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“Was it a bird, was it a plane?”
No – it was the Douglas County Regional SWAT team dressed as DC Comics and Marvel superheroes bringing smiles to the faces of everyone at the Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch.
One by one, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Flash, Superman and Captain America repelled from the top of the hospital, waiving through the windows as they passed by patients, their families and nurses.
This has been a beloved event at Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and in Colorado Springs for years, that’s aimed to bring a joyful surprise to everyone. On the final day of April, the superheroes made their way to Highlands Ranch to ascend on the hospital for the first time.
“To have superheroes propel is amazing because it just brings morale for the kids,” said Erin Bolinger, corporate and community development junior specialist for the hospital. “This at least brings a little sunshine to their day.”
The idea to bring the event to Highlands Ranch sparked when Taylor Davis, the division chief of support services at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, saw other agencies repelling down the sides of hospitals on social media.
Davis immediately presented the idea to his community resource team and soon after, members of the Douglas County Regional SWAT team were getting fitted for their superhero suits.
“It was super fun,” said Sgt. Dan Moffitt of the Castle Rock Police Department, who served as Captain America for the day. “We jumped at the opportunity.”
The Douglas County Regional SWAT team is a multi-agency regional tactical team commanded by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. With nearly 40 people from law enforcement agencies across the county, the team includes operations and tactical commanders, entry operators, K-9s, snipers, crisis negotiators, paramedics and team leaders.
In addition to putting smiles on the faces of everyone in the hospital, it was also a good training day for the team.
“It was great to be able to repel … and we got to see a bunch of smiling faces,” said Moffitt. “It’s a little bit more fun than our usual training.”
Patients inside the hospital gave high-fives and fist bumps through the windows to the flying superheroes. Families watching them from the ground had a chance to speak with – and get their photos taken with – their favorite superheroes.
For one 6 year old, Wesley Smith, his tough morning became brighter and exciting when he got a high-five from Iron Man.
“Sometimes this is everything to a kiddo,” said Bolinger. “(If) they’re not able to get out of their room for other different reasons, it’ll just bring that smile to their face, to bring that hope, to bring the joy to their day. And just to see their favorite superhero come to life right in front of their eyes is amazing.”
“}]] “Was it a bird, was it a plane?” No – it was the Douglas County Regional SWAT team dressed as DC Comics and Marvel superheroes bringing smiles to the faces of everyone at the Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch. One by one, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Flash, Superman and Captain America repelled from Read More