Spider-Man Fan Brings Kindness to Arkansas Intersection
A busy intersection in Jonesboro, Arkansas, became the setting for a real-life act of heroism on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, when a young man dressed as Spider-Man stopped to help a wheelchair user cross safely.
Traffic cameras recorded 20-year-old Christopher Hellenthal leaving his vehicle and quickly coming to the man’s aid. Hellenthal had just finished working at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park, where the costume had brought plenty of happiness to young visitors during a superhero-themed day.
“That morning we had a superhero day, and so I brought it for the toddlers, and they had a blast,” Hellenthal said. “And whenever I got off work and clocked out, I was actually just going to head into town and just kind of drive around with the suit. And I noticed that there was this man, and he was in a wheelchair, and he was having a lot of trouble, he wasn’t going to make it.”
Realizing the man needed assistance, Hellenthal immediately stepped in.
“But I just got out real fast, and I just helped him along, adrenaline pumping through me. I just told the man, I said, ‘don’t worry I got you,’ and I guess he understood, and I got him to a safe spot, and I made it back to my vehicle and just drove off,” he said.
Although the superhero costume made the moment especially memorable, Hellenthal made clear that kindness—not clothing—motivated him.
“I would have done it with or without the suit,” he said.
The Jonesboro Police Department later shared the uplifting footage on Facebook and described Hellenthal as a “true superhero.”
“We were able to spot this little web of kindness on our intersection cameras. Thank you, sir, for helping this gentleman reach his destination safely,” the department said.
The touching scene also stood out to police spokesperson Sally Smith.
“Not in my 7 years in the department have I witnessed this,” Smith told The Associated Press.
Hellenthal, a resident of Lake City, has long admired Spider-Man. His appreciation for the character once led to an opportunity to meet the late Stan Lee, one of Spider-Man’s co-creators.
Even with the costume covering his identity, Hellenthal was quickly recognized by Packy Magel, a manager at the trampoline park.
It was “very much like him to do something like that and very much like him to be still in costume,” Magel told the AP.
The joyful encounter offered a simple reminder that everyday goodness can appear anywhere—even in the middle of a crowded intersection, delivered by someone dressed as a friendly neighborhood superhero.
