserved this type of retribution and it's a deeply disturbing and deeply sad affair for the family and friends and neighbors and co-workers of Colin and even two people like myself that did not know him or his family... It breaks my heart...
The fact that the one police official was yelling and spitting at the mother shows you how intense their hatred fir Colin was... They seen him as a threat to their way of life.... And how many examples of this type of situation have we seen throughout the world and on TV shows...
Mr and Mrs Madsen if you're reading this know that I'm not doing this to upset but to try to help you understand what more than likely happened to your son.... I'm a father myself and the story is deeply saddening and I see my son in your son in your pain is great beyond words.... So you have two choices at this point....go deeper or let it rest.... And the only way you're going to be able to go deeper is if you move to that area get to know the people get to know the culture get to know everything and find your killers then bring them to justice any way you choose.... Or like I said just walk away and accept the probability of what I have said here and remember him each and every day with a smile on your face the wonderful times that you spent with Colin and that you tried your damnedest ....
Again I hope this message gets to you and I hope you make the choice best for you....
This makes sense. Thanks for writing that.
He had no business telling Siberian people how to live their lives. This is what happens when you’re a no good busy body who has no idea how hard it is to live on the frozen tundra. He was gonna go back to his cush life in the West after making life harder for Siberian natives.
@@toscadonnathings are never only black and white. If you'd actually give it a thought, you'd understand that things may appear simple on the surface but 10 on 10, they go deeper.
Firstly, no one knows why he died. It is all speculations. And if we take into account what op said as the reason, then you need to have awareness and perspective. By saying that "oh he had no business ruining the livelyhoods of the villagers as he doesn't understand how they live there and he will be back to the states without a care" sounds really pathetic coming from you. In the video, MrBallen repeatedly states that he loved Siberia till he moved there and even learnt the language. He spent countless hours in there and knows the area so well that he was even helping to create paths for other explorers. It also stated in the video that this place "siberia" is amongst the only few remaining natural wildlife untouched by civilisation.
Your statement that he doesn't know how hard the livelyhoods of the villagers in siberia is, is definitely wrong since he lives there and def have a much better idea than you commenting on your iphone at home. Then you talk about him leaving there without a care after all is said, when he himself chose to stay there and had no need to go back. So he himself was living that life that he chose by himself.
And as for having perspective that you don't have, is that the place doesn't need civilisation. The same happened in Africa and now the savannah is merely 3% wild only. 97% got destroyed by the villagers and now they are regretting this and doing all they can to protect that 3% cause they realised that altogether it was the savannah itself that was their livelyhood. And as stated in the video, Colin loved the wild and Siberia. He didn't go there for the people nor the concrete jungle of Russia but for the last remaining wild on earth. He was passionate and had conviction. He fought for what's right and he had good morals and values to be able to stand for something precious and priceless in this world.
But you wouldn't understand that since based on your ridicule comment, i see that you don't have any values. Maybe you are someone from the tictoc generation who is just lost and shallow.
@@toscadonna And so he deserved torture? And death?
@@toscadonnathat doesn’t give them a reason to do this
Been here since you had 400k !! Please Bring back the top 3 places you can’t go but people went anyways & disturbing photos with their backstories!! Keep up the great work 💪🏽
Miss those videos, hoping they come back as well!
You always have stories I’ve never heard of and you are definitely one of the best story tellers here on UA-cam ❤
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT! AND THE SOB IS SPAMMING EVERY COMMENT. PLEASE MRB OR UA-cam GET RID OF THIS NIGERIAN SCAMMER!!!!!!!!!
I actually heard that it was because they suspected he was gay and being gay in Russia is an executable offense.
That's just terrible that there's never going to be closure for this family.
Rest I Paradise Collin. Your with Jesus now.
It so good to see you have well over 5 million subscribers, you deserve this kind of success for all your hard work. I'm so glad I found your channel, I hope you never stop doing what you do.
I love seeing a return to “the strange, dark and mysterious”, instead of the true crime and easily explained natural accidents. Time to return to Bells Canyon!!
Do you know how to get to bells canyon?
Jk 😅
I’m not one who is easily scared, but that Bell’s Canyon video scared the hell out of me!
You will watch whatever he posts, like we all do.😇
@@lakeshoreshepherds741
I do know that if you want to get to Bells Canyon you have to leave the established path.
