Spider-Man Dons Costume to Rescue Wheelchair User on Arkansas Highway
A man dressed as Spider-Man jumped into action on a busy Arkansas highway, assisting a wheelchair user in distress.
Christopher Hellenthal, 20, donned the iconic superhero outfit after working a superhero-themed event at a trampoline park. He spotted the wheelchair user on the six-lane roadway and immediately sprang into action.
Footage shows Hellenthal leaping from his red Jeep Wrangler, fully costumed, to help push the wheelchair user across the highway to safety. Adrenaline fueled his actions as he recalled the moment.
“I was just kind of thinking ‘I’m wearing this suit; it’s gonna be pretty funny,’” Hellenthal stated.
This act of heroism coincidentally occurred just a week before the premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Hellenthal, a lifelong fan of superheroes, even met Marvel Comics and Spider-Man creator Stan Lee before Lee's death in 2018.
The Jonesboro Police Department shared the heroic moment on social media, where it quickly went viral, amassing over 1.7 million views.
“We were able to spot this little web of kindness on our intersection cameras,” read the video’s caption.
Commenters flooded the post with praise for Hellenthal’s selfless act. Angie Walker, claiming to be Hellenthal’s manager, described him as a “great person.”
“I am the general manager of Ultimate Air Trampoline Park, and this gentleman is an employee of ours,” Walker wrote. “We had Superhero Day at Ultimate Air for our toddlers, and he had just left. This is not AI or anything planned. He is just a great person who saw somebody struggling and needed help. He just happened to be in a superhero suit.”
Hellenthal has worked at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park in Jonesboro for three years, taking on shifts during summer breaks from Arkansas State University, where he pursues a bachelor’s degree in wildlife.
Spider-Man has always been his favorite superhero due to his relatability. “He’s got problems like regular people. He’s not rich, and he’s real humble, not like Tony Stark,” Hellenthal remarked, contrasting Spider-Man with the billionaire tech mogul who is Iron Man.
