Superhero movies are good for business right now, but it can be easy to forget that these characters were originally meant to appeal to children. Even though the characters and plotlines have been treated a lot more seriously over the years, superheroes are still role models to their child fans and it can make all the difference for a kid to meet his hero. A while ago, Ben Affleck tried to help Mukata Mukata, a terminally ill child whose favorite hero was Batman. Sadly, Mukata has passed away and Affleck shared his sorrow over social media.

Mukata Mukata passed away on Friday from cancer at an Atlanta Hospice, and the 11-year-olds wish was for Batman to help reunite his family. Mukata lived in Atlanta with his father and seven of his brothers and sisters, while his mother and four other siblings lived in Zimbabwe. Before he passed, Mukata’s last wish was to see his family reunited and he put out the call for Batman’s help on Facebook. The message went viral and eventually reached the most recent onscreen Batman, Ben Affleck.

According to 11Alive News in Atlanta, a joint effort was launched between Hospice Atlanta and the 11Alive help desk to get Mukata’s mother to Atlanta –with extra help from the United Nations Refugee Agency and the offices of Senator Johnny Isakson. Ben Affleck, who volunteers in the Congo, apparently also tried to make the effort financially possible. Sadly, time was not on anyone’s side and Mukata passed away any great progress could be achieved.

It’s a sad story, but it’s an example of what impact fictional characters like superheroes can have on children. Actors from both Marvel and DC movies take great efforts to spread a little joy to sick kids. Some actors have made visits to the children’s ward of a hospital while dressed in-costume as their character, while others work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for special set visits. Zoe Saldana recently highlighted this aspect of superheroes as a reason for why the roles are so important: because they mean something to a kid who may not have much time left.

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