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San Francisco transforms into Gotham City for 5-year-old Batkid

Today, a 5-year-old leukemia patient named Miles gets to have the best day ever. Today he is… Batkid.

 

Audra Schroeder

IRL

Posted on Nov 15, 2013   Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 1:50 am CDT

Today a 5-year-old leukemia patient named Miles gets to have the best day ever. Today he is… Batkid.


Photo via Make-a-Wish Foundation

The Bay Area Make-a-Wish Foundation turned Miles’s wish to be Batkid into an elaborate reality, transforming parts of San Francisco into Gotham City. Here’s a rough itinerary, though you never know what last-minute bat signals he might get:

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.

San Francisco got into it. Really into it.

LET’S DO THIS, SAN FRANCISCO! #sfbatkid #makeawish @SFWish @PenguinSF pic.twitter.com/XL69xtFvYK

— Kristin Kelly (@heyKK) November 15, 2013

I mean, look at this Batmobile:

#SFBatKid in the batmobile! pic.twitter.com/WROfcIdGz2

— Ama Daetz (@AmaABC7) November 15, 2013

mother of god — so many feels RT @bruce_arthur: Batcarseat. RT @samtpage: My favorite #batkid photo pic.twitter.com/0OTGtbw84S

— ಠ_ಠ (@MikeIsaac) November 15, 2013

Look at this crowd:

Sorry for giant shadow, but here’s the crowd waiting for #sfbatkid in Union Square pic.twitter.com/LdOsqgm5NA

— Vivian Ho (@VivianHo) November 15, 2013


 

There’s even a Bat-Signal:

seriously, #SanFrancisco you’re the best city in the world. pic.twitter.com/5AymvtxN5t #SFBatKid

— tiara (@tee_witter) November 15, 2013

The San Francisco Chronicle printed 1,000 special-edition newspapers for the day. Holy print media, Batkid:  
 

AND he gets to disarm this Riddler bomb:

#SFBatkid will disarm this Riddler bomb, then save @sfgiants mascot @louseal01 at at&t park! watch out @PenguinSF! pic.twitter.com/9heXod0bEA

— Kristen Sze TV News (@abc7kristensze) November 15, 2013

Oh, don’t mind #SFBatKid, he’s just over here disarming bombs. He’s the hero Gotham needs. https://t.co/wL4wK2SIVG

— World of Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) November 15, 2013

You’ve saved her, #SFBatkid! The citizens of Gotham thank you!!!! pic.twitter.com/Y5HBhVO7u0

— Make-A-Wish Bay Area (@SFWish) November 15, 2013

#SFBatKid saves damsel in distress! pic.twitter.com/BOjHxNN6kG

— Mike Pelton (@KRON4MPelton) November 15, 2013

HE SAVED HER!!!! “@CNET: Our photographer caught this magic moment RT @Jamesco You did it #SFBatKid! pic.twitter.com/Yn4W3wGGCq

—  (@TheSheikh) November 15, 2013

#SFBatkid Damsel played the role quite well….she waited a long time pic.twitter.com/KIKFWrWid4

— Wayne Freedman (@WayneFreedman) November 15, 2013

Which the Penguin had some opinions about:

A damsel in distress? That #riddler is so old school! Where’s #SFBatKid? pic.twitter.com/tQ2HKimvFp

— The Penguin (@PenguinSF) November 15, 2013


He’s even getting support from fellow superheroes (and supervillains):

Meanwhile, BaneKid lurks in the shadows, bidding his time. pic.twitter.com/ayBidP2iDs

— Andrew J. Hawkins (@andyjayhawk) November 15, 2013

And here is Batkid making his entrance. My ovaries just did seven somersaults:

Amazing picture RT @kmattio How’s this for a dramatic entrance? #SFBatKid nails it. (image via @AP) pic.twitter.com/owDuqWRdXK

— John Infanti (@John6abc) November 15, 2013

Reporting for duty!  #sfbatkid pic.twitter.com/tMVTP8S8Wm

— patricia wilson (@pilarwish) November 15, 2013

Here he comes!!!! #SFBatkid pic.twitter.com/PhF85F4Mw3

— Make-A-Wish Bay Area (@SFWish) November 15, 2013

Best of all, Batkid’s little brother is dressed as Robin. Amazing.

