Man in wheelchair gets stuck in Arkansas traffic. Then a man in Spider-Man suit saves him: ‘Not in my 7 years in the department have I witnessed this’

A man using a wheelchair had trouble crossing a wide intersection in Jonesboro, Arkansas, when a passerby dressed as Spider-Man stepped in to help, according to The Associated Press.

The man in the costume, identified as 20-year-old Christopher Hellenthal, told the outlet that he was still wearing his superhero outfit from an event at the trampoline park where he works when he noticed the situation and ran out to assist. 

Hellenthal told the person, “I got you,” before helping him across the road. As seen in the video, Hellenthal rolled the man to safety just seconds before the traffic light changed and vehicles began moving again.

Security camera footage shows the moment police say was shared to thank Hellenthal

A street security camera in Jonesboro captured the moment, and the footage was later shared on social media by local police. Police thanked Hellenthal in the post for helping the man reach safety across the crosswalk, the AP reported. The Spider-Man suit has inspired others to perform daring rescues, though such heroism can end in tragedy.

Hellenthal told the AP he felt a rush of urgency during the encounter. “I had a bunch of adrenaline pumping through me,” he said, adding that he had to act quickly because of heavy midday traffic. He also described his reaction to being in costume during the moment. “I was just kind of thinking, ‘I’m wearing this suit; it’s gonna be pretty funny,'” Hellenthal said.

After helping the man, Hellenthal ran back to his Jeep, which had been blocking traffic. He said that he did so “because the light turned green pretty fast.” The Jonesboro Police Department shared the video on Facebook, and it gained tens of thousands of likes on the platform. One commenter said that Hellenthal missed a chance to strike a “spidey pose” during the rescue. 

A police spokesperson, Sally Smith, commented on the rarity of the incident. “Not in my 7 years in the department have I witnessed this,” Smith said. Police did not identify the man who used the wheelchair.

Hellenthal, who lives in Lake City, a town east of Jonesboro, told the AP he has long been a fan of Spider-Man. He also said he once had the chance to meet Stan Lee, the late comic book figure credited with helping shape the Marvel superhero franchise. Such dramatic roadside rescues can happen anywhere, like when a Massachusetts driver swerved to avoid a man in a helmet late at night. 

Packy Magel, a manager at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park who works with Hellenthal, said he recognized his coworker in the video despite the costume, the AP reported. Magel described the act as consistent with Hellenthal’s character. It is “very much like him to do something like that and very much like him to be still in costume,” Magel told the AP.