A man dressed as the superhero Spider-Man assisted an individual in a wheelchair who was having difficulty crossing six lanes of traffic in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The incident occurred Tuesday when Christopher Hellenthal, who was still in costume from a superhero-themed event, noticed the person struggling in the roadway.
Hellenthal, 20, quickly pushed the wheelchair to the other side of the street just before the traffic light changed. The act was captured by a street security camera and later shared on social media by the Jonesboro Police Department, which commended Hellenthal for his actions.
"I had a bunch of adrenaline pumping through me," Hellenthal told The Associated Press, describing the need to act quickly in the busy midday traffic. He added that he thought, "I’m wearing this suit; it’s gonna be pretty funny."
After ensuring the individual was safely across, Hellenthal returned to his Jeep, which had been blocking traffic. The Jonesboro Police Department spokesperson, Sally Smith, stated that she had not witnessed such an event in her seven years with the department. The identity of the person in the wheelchair was not released.
Hellenthal, a resident of Lake City, expressed his lifelong admiration for Spider-Man. He also mentioned having had the opportunity to meet Stan Lee, the co-creator of many Marvel superheroes. Packy Magel, a manager at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park where Hellenthal works, recognized him in the video and affirmed that such a helpful gesture is characteristic of Hellenthal, especially given he was still in costume.