A young Muslim man from Mali is being nicknamed as a Muslim Spiderman after saving a four-year-old child who was dangling from a fifth-floor balcony in Paris, France. The entire incident was caught on video, which has now gone viral over social media.
Footage shows Mamodou Gassama, a Malian immigrant, scaling the building to save the little boy. Because of his courageous act, he is now being recognised as a hero. On the other hand, the little boy’s father has been detained and faces prosecution.
Young Man from Mali Saves Little Boy in Paris
On Saturday afternoon, a little boy was seen dangling from the fifth-floor balcony of a building situated along Rue Marx-Dormoy, in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris. Firefighters were called to save the child, who was in danger of falling from the building.
Suddenly, a young man (Gassama) climbed the building with his bare hands, moving quickly from one balcony to another. Upon reaching the fifth-floor balcony, he grabbed the little boy’s hand and pulled him up to safety.
Malian Immigrant Becomes a Hero in France
Gassama was commended for his heroic acts by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo as well as the President of France himself, Emmanuel Macron.
“He explained to me that he arrived from Mali a few months ago while dreaming of building his life here,” Hidalgo tweeted. “I replied that his heroic gesture is an example for all citizens and that the city of Paris will obviously be keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France.”
Meanwhile, President Macron met with Gassama after the video went viral on social media. The President declared that the young man will be made a French citizen. What’s more, he will be offered a place in the French fire brigade.
Little Boy’s Father Arrested
According to French media outlets, the little boy’s father was arrested for leaving the child home alone. The father claimed that he went out to buy groceries, insisting that he closed the glass door to the balcony before leaving. He is now in police custody and awaits prosecution.
Here is a video of the incident that went viral on social media:
This man did not hesitate a second, risked his life and saved the kid! #truehero #spiderman #paris ? pic.twitter.com/u1fvid3i1j
— Fred (@FredBC77) May 27, 2018
Hats off to the young man for risking his life to save the little boy! At the same time, we should always remember to keep our homes safe, especially when there are little children around. Consider setting up safety rails on your balconies, and NEVER leave children home alone!
In the meantime, there’s another viral video that Pinoys will definitely love. Emirati vlogger Khalid Al Ameri recently visited the Philippines and interacted with the locals. Check out his video entitled, “What Makes Filipinos Smile?” It will definitely warm your heart!