Forever...
I'm very intrigued about the stories of missing cases where bodies seem to have died only hours before they are found after missing for many many days. I think the case is incredibly interesting but I find it very very sad thinking that these people might have wandered for many days or felt fear for many days before they finally passed away. However I hope that isn't the case thank you for covering this once again! May they rest in peace
What I appreciate the most is the exceptional job Mr. Ballen does to give you the run-down on each stories' setting, a bit of its history, and who the stories are pertaining to. Thank You Mr.Ballen!!!
I love listening to your stories! I have massive ADHD problem and still you capture my full attention the entire time you tell your stories! Can't wait for the next one!
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT!
Absolutely heartbreaking for the family. Incredibly suspicious of police but after watching all of your Missing 411 videos I still believe it’s possible for something that has been living in those woods to be responsible.
Right, but where was Colin for those 7 days before he was thought to have perished?
What? People or....!!?
I doubt it. It's Siberia, not Appalachia.
Or taken by a Bigfoot.
@@themightybalian except people freeze to death in Siberia. Perhaps they are only there in summer months? But then where do they go in the winter? And why would they return to Siberia once they have found a more comfortable place to stay? It's obviously the government. Why would they create a false autopsy and then close the case?
It always stabs me in the heart when he says “we upload 1 time a week” miss the days when it use to be 3-4 times a a week but I’m grateful for anything we get ❤
I lived in the Ural Mountains for 2 years. Beautiful country. Almost nothing like it. Collin’s story is relatable and tragic.
after hearing this my 2 main suspects would either be his 3 friends, or someone living close by.
It is really strange that he was found 8 days later, and apperently died hours before he was found. That almost sounds like whoever did it knew that the searchparty was getting close to his location, or feared they would be found out if they managed to find him alive. So they went ahead of the group and silenced him.
I can't really explain it any other way.
Yes, more than likely the three 'friends' where involved. Could have been more than three too, only going off their word.
Only way I can think of someone pulling this off is by having government ties
they got a pretty corrupt government over there that tends to brainwash people (just an observation). Their conclusion to the case was just ridiculous. They don’t care. What they say is the final word, no questions. I think the friends is plausible but unlikely. I don’t see much of a motive there. Maybe some Siberian Forest serial killers snagged him when he went to use the bathroom. Makes sense why his socks weren’t on. I wouldn’t put socks on either if it was just a short walk outside and then back to bed. Something must’ve happened when he went out to use the bathroom (or maybe he heard something outside and went to investigate and got snatched).
Please do a full video on the Tiger’s revenge story. There are so many layers to it, totally fascinating. I’ve ordered the book by Vallient. It seemed to think Vladimir had stolen not only his kill/food but also now wounded him so stolen all future kills as he could no longer hunt. So it was two birds with one stone to hunt him, a meal to survive but also revenge. He did mess with the man a lot before, like a lot of cats do. So interesting how it could imagine the human’s state of mind though. Very smart animals.
Must resist the urge to go to Siberia and befriend one of these tigers
Would be heck of a cuddle buddy and body guard should someone or something do something to me
I wouldn't mind being murdered if after my death there was a cool adventure of the tiger going off and avenging me
@Eddy9871 I like how you think. That made me freaking laugh
Thats a really crazy Story that Tiger Surely wanted Revenge i Bet He Took the slow approach while Killing the Hunter savage animals 😄
Pretty sure its a fake story. The one i heard before was the tigers showed up and he wasnt home so it destroyed his house then waited for him to return and killed him lol. Im also pretty sure that if he did get eaten it wasnt the one he shot. Not like the wound goes away in a day if it did live. More likely just a random tiger that took the opportunity more than a tiger getting shot stalking the man all the way home then killing him.
I also heard a different story. Story I heard was that the tiger mate was killed so the tiger got revenge for the partner they loss. Tiger waited for hunter to return home and then killed him
We need to make a montage of Mr Ballen just cracking up at his own jokes I just love it!❤️😂
That would be SO much fun!
Seconded!
Excellent idea!
I agree!!
Best Wishes to Collins Parents couldn't imagine the heart ache of not knowing.
MrBallen laughing at himself is absolutely priceless 😂
Maybe I'm cynical but his laughter looked so fabricated I actually thought that it was condescending!
