For anyone who may have been under a rock, or God forbid working, today, for anyone who missed the feel-good story of a lifetime, for anyone who blubbers like a giant size softie on a soggy waffle cone (because I fall in that latter category), this story is for you.
Text below shamelessly lifted from the SF Make A Wish Foundation's website:
Today, Miles is getting his wish of becoming Batkid! Miles may only be 5 years old but he is fighting a very adult battle. Miles has leukemia. He is a bright, positive, little boy who finds inspiration in super-heroes. Miles told Make-A-Wish he wanted to be Batkid, and today is his big day!
The day begins with a breaking news story. San Francisco’s Police Chief asks if anyone knows the whereabouts of Batkid. The city needs his help to fight crime and capture villains! Our little Batkid, along with Batman, is ready to answer the call.
As part of his special day, Batkid is driving around San Francisco in his Batmobile, and his adventures include rescuing a damsel-in-distress from cable-car tracks, capturing the Riddler in the act of robbing a downtown vault, and rescuing the San Francisco mascot Lou Seal from the clutches of The Penguin. The day’s final stop is at City Hall where Mayor Ed Lee congratulates Miles on his daring feats of justice and presents him with a key to the city.
(Visit that website linked above. Heck I'll link it here too. Tons of additional info on Miles' milestone day, including a tweet from Obama.)
SF natives are falling all over themselves to express their pride and their jubilation over their gorgeous, big-hearted City making this happen. I shall join them: Batkid stole my heart and left it in San Francisco, where it rightfully belongs. I cannot rest my head on my pillow tonight without thanking first and foremost the Make A Wish Foundation, not only for granting that kid one hell of a wish but for giving the rest of us a gift we didn't even know we needed. And there are more people and organizations to thank:
To the San Francisco Chronicle for printing the special edition newspaper…
To the lamborghini owner who let Batkid ride around in a real life Batmobile…
To the awesome Batman escort, who ushered Batkid around SF/Gotham for the entire day and who, among other things, helped Batkid catapult over a vault and do a complete flip into a waiting cushion...
To all of the members of the SFPD, for being Miles' official hosts, and specifically to the SF policeman who put a huge "KAPOW!" sign on the front of his motorcycle…
To the banks and hotels who adorned their Gotham City skyscrapers with Batman symbols…
To the Lou Seal and the San Francisco Giants…
To the wonderful souls who played the parts of the damsel in distress, the Riddler, and the Penguin...
To the thousands of people who cheered and wept and whooped and hollered, and watched SF Mayor Ed Lee thank Miles for saving Gotham…
All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my tear-soaked heart. This has been a very, very, very good day for humankind.
It sounds so damn trite to say it, but there's no way around it: Wishes can come true. And when they do for a little guy like Miles, it's just impossible not to feel the swelling joy, the sweet relief, the certain faith that all is right in this crazy, broken world.
Now we just need a Train tribute. How about it, boys?
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