'God Helped Me,' Malian Migrant Hero Said After Rescuing Child From Paris 4th Floor Balcony
A young man who immigrated to Paris from Mali is now being hailed as a hero after climbing up to a four-story balcony to save a child in danger of falling. "Spider-Man," as Mamoudou Gassama is now often called, has been offered honorary French citizenship and a job with the Paris fire brigade for his bravery.
In a video that went viral on social media, an onlooker was able to capture the daredevil rescue mounted by 22-year old Gassama. To the cheers of onlookers, the Malian migrant clambered and swung up from one balcony to the next in just a few seconds to pull the dangling child to safety.
On Saturday evening, the boy that "Spider-Man" rescued was apparently outside playing on his mobile phone when he fell from the balcony of their sixth floor flat. Somehow, the child was able to grab hold of the fourth story balcony to halt his fall, and managed to hold on for life until Gassama was able to climb up to his rescue.
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Another tenant is also seen trying to reach out to the child, but a partition wall is preventing him from grabbing hold of the kid to lift him up to safety.
President Emmanuel Macron invited Gassama to the Élysée Palace on Monday, May 28, to make him several offers. He was also given a gold medal and a certificate to commemorate his act of courage, according to the Telegraph, as well a chance to be officially conferred French nationality as well as a job as a fireman.
"What you have done corresponds with what firemen do. If this fits your wishes, you could join the fire brigade so that you can do [such acts] on a daily basis," Macron said to him.
In his meeting with the president, Gassama explained what happened that day. "I didn't think about it," he recalled.
"I climbed up and God helped me."
Gassama added that by the time he was able to reach the fourth story apartment, his knees were shaking. As for the child, "Spider-Man" said that he looked hurt and was crying. "Thank God I saved him," he added.
The hero also explained to BFM TV that he was just on his way to a local restaurant to watch a football match when he saw the crisis going on.
"I like children, I would have hated to see him getting hurt in front of me. I ran and I looked for solutions to save him and thank God I scaled the front of the building to the balcony," he said, as quoted by CNN.
After his meeting with president Macron, Gassama is set to receive his residency permit on Tuesday, May 29. He is also to start working with the Paris fire brigade, which expressed its warm welcome for the sudden hero.
"Mamoudou Gassama clearly has the required values to join," the Paris fire brigade said in a statement.
