The Mitchell Hults is now a worldwide phenomenon.

For those who inexplicably don’t know who he is: Mitchell is the 15-year-old boy who glimpsed the white pickup truck that eventually became a key clue to discovering Ben Ownby and — even more amazingly — Shawn Hornbeck, who had been missing more than four years.

Clearly, the boy is a hero.

He’s been feted at Gov. Matt Blunt’s state of the state address (shown in this picture, uncharacteristically wearing something besides his camouflage jacket). He received a personal phone call from the governor.

He’s received the prize of a white pickup truck of his own — even though he’s still too young to drive it, or even own it.
Watch the video: RealPlayer or Windows Media.

He’s made all the magazines. He was expected to meet his hero, Larry the Cable Guy, on Thursday. See this, from the Associated Press:

Mitchell was a special guest honored at Gov. Matt Blunt’s State of the State address Wednesday night. He has backstage passes for a show Thursday night in Columbia featuring his favorite comedian, Larry the Cable Guy.

The comedian even posted a message on his Web site praising Mitchell:

“When I first saw Mitchell giving a description of the truck earlier in the week, I told my wife, ‘now that’s a good country boy right there.”‘

So, folks, let’s discuss it: Has the Mitchell Hults phenomenon gone over the top? Or is all just fine for this happy story to linger for a long time? How do you explain the phenomenon?