It’s the best thing😂🤣
i love watching him laugh, he stiffen’s up when he laughs it’s so wholesome
My favorite part🥰
Truee
It’s incredible that this former soldier is so darn good at story telling! I hated videos like this until I stumbled onto his channel. Makes you remember how to use your imagination while listening to the story he builds.
If you like soldiers telling stories, read or listen to the book "Horus Rising." It starts out with a soldier telling a story about the time Horus slew the false emperor!
Just throwing this out there if youve alrdy went thru all MrBallens videos. While i agree this is hands down the best storytelling channel, there is another that, imo, is definitely entertaining! Mr Nightmare! I check youtube everyday to see if theyve dropped new vids! I think you may like him as well. :)
*sailor* rather than soldier
I agree. Someone from Mr. Nightmare’s channel recommended Ballen, & when I first checked him out I wasn’t impressed - I’m not a fan of people videoing themselves as they narrate the story. But I really liked the content he was presenting so I continued to watch, & I’ve been binging ever since. Ha! The content is so interesting & not like the usual stories we hear, like man kills wife or crazy man hides in the closet. Plus, Ballen is an excellent storyteller. He made this skeptic a fan! 😊
Not trying to be pedantic, or be that guy, but only Army members are called soldiers. Navy members are called sailors, Marine members are called Marines, and Air Force members are called Airmen.
These stories help me stay aware of my surroundings and cautious at all times. You never know!
Those mid-story-ads in every video of Mr Ballen are hilarious 😂😂
I discovered Mr.Ballen about a year ago and I instantly fell in love with the stories, his voice and his enthusiasm for telling the strange, dark and Mysterious. I hope you are doing well my dude! Keep on keeping on!
I remember hearing this on John Lorden's channel several years ago. Collin's mother was interviewed and it was heartbreaking. Good job, Mr Ballen, telling this tale. I don't ever hear about it, so it's good to bring attention to it again.
Maybe that's why his name sounded so familiar to me.
i love his sponsor ads, one of the few i actually watch, he gets rid of that boring script reading by adding his goofiness and their just fun to watch
Thanks, MrBallen! I found your channel about a month ago. You’re a great storyteller and I appreciate your time and energy. Have a great weekend everyone!
I feel so horrible for Colin's family and friends, having absolutely no answers about what happened to him. I'm glad his body was at least found. Great job, as always, telling the story of this case, Mr. Ballen.
Congrats to the first post I see concerned for the victim.
Thank you. As someone who knew Colin (I considered him as one of my best friends), I still think think back upon his murder from time to time. Even though we got his body back, and had a proper funeral for him, I looked at his casket and I was filled with anger and grief (I doubt I was the only one). Anger, becuase we were lied to when his body told the truth of what happened to him. Could he have done something different? Did it have to be him? I've come to the realization after having talked about it with his family that Colin was simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Taken by those with evil and hate in their hearts, and that we'll sadly never get the full story. Colin was truly a kind and loving soul, who did not deserve to die in such a horrible manner. I'm glad I got to know him, even if it was only for a few years, because he truly changed my life. I just wish he could've lived longer, because people like him truly made the world a better place, and it feels like those people are far and few nowadays.
@@ShortCircuit15 ~ my condolences for your loss.
@@ShortCircuit15 Hey 👋 how are you holding up?
@@ShortCircuit15 I am so very sorry for your and Colin's family's loss. This was a horrible crime, and it never should have happened.
That said, I want to warn all Americans in foreign countries: don't get involved in politics or protests overseas. You won't be given the same rights and respect over there that you get here in America. People over there who don't like what you're doing or saying will kill you.
I miss when we’d have 5 days of Halloween spooky stories each week. But also glad for the success of this channel.
Amen 🙏
Don't want to burn out the man, plus this time gives him the ability to really find good stories.. id rather have reliable uploads than excessive
This kind of schedule gives me the feeling Mr Ballen will be around for a long time to come
@@seangannon7022 they were one hundred percent reliable. He won’t post it if it’s not.
Well thats what I ment by burning out. He has always been great, but I suppose im just thinking negatively when assuming that if he kept up that pace that quality would drop over time, or he'd lose out somewhere in life. Perhaps he will put out bigger and better things as his new deals go through
@zeet then listen to the podcasts while they are available.
