Mamoudou Gassama is being hailed as a real-life superhero after a daring rescue. Gassama has been dubbed the “Spider-Man of Paris” after scaling a building in Paris, France to save a four-year-old child who was hanging from the fourth-story balcony of a building.
Spectators watched in awe as Gassama, scaled the building to make his rescue.
The heroic act was caught on tape as Gassama made his way to the child and eventually pulled them to safety.
You can check out the video of the “Spider-Man of Paris” below:
After making the rescue, Gassama met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. Gassama, who is a migrant from Mali, was awarded a medal for courage and offered a role in the fire service. In addition, Macron said he would make Gassama a naturalized citizen.
“With Mr. Gassama who saved the life of a child on Saturday by climbing 4 floors with bare hands. I told him that in recognition of this heroic act he was going to be regularized as soon as possible and that the Paris Fire Brigade was ready to welcome him.
I also invited him to apply for naturalization,” Macron said in a statement written on Facebook. “Because France is a will, and Mr. Gassama demonstrated with commitment that he had it!”
Anne HIdalgo, the mayor of Paris, also praised Gassama’s incredible act.
“He explained to me that he had arrived from Mali a few months ago, dreaming of building his life here,” the mayor said on Twitter. “I told him that his heroic act is an example to all citizens and that the city of Paris will obviously be very keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France.”
In 2017, only five people were granted residency papers in France because of “exceptional talent” or “services rendered to the community.” The number was six in 2016.
It’s safe to say Mr. Gassama is more than deserving of being one of the lucky few.