Don Henley Stuck in Heating Vent at Holiday Inn Express

Rocker Don Henley got stuck in a heating vent at a Holiday Inn Express over the weekend. 

Henley, 71, was staying at the Holiday Inn Express outside of Texas following an Eagles private event. Don likes to stay at inexpensive hotels while on the road, as a cost saving measure.  

Mountain Dew

Henley left his room at 1:20 AM to get “Mountain Dew”, chewing tobacco and “Funny Bones”. Upon returning to the hotel, Henley discovered he forgot his room key and therefore was locked out of his room. Henley decided that instead of bothering the staff, he would shimmy up through the heating vent and back into his room. 

Henley climbed into the heating vent and started towards his room, but soon became disoriented. He ended up over the wrong room. Hotel guest Hayley Brinkman saw Henley peering down at her while she was on the toilet. Brinkman sprayed him in the face with hairspray. This caused Henley to become even more panicked and disoriented. Somehow, Henley managed to end up in the heating vent in the adjacent building, where he was finally discovered and freed by firefighters at 7:30AM.  

Firefighters secured Henley’s legs with rope and began to pull him out of the vent until enough of his body was out, and then pulled him the rest of the way. Henley regained consciousness and was examined by medical personnel and released. Dr. Renee Richards explained that Henley had some minor scratches, and cuts, and apparently soiled himself as well, but will be OK. 

It was an absolutely remarkably stupid thing to have done,” Hotel Detective Wayne Pulley exclaimed. “He only has himself to blame.”

Henley explained that he drank his own urine to stay alive. “I always keep a bottle of my own urine on me, in case of emergencies like this” said Henley. When asked why he didn’t just drink the Mountain Dew found in his possession or fresh urine, Henley directed Madhouse Magazine News to his publicist Lecia Smith.