From SWAT to Superhero: The Magic of Dell Children’s Superhero Day

You’ve probably heard the phrase “Not all heroes wear capes.” There is nowhere that this is more true than at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Here, our heroes wear scrubs, white coats, sneakers, and stethoscopes. They’re quick as a flash when it comes to giving shots, otherworldly when it comes to executing world-class treatment plans, and supernaturally kind when it’s time to give comfort to the thousands of patients who visit our hospital every year. 

For the families that rely on our doctors, nurses, and staff to perform surgery, endure treatment, and ultimately heal and thrive, they truly are superheroes. However, one day a year, our heroes get reinforcements.

It All Started with a Super Idea

Nine years ago Matt Harmatuk, a retired member of APD’s SWAT team, had a brilliant idea. 

Harmatuck says that he remembers watching a video where window washers were dressed as superheroes. Suddenly, he was struck with an idea—what if he could get a crew of his fellow APD officers to dress up as superheroes and rappel down Dell Children’s Medical Center into its atrium with no other reason than to make some magic for kids who are facing the most difficult fights of their young lives?

Harmatuk put out the call to his fellow SWAT Team members — he needed a team of people to dress up in superhero costumes. They could go down to Lucy in Disguise, a now-closed local costume shop on South Congress Avenue, and pick out their favorite. 

When Harmatuk arrived to pick up his own costume at the end of the week — he was stunned. Every superhero had been chosen — except for one—Superman and on that day Matt Harmatuk took on the role of Clark Kent’s crime fighting alter ego. 

“This is the only project I’ve ever worked on where everybody is like “yes, this will be awesome, we’re in” which speaks to the character of the SWATTteam and the APD officers that play these roles. They take it seriously. They’re all in or not in it at all,” says Harmatuk.

During the first year of this now beloved tradition, Harmatuk spent time partnering with whomever was willing to lend a hand to make his idea a reality, including Wells Fargo Bank. Spending most of his time ironing out the logistics before showtime, he hadn’t prepared himself emotionally for the main event and then it happened.

“It was showtime. Music’s playing. It’s going. The superheroes are doing their thing and I’m rappelling down the rope for the first time. Then I lock eyes with a kid sitting on his dad’s shoulders watching from the window. He’s got a Superman shirt on and he’s staring at me. He’s pointing at me. I’m looking at him, and I’m like, why is this kid staring at me? I was so focused on everything working. And that’s the moment I realized I was Superman. He’s wearing a Superman shirt. And that’s when it kicked in. “Be Superman for this boy.” This is what we’re here for. This is it right here. This is the moment right here,” remembers Harmatuk.

But underneath the masks and costumes are people who know all too well the experience that the families at Dell Children’s are facing. Harmatuk is emotional as he recounts story after story, his voice cracking as he remembers another moment or memory. He speaks about the man who wears the Batman costume—a crowd favorite—and his reason for doing it. 

“When we needed to replace our original Batman, our new one stepped up. I told him that Batman is one of our most popular heroes, that all the kids want to be around him. I asked him if he could handle that. That’s when he sent me a photo of his son wearing a Batman t-shirt. His son had passed away in a tragic accident a few years prior. He didn’t just want to do it, he said he had to do it,” recounts Harmatuk. 

Outside of Superhero Day, the heroes have been known to show up during the holidays and for terminally ill patients. Once Spiderman walked down the hall during a Halloween trick-or-treating event and spotted by a young fan, was stopped in his tracks by the child that hadn’t shown such enthusiasm for anything in weeks. Spiderman let the boy hug him for as long as he needed to.

Over the course of nearly a decade, other organizations have put out the call in as far-flung locations as Canada asking Harmatuk and his team of Superheroes to suit up and bring joy to their kids, but Harmatuk always politely declines. His heart belongs to Dell Children’s. 

More Than Something We Look Forward To

With summer behind us, most children are just getting the hang of the new school year—new teachers, schedules, and routines. But here at Dell Children’s, some kids face the daily challenge of simply getting out of bed. Keeping morale high in a children’s hospital is a top priority, but children are…children and only humans experiencing the same range of emotions we adults experience—stress, fatigue, anxiety, loneliness, sadness, confusion, and discomfort—but without the luxury of age and experience to help guide them through those emotions. As adults, we know that having something to look forward to outside of our ordinary life can be the thing that helps catapult our spirits toward joy, and that’s exactly what Superhero Day does.

Announced weeks in advance, Superhero Day gives children and their families something to prepare for and get excited about. The children of Dell Children’s spend time decorating their rooms and spaces, planning their own costumes, and counting down the days until their favorite superheroes come to visit with the hope of meeting them and receiving the often much-needed lift to their spirits that they so deserve. 

A Day of Heroes and Hope

On the day itself, the atmosphere at Dell Children’s is electric. Fourteen superheroes, including Harmatuk’s Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Black Panther, Captain America, and  more roam the halls and rappel down the hospital walls, bringing excitement and joy to everyone they meet. These APD officers, dressed as some of the most iconic crime fighters, chase down “villains” who threaten to wreak havoc on the hospital, making sure to save the day in true superhero style.

The superheroes don’t just stick to action, though—they hang around to take photos, sign autographs, and spend time with the young patients, their families, and the hospital staff. For one day, the hospital transforms into a place where imagination and reality blend, where hope and happiness take center stage, and where every child can feel like they’re part of an epic adventure.

Superhero Day is more than just a fun event—it’s a day that lifts spirits, fosters community, and reminds everyone at Dell Children’s that even during the toughest times and most difficult experiences of their young lives, there are always heroes ready to lend a helping hand.

Because of the generosity of our donors, Superhero Day continues to grow. If you would like to make sure events like these continue to bring joy to our children, you can donate to the Dell Children’s Foundation here.

Special Thank You to our 2024 Super Hero Day Partners