Spider-Man Surprises Young Leukemia Patient on New Bedford Rooftop

A Fall River-area photographer has given a young, ill child an exceptional experience.

A Swansea boy, Cullen Cook, got to hang out with his favorite superhero, Spider-Man, on a New Bedford rooftop, a moment captured by Westport photographer Megan Rego and shared with the Fall River Reporter.

Cullen is battling B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia.

Rego is the founder of The Maddox Ranger Project, named in honor of a Fall River student, Maddox Almeida, who died from rhabdomyosarcoma. According to Rego, Maddox believed that chemo treatments and hospital trips were morphing him into a Power Ranger. 

A week before his family received the unfortunate news that the cancer was rapidly spreading, Maddox received a random visit from his favorite character: the Red Power Ranger.

Since then, Rego has combined popular children's entertainment with a character business, A Piece of Cake Parties, to give children with pediatric cancer, and their families, an unforgettable experience.

Rego provides the photos for free on the special day, which families get to keep. A Piece of Cake Parties shows up at the photoshoot with an individual dressed as the child's favorite character. The characters also get to spend some time with the child.

“We got to surprise Cullen, a brave boy battling cancer, with his favorite superhero. Watching him have the time of his life is something that I'll never get over,” Rego said in a statement shared with the Fall River Reporter. “What made this day even more special was having the Maddox J. Almeida Foundation there. Maddox's mom and godmother personally delivered a check to help this family in need, and it was such a powerful reminder of why we do this.”