JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – This month’s Positively JAX winner is literally a superhero. Mack Boss makes sure that kids coping with medical conditions enjoy every holiday with a special visitor that’s out of this world.
Getting discharged from the hospital is usually exciting, but it’s even better when Marvel’s War Machine stops by for a visit. Iron Man also comes to the aid of sick kids and She-ro Pepper Potts. It’s all part of a not-so-secret mission for “Heros for Smiles.”
“The kids loved it. If you could have seen their faces. Every time we go in, every single time we go in, they just light up,” said Boss.
The bad guy is whatever these kids in the hospital are battling at the time and it takes a 3D printer to slay them. Mack Boss is an artist and graphic designer. He was making a 3D Black Panther helmet for his grandmother when he got inspired by his 9-year-old son.
“It came to me one day because he wanted to help all the kids, trying to figure out how we were going to do that,” says Boss.
Ayden, who also plays Baby Groot, has a big heart. His passion for people coupled with his dad’s talent created the nonprofit, “Heros for Smiles,” where the goal is pretty simple.
“Go to the hospital and put smiles on the kids’ face,” says Ayden.
They also deliver presents, goody bags and school supplies in a costume that looks and feels like the real thing.
“Most of the time the kids, they see just a guy in costume, and they know it’s a guy in a costume, but if I could get as close enough to movie quality of an Ironman suit, the kids will believe they’ve seen Ironman and not a guy in the suit,” Boss said.
By the reaction of the kids, it’s working, one Positively JAX visit at a time.
Just a note, Boss says he knows “Heros” is spelled incorrectly, but he says the imperfection -- just like the kids he serves -- makes it the perfect name.
To connect with “Heros for Smiles” visit them on Facebook or YouTube.