Batkid

A comicon attendee dressed as the eponymous Batman, the superhero Batkid aspired to be as his ultimate wish.

Batkid is the superhero name of Miles, a five-year old kindergartner and cancer survivor. His wish was to be 'Batkid,' a sidekick of the eponymous comic book superhero Batman, the subject of books, radio, television, and films. Once the request went out, thousands of volunteers, city officials, businesses and supporters rallied to turn San Francisco, California into 'Gotham City' - the fictional home city of Batman - one day in November 2013 for the most elaborate and largest Make-A-Wish project ever staged.

Batkid took part in staged events including several crime scenarios, and receiving the key to the city from San Francisco mayor Ed Lee. President Obama and other elected officials, and representatives from law enforcement also took part, and the San Francisco Chronicle, the city's main newspaper, produced a “Gotham City Chronicle” in honor of the efforts with the headline "Batkid Saves City: Hooded hero nabs Riddler, rescues damsel in distress."

Background

Make-A-Wish Foundation

In the spring of 1980, 7-year-old Christopher James Greicius was being treated for leukemia. He had always wanted to be a police officer. U.S. Customs Officer Tommy Austin befriended Chris and worked with officers at the Arizona Department of Public Safety to plan an experience to lift Greicius' spirits. Chris spent the day as a police officer, rode in a police helicopter, received a custom-tailored police uniform, and was sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history. Greicius passed away soon after, but his wish became inspiration for the world's largest wish-granting organization. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. In order to qualify for a wish, the child must be between the ages of 2 and a half and 18 at the time of referral. The organization has 62 chapters in the U.S. and operates in 47 countries through 36 affiliate offices. In 2007, the charity marked its 150,000th "dream come true." As of 2013, they have facilitated more than 226,000 experiences, or 'wishes.'

The San Francisco Greater Bay Area chapter opened in 1984 and presently grants about 300 wishes a year. Of the approximately 6,000 experiences through the local chapter, 80% "are winning their fights."

Preparations for a Batkid experience had been in the works since March 2013, 3 months before Miles' last treatment.

Miles Scott

Miles Scott is a five-year old kindergartener and cancer survivor from Tulelake, northern California near the border of Oregon. He was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia - a form of leukemia, or cancer of the white blood cells characterized by excess lymphoblasts - at 18 months old. In chemotherapy treatment for several years he is now in remission, and the celebration is in honor of his completing treatments, the last one was in June 2013. "This wish has meant closure for our family and an end to over three years of putting toxic drugs in our son's body" said Miles' Mom on the Make-A-Wish site. During his treatments Miles was "fascinated with superheroes. They were crimefighters and saviors. And they always won in the end." When the San Francisco Make-A-Wish asked Miles what he wanted more than anything else, he replied, "I wish to be Batkid."

Batkid day

Lou Seal has served as mascot of the San Francisco Giants since 1996. He was at the third crime scene visited by Batkid, who saved him from a fake bomb.

Organized by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the San Francisco Greater Bay Area chapter, the event was aided throughout by social media. The chapter sent out an email last month asking for supporters, they initially were hoping for just several hundred people to be a part of the closing ceremony. The request soon spread, by the night before the event over 12,000 volunteers pledge to be a part of making Batkid day happen. Estimates are 10,000-12,000 people took place at various venues to cheer on Batkid. Many dressed as superheroes in support.

Miles was told he was just going to visit San Francisco to pick up a costume so he could dress like Batman, instead he found himself to be the sidekick helper to an actor dressed as the superhero. His younger brother was dressed as Batman's sidekick Robin. He was watching a local TV news broadcast in the families hotel room, when the broadcast was interrupted by a flash announcement from San Francisco police chief Greg Suhr appealing for help from Batkid.

He left Union Square in a 'Batmobile' with police escort, and soon was on the scene of a damsel in distress, who was tied up on the train tracks of the S.F. historic cable cars in the Russian Hill neighborhood. They also disabled a plastic replica of a bomb. Crowds roared every step of the adventure with many of the onlookers holding signs supporting the mini-superhero, and chanting "Bat kid, bat kid". Police Chief Suhr has pre-recorded a number of messages to Batkid serving as the emcee for the events. Batman had a special video watch which would play each message from the police chief as needed. Batman and Batkid were transported, along with Miles' family in two black Lamborghinis adorned with Batman logos, and escorted by police.

His next exploit was to aid in stopping The Riddler from robbing a bank in the Financial district. As the crime-fighting duo refueled for lunch at a Union Square rester aunt, thousands filled the area to show support. His final adventure was presented to him by a flash mob dance which directed him to rescue the San Francisco Giants' mascot Lou Seal, who had been secured by another villain, The Penguin, with a bomb at AT&T Park.

At the end of the day Batkid was taken to SF City Hall where the largest of the crowds gathered in the thousands for a rally. He was given the key to the city - made of chocolate - by San Francisco mayor Ed Lee. He also received a video Tweet from President Barack Obama at the White House as part of the effort. The U.S. Justice department's U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag "unveiled" indictments for both the Riddler and the Penguin with conspiracy charges. He was also presented with a Federal Bureau of Investigations "raid jacket," and a S.F. Police Department cap.

Coverage

The events were live video blogged by the San Francisco Chronicle, the largest newspaper of the city. TV crews followed the events, including [[CNN[[, and reported live from site to site. Local ABC News had an embedded digital reporter and aided in the initial news break of the day. People around the world were able to follow events on Twitter feeds as well as live video feeds, and social media. Before the end of the event over 230,000 tweets with the hashtag #SFBatkid had been sent out and more than 19,000 Instagram photos were posted by Friday afternoon. The San Francisco Chronicle released a special edition paper in honor of the events with the headline "Batkid Saves City." The following Sunday the San Francisco Enquirer wrapped the regular Sunday edition with a page devoted to Batkid as the Gotham Enquirer, proclaiming Batkid "The City's Hero."

See also

• Viral