Over 15,000 views in less than 10 minutes. Well done Mr.Ballen, I love your work and I am glad to see you hitting it big
Happy birthday mr. Ballen. We love you. Keep the stories coming ❤🎉
🌹🍨🎂🎈📄❤️❤️❤️🎉🎊
Thank God for giving you this amazing gift, you’re helping so many people through their loneliness & depression by having a community to come to & take their mind off their own problems. Bless you Mr. Ballen ❤
Our Mr. B has grown up so fast. 😢
He had that supernatural period, and then the odd ‘child went missing phase’, and more than a few implied Sasquatch’s along the way. There were campfire type stories [some with subterranean munitions!] and now he’s really hitting his stride with a larger True Crime thread throughout.
Glad to see it. Here’s hoping his continued success and many more stories to tell.
Cheers!
I miss the Supernatural phase. Still awesome content though.
@@psychopompous3207 me too.
Don’t forget all the cave diving disasters
@@pauulkubasek1815 Good call. I used to scuba dive - recreational only. No caves, no overhead environments, no mixed gas dives - and his stories of people lost while cave diving [often, but not always, because they were diving way outside of their ability] would cause these little twitches of some of the most claustrophobic near-panic terror to start creeping over me I've ever felt while being in no actual danger.
Starting to resemble Unsolved Mysteries... 🌫️
These stories are even more fun in the month of October. MrBallen, please make a Halloween special for us all 🎃 👻
Yesss that would be soo coool
YAS
I concur!!!
yes this
@UCfIl3SLZEO-a5i1wACbqLTg thats cool and all but I didn't ask???
Not only a storyteller, he is all in one teacher 👌❤️
Damn this story is soooo kinky!
eh no. Because he is saying things that are not correct in stories outside the USA. Per example bears in Europe and Russia are not infamous. People are not thinking about bears in a negative way at all. Russians are even proud of their bears and the bear is the Russian symbol. Weird remark and I did not notice in Alaska that the Grizlie is infamous.
The Baikal lake is not only the deepest but way more important the BIGGEST lake on earth. It is the biggest sweet water bassin we have on this planet and it is an amazing place.
Russian authorities don't like to mess with tourists and foreigners living in Russia. I have been there in total 2 years, 1,5 year in Siberia. Enviroment protests are a normal thing in Siberia. I documented and photographed several. I joined them and never received a warning by gouvernment. Besides that, the european part of Russia is also a very wild and cold enviroment. Not like Siberia, but you can compare it easily with Alaska.
I 👍 agree, without a doubt!
@@monicacarolina6480 vey informitive. Thanks for sharing that additional info Monica ☺️
He can even fight land sharks with a civil war cannon.
It would be absolutely devastating for Collins parents not knowing what happened to their son in those days between going missing and his body being found. I think these stories are what mrballen does best though. They stay with you along time afterwards trying to piece together in your mind as to what might have happened. Truly strange dark and mysterious!
Always have a camera or recorder on you
True dat !
ukrainians becoming pretty arrogant these days with recent ''victories'' [slaughters] - watch this space and remember what Nietzsche said about hunting monsters.
@@brandybender4763 🌹what language is that you're talking? 🌹💞
Shouldn't have let their kid go to god damn Russia
You’re the Best Mr. Ballen!!! Super happy the work is paying off and can’t wait to see this channel grow even more.
Crazy seeing how quickly his channel's grown! Amazing storytelling 👌
Thanks for the sacrifices you make for this channel.
It's lovely that the things Mr. Ballen asks you to do to the like button, ranges from pretty harmless pranks like putting your finger over the lense while taking a picture of them, to extremely vicious like putting acid in their eye drops.
I like the hot dog water icecubes to their lemonade.
But why does Mr. Ballen encourage us to torment and abuse the like button?
@@juliewilkins6764 I haven't heard of that one yet! Been binging the eps in a month or two
@@bigbadmojothebulldog lmao I think they got beef from a long way back
Jiggerdi
This guy sure knows how to story tell and captivate his audience.
without a doubt he is the best 😊
PLEASE REPORT ANYONE PRETENDING TO BE MRBALLEN AND OFFERING PRIZES. FAKE /SCAM ACCOUNT!
I really miss hearing you 3-4x a week! I'm so proud of you, and so glad for your success.... but I miss hearing you tell stories as much as you used to. Please don't stop! God bless.