Spider-Man saves autistic child

An autistic child from Thailand, frustrated by the first day of school, sat on a third-story ledge and refused to budge. Bangkok authorities were unable to persuade the boy to come down, until fireman Sonchai Yoosabai heard about the boy's love of superheroes. Yoosabai made a quick change into his Spider-Man costume - apparently he had one laying around at the fire station. Of course, the boy didn't hesitate to follow Spider-man's instructions to walk slowly back from the ledge.

This Sydney Morning Herald article inspired me on two levels. First, the story is literally a kid's dream come true. But second, the story made me stop and think about our everyday heroes a bit more. Although costumed superheroes sell movies and comic books, most heroes wear plain clothes. For the rare moment, regular people may "put on costumes," work their magic and transform lives. Most of the time, however, they go about saving lives in much more mundane fashion: a random phone call, returning a lost wallet, even sometimes just a smile for a stranger.

For the original article, click here.