In 2018, an undocumented migrant scaled a Paris apartment building to save a four-year-old boy hanging from a fourth-floor balcony, earning the nickname 'Spider-Man of Paris'
Image Credit: REUTERS What happened in front of Mamadou’s eyes during the incident in Paris How did Mamadou managed such a risky climb on the
Image Credit: REUTERS What happened in front of Mamadou’s eyes during the incident in Paris How did Mamadou managed such a risky climb on the building Image Credit: AFP Archives How did the French government reward his bravery Image Credit: AFP Archives What were the consequences for the boy's parents What happened to Mamadou’s life after the media publicity On a quiet Saturday evening in May 2018, walking through a street in Paris, Mamadou Gassama, a 22-year-old individual from Africa, noticed a crowd gathered beneath a residential building where a four-year-old child hung from a fourth-floor balcony. He quickly climbed the exterior of the building and rescued the boy to safety within no time. This act of physical prowess earned him the nickname ‘Spiderman’ of Paris.Mamadou’s life covered a difficult path long before he became a national hero in France. Born in Mali, he embarked on a challenging journey to Europe in 2013, navigating the Sahara Desert and surviving brutal conditions in Libya. After crossing the Mediterranean and spending several years in Italy, he arrived in Paris in September 2017 to join his brother.
As an undocumented migrant, he lived an uncertain, quiet life in a hostel in Montreuil, working construction jobs while avoiding the authorities.According to BBC, the incident occurred on 26 May 2018, while Gassama was going to watch a football match. As he was walking, he noticed a large crowd gathered at a residential building. They were shouting for a small boy who was hanging from the edge of a fourth-floor balcony.The traffic was also jammed as people watched the incident unfold. A neighbour in an adjacent apartment was trying to reach the boy, but they were unable to pull him. In an interview, Gassama stated that he didn’t think about his own safety, and acted immediately to prevent a tragedy.Gassama reached the lowest balcony and used it as a platform to leap upwards. Without falling back, he managed to grab the edge of the next balcony and repeated this process for every floor. The crowd cheered for him, shouting ‘Allez, vas-y, vite!’ which translates to ‘Go, go, fast!’He pulled the boy up with one hand and brought him to the safe side of the balcony.
The crowd below applauded as the child was finally out of danger. It was this quick climb that earned him the nickname ‘Spider-Man of Paris.’French President Emmanuel Macron took the unusual step of inviting Gassama to the Élysée Palace. During this meeting, the President personally thanked him for his courage and presented him with a medal for bravery.However, the most significant reward was the change to his legal status. Because Gassama had been living in France without official papers, the President announced that he would be made a naturalised citizen. Furthermore, he was given an internship with the Paris firefighters, which allowed him to put his natural physical talents to use in a formal, life-saving role.While Gassama was being hailed as a hero, questions were raised regarding how a four-year-old child ended up in such a dangerous position. The boy’s father was not at home during the incident because he had gone out shopping. Surprisingly, it emerged that the father had decided to return home late so he could play the mobile game Pokémon Go.The boy’s mother was not in Paris at the time.
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