WHAT’S THIS? #SFBatKid has a little brother — I mean PARTNER — in crime? Is he #SFRobin??? pic.twitter.com/RlvOUQpOW2

— The Penguin (@PenguinSF) November 15, 2013

With little brother aka Robin. Choking back tears! #sfbatkid pic.twitter.com/apIpn9OUYn

— patricia wilson (@pilarwish) November 15, 2013

RT @SFWish Here comes the #SFBatkid to stop the robber!!!! pic.twitter.com/M29j2wZ3OS https://t.co/6P5FhfFNyg

— NEWS10 ABC (@WTEN) November 15, 2013

The Riddler is safely in the paddy wagon, thanks to #SFBatKid! pic.twitter.com/uvZD9ohcEj

— Isabel Angell (@IsabeltheAngell) November 15, 2013

#SFBATKID is on the move! https://t.co/D2tah4xBck

— Samuel Winstrom (@Outlawl) November 15, 2013

The #SFBatKid helicopter live stream makes for an interesting view. pic.twitter.com/uK5JE6lZHs

— Justin Scott (@fligtar) November 15, 2013

Best. #batkid . Picture. Ever. pic.twitter.com/PcoMhoLBEV

— Rachid Rouis (@RachidRouis) November 15, 2013

Some #SFBatKid fans on a cable car pic.twitter.com/uqcvaa5XWM

— SFGate.com (@SFGate) November 15, 2013

Yay #SFBatKid pic.twitter.com/TiKqSef9Eb

— NothingHappenedHere (@NothingHappened) November 15, 2013

The #BayArea‘s biggest star… look at this crowd! MT @SFWish: #SFBatkid Off to Union Square. pic.twitter.com/eD4OXUyBUd

— Dan Martinez (@dmar) November 15, 2013

Panoramic view of supportive crowd awaiting #SFBatKid in downtown Gotham SF. So touching & incredible. pic.twitter.com/ekQ9Vh1bfl

— Jo Garfein (@jopinionated) November 15, 2013

#SFBatKid stopping a bank robbery (with THOUDANDS of onlookers! Well done, @MakeAWish and SF! pic.twitter.com/LxGpWEyH10 (via @KyleBonagura)”

— SJCsouthpaw (@SJCsouthpaw) November 15, 2013

Of course, even Batkid had to break for lunch:

Even heroes need to eat! It’s lunchtime for #SFBatKid. pic.twitter.com/tjU0vMcfXu

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) November 15, 2013

@abc7newsBayArea: Just a couple of superheroes eating lunch. #SFBatKid pic.twitter.com/XrJHow4cL8” I love this kid. SanFran is an AWESOME city!

— bob guiney (@bobguiney) November 15, 2013

Batman and #SFBatKid surveying Gotham. pic.twitter.com/SeBxApDds8

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsBayArea) November 15, 2013

The heroics weren’t over. Batkid headed to the Giants Stadium.

Omg RT @BuzzFeedNews: Live video of BatKid rescuing Lou Seal at SF Giants stadium https://t.co/n3DZ8LhDkx pic.twitter.com/3XqpJ31621

— Jon Passantino (@passantino) November 15, 2013

Kapow! #SFBatKid rescues Giants mascot from the clutches of the Penguin https://t.co/YLVppH9LKT pic.twitter.com/Yibpp6w3ox

— Daily Mail US (@DailyMailUS) November 15, 2013

President Obama gave Batkid a shoutout:

#FollowFriday RT @SFWish: Here he comes!!!! #SFBatkid pic.twitter.com/pMn3gRHcLo

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 15, 2013


The livestream is here. Follow the #SFBatkid hashtag on Twitter for more, and tune into CSN Bay Area at 2:30pm PST for a live press conference. Bring tissues.

Go #SFBatKid ! So proud of SF today. Way to represent! pic.twitter.com/VEQDmBvrKI

— Molly Hovorka (@mhovorka) November 15, 2013


Illustration by Ashley Taylor

Photo via @StephChuang

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*First Published: Nov 15, 2013, 4:02 pm CST