If you’ve ever wondered if superheroes are real, rest assured they are! They might not have supernatural powers, but some people do have an uncanny ability to help people who are in grave danger.
For proof, look no further than Mamoudou Gassama, a Mali native who recently moved to Paris, France and just earned himself the nickname “Spider-Man.”
On Saturday, Gassama, 22, was in Paris’18th arrondissement (district) to watch a soccer game when he noticed people crowding around a building and shouting for help. When Gassama saw a young boy dangling from a balcony, Gassama miraculously climbed up the side of a building to rescue the 4-year-old. The heroic and life-saving moment was captured on video and can be seen here:
Gassama said he didn’t even think of his own safety, he just wanted to save the child. “I like children, I would have hated to see him getting hurt in front of me. I ran and I looked for solutions to save him. I scaled the front of the building to the balcony,” he told a CNN affiliate.
He also reportedly said he was shaking after he rescued the child, and understandably so! That must’ve been a nerve-racking experience! “I felt afraid when I saved the child. I started to shake, I could hardly stand up. I had to sit down,” he said.
Now known as the “Spider-Man of the 18th,” Gassama has rightfully received praises from so many people, including the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron.
On Monday, Macron invited the hero to the Élysée Palace, where the president lives, to thank him and give him a certificate and a literal gold medal for his bravery. Macron also said Gassama will become a French citizen and is invited to join the Paris fire brigade.
Macron released a statement that read:
“I told him that in recognition of his heroic act he would have his papers in order as quickly as possible and that the Paris fire brigade would be keen to welcome him to their ranks. I also invited him to submit a naturalization request because France is built on desire and Mr Gassama’s commitment clearly showed that he has that desire!”
Reportedly, the child’s father was out shopping and playing Pokémon Go when his child was rescued, and the father was in custody. Now, the father is being investigated for “failure to meet parental obligations” and will be sentenced in September. The child has been placed in protective care.
H/T Cosmo US