Aug. 3, 2026: Some heroes don’t wear capes. Sometimes they wear Spider-Man costumes after a long day of entertaining kids at a trampoline park. That’s exactly the getup our story’s superhero, 20-year-old Christopher Hellenthal, donned as he leaped from his car one sunny day in Arkansas.
The Jonesboro Police Department captured video of the young Hellenthal hastily getting out of his red Jeep (because of course Spider-Man could only have a vehicle that stands out) to help a man struggling to get across a six-lane road in his wheelchair.
The part-time superhero told the Associated Press, “I had a bunch of adrenaline pumping through me. I was just kind of thinking, ‘I’m wearing this suit, it’s gonna be pretty funny.’” Despite the seeming hilarity of the moment, Hellenthal’s act of kindness was surely a precious moment for the gentleman in the wheelchair (whose identity has been secured by local law enforcement).
“Anyone could wear the mask,” Hellenthal told ABC News. “I know Aunt May, she said, ‘There’s a hero in all of us.'”
Hellenthal’s love of the Spidey-verse kicked in as if on instinct. Video footage shows him grabbing the wheelchair without hesitation, declaring to his charge, “I got you.”
This unexpected act of heroism even caught law enforcement off guard, according to WCNC News Charlotte. “Not in my 7 years in the department have I witnessed this,” department spokesperson Sally Smith said, referencing the video that’s become a viral sensation.
Such a jarring show of humanity caught the attention of Sony Pictures. The film studio sent Hellenthal a personal invitation to attend the Spider-Man: Brand New Day premier in Los Angeles.
The Bright Side
In a single moment without notice, the Universe can send us an opportunity to show the best parts of ourselves. We are always called to help those in need, to be a voice for the voiceless, to lend a hand to our fellow man whenever we have the means. You don’t have to be in costume to be a superhero. Christopher Hellenthal proves that being in the right place at the right time with empathy in your heart sets you up to be the hero the world (or just one man in a wheelchair) needs.
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If you enjoyed this article, you should read about how two local heroes in Tennessee saved someone from a burning vehicle.
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