Arkansas Man in Spider-Man Suit Stops Traffic to Aid Wheelchair User in Viral Video

A traffic camera in Jonesboro, Arkansas captured footage Tuesday of a motorist dressed as Spider-Man abandoning his vehicle to assist a man in a wheelchair who was struggling to cross a busy intersection. The video has since spread widely online, drawing praise from law enforcement and the public for the bystander’s quick actions during what appeared to be a time-sensitive situation.

Christopher Hellenthal, 20, had just finished his shift at a local trampoline park where he worked a superhero-themed event for young children. Rather than change out of his Spider-Man costume before driving through town, Hellenthal spotted the man in the wheelchair having difficulty navigating the roadway and immediately pulled over to intervene. “I just got out real fast, and I just helped him along, adrenaline pumping through me,” he explained, adding that he assured the man he would guide him to safety.

The Jonesboro Police Department shared the footage on its Facebook page, characterizing Hellenthal as a “true superhero” and commending his intervention. Department spokeswoman Sally Smith told The Associated Press that in her seven years with the department, she had never witnessed such an act captured on their traffic monitoring systems.

Hellenthal, a resident of Lake City east of Jonesboro, has long considered himself a Spider-Man enthusiast and previously met Stan Lee, the character’s co-creator. Packy Magel, a manager at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park where Hellenthal works, confirmed the identification and noted the rescue aligned with his colleague’s character, remarking it was “very much like him to do something like that and very much like him to be still in costume.”