There are some stories that are as baffling to hear as they were while unfolding, and the same goes for Paramount+’s ‘Wild Boys: Strangers in Town.’ In 2003, two boys calling themselves Tom and Will Green appeared in Vernon, British Columbia, claiming they had spent their lives living in the forest with their parents and had never experienced a normal, civilized life. As help poured in for them, so did growing public interest. It was eventually revealed that they were actually Kyle and Roen Horn. Kyle, the older brother, had fled from California, and when their parents came forward, the full truth finally came to light.
Kyle Horn Escaped His Home in California Along With His Brother
Kyle Horn was born in Roseville, California, where he lived with his parents, Diana and Rodger Horn, along with his siblings. According to his parents, he was in high school when things began to change. He started spending a great deal of time on the internet and began expressing beliefs that sounded like conspiracies. While still in school, he even wrote about blowing up police cars on online forums, which drew the attention of the FBI. His parents had to assure authorities that Kyle would never act on such statements and that they were not serious. In the time that followed, his younger brother Roen began following a fruit-based diet that led to chronic weight loss.
Concerned for his health, their parents sought to have him hospitalized, and Child Protective Services eventually intervened around June 2003, and Roen fled from the house. Kyle was not working then, and he later admitted that he knew his brother was living in the woods near their home and would go there to give him some of the food he was eating. Kyle’s parents also put their foot down against him because he was not working and told him to move out of the house. Eventually, Kyle and Roen left California and came to Vernon, British Columbia. There, they claimed their parents, Mary and Joseph, had raised them in the Canadian wilderness without contact with the outside world.
They alleged that they had left their parents over dietary differences and were now trying to find their way in the world. A great deal of help from locals, especially a woman named Tami Ryder, poured in for the boys. Kyle introduced himself as Tom Green and his brother as Will Green, but police were unable to find any records matching their names or the parents they claimed to have. Meanwhile, Roen’s condition continued to worsen, and he had to be admitted to the hospital. In December 2003, Kyle called his parents and told them he was in Canada, but did not confirm if Roen was with him. He eventually found work at a hostel in exchange for accommodation. In the end, it was Kyle who agreed to a CBS interview and spoke publicly in front of the camera.
Kyle Horn’s Public Interview Led to the Identification of His Parents
The word soon spread, and in the first few days of April 2004, the brothers were finally identified. Diana and Rodger Horn made their way to Vernon, where Kyle was waiting for them at the airport, and they reconnected. They spoke to him politely and he offered little explanation for what had transpired. Roen was still in the hospital at the time, and after a few days, the family returned to California together. Since then, Kyle has kept a low profile, apart from sharing a few excerpts about his life. He has said he remains very close to his brother and that the experience they went through, and the beliefs they once shared, did not take that bond away from them. He has also mentioned finding work at various places and is believed to be living in California while maintaining a largely private life.
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