VIDEO: man scales 4 storeys in 30 seconds to save child from balcony

A Malian migrant who rescued a four-year-old child hanging from a balcony has been hailed a hero and 'real-life Spider-Man'.

Mamoudou Gassama climbed up four floors to reach the child on Saturday evening in northern Paris.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Footage on social media showing the 22-year-old climb up the block of flats has gone viral with one post having been watched over seven million times.

Given French citizenship

President Macron invited Mr Gassama to the Elysee Palace to thank him personally, according to his office.

And it has now been confirmed that Mr Gassama is to be made a French citizen.

Avec M. GASSAMA qui a sauvé samedi la vie d'un enfant en escaladant 4 étages à mains nues. Je lui ai annoncé qu'en reconnaissance de cet acte héroïque il allait être régularisé dans les plus brefs délais, et que la brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris était prête à l'accueillir. pic.twitter.com/xMpFlP1UFe

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 28, 2018

Hide Ad

After meeting him, President Macron said he would be made a naturalised citizen. He personally thanked Mr Gassama, gave him a medal for courage and said he would also be made a fireman.

Hide Ad

'I saw all these people shouting, and cars sounding their horns. I climbed up like that and, thank God, I saved the child,' Mr Gassama told reporters after the event.

'An example for all citizens'

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo congratulated the young man in a tweet and said she had called him to thank him for his actions.

'Congratulations to Mamoudou Gassama for his act of bravery that saved the life of a child,' Ms Hidalgo said.

Hide Ad

Un grand bravo à Mamoudou Gassama pour son acte de bravoure qui a permis de sauver hier soir la vie d'un enfant. J'ai eu plaisir à m'entretenir avec lui aujourd'hui par téléphone, afin de le remercier chaleureusement. https://t.co/DP5vQ1VZYh

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) May 27, 2018

'He explained to me that he had arrived from Mali a few months ago dreaming of building his life here.

'I replied that his heroic gesture was 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,' she added.