'Superhero' cops trade uniforms for capes for sick kids
A group of Texas police officers are trading in their uniforms for capes, and they’re doing it for a very special group of kids.
"Just even for a moment, if we can get them to take their minds off what's going on, it's well worth it,” said Officer Matt Harmatuk with the Austin Police Department, mastermind behind the second-annual Super Hero Day at Dell Children's Medical Center.
Harmatuk recruited members of the Austin Police Department and SWAT Team to don their costumes and get into character for the kids.
They'll begin the event by dropping into the Dell Children's courtyard by helicopter and by rappelling down the sides of the building.
The patients and their families will line the hallways on three floors of the hospital, looking out the windows to catch all the action in the courtyard.
“We'll have four rappel lines set up for the superheroes to come down, say 'Hi' to the kids in their attempts to find the villain,” said Harmatuk.
Wells Fargo Bank donated stuffed toys to be distributed to all the patients, and after the super heroes “defeat” villains Bane and Poison Ivy they’ll pose with children for pictures.
"Knowing that I get to make so many kid's happy all at the same time is just the best,” said Officer Grace Herbert, who will be dressed as Raven from 'Teen Titans.'
The officers practice their role and study their characters for months to make sure they’re 100 percent authentic for the patients.