What Were 466 Superheroes Doing Running a 5K? Trying to Save a Little Boy's Life

Like so many other little boys, 5-year-old Parklen Henderson is obsessed with superheroes. But how he was first introduced to the characters is a different story than most other kids'. His mother, Amanda Henderson, told Yahoo Shine that it all began when Parklen became too sick to walk or play, so she and her husband, Devan, bought him an Xbox and a Lego Batman video game. "After that, he could not get enough Batman, Superman, or any other superhero you can think of," she said.

On Saturday, 466 people (and a bunch of their pets) arrived in superhero costumes in the Hendersons' hometown of Casper, Wyoming, to run a 5K, organized to raise money for Parklen's medical bills. The 5-year-old has been ill since he was a baby, with what doctors now believe is an undocumented disease. A bone marrow transplant may be his only hope.

Ryan Andrews, a family friend who volunteered to help organize the race back in July when Parklen was in the ICU at a Denver hospital, told Yahoo Shine that 207 people had pre-registered for the race, which had a $30 registration fee. While Andrews was surprised at the high pre-registration turnout, she was even more surprised at how many calls she got as race day approached. On Saturday, an additional 259 "superheroes" showed up to donate and run. There were multiple versions of the Incredible Hulk, Wolverine, Superman, Spiderman, Batman (lots of Batmans), as well as some one-of-a-kind heroes. Race-goers' garb varied from traditional costumes including masks and capes to glammed-up versions of the characters like Captain America in a skirt. Others showed up as superhero versions of Parklen. And some even dressed their pooches as popular comic book characters.

"Parklen loved seeing the costumes," Henderson told Yahoo Shine, adding that she and her family were overwhelmed by all of the support. "We had an outpouring of donations, volunteers, and support from businesses, friends, and people we have never met."

Local businesses donated gift baskets and other items for a silent auction to help raise funds for the struggling family. In all, the event raised more than $25,000. "It was a huge blessing and Parklen was able to come and see how many people care about him," Andrews said. The little guy got in on the action himself, donning a Superman T-shirt, while mom wore a homemade Batman costume complete with a tutu and his 4-month-old sister had the honor of being the youngest superhero there, in a tiny Robin costume.

The Hendersons have needed all of the support they can get the past few years. When Parklen was just 6 months old, the first severe symptoms of his illness began to appear, and since then, he and his family have been in and out of hospitals for surgeries and treatments for what they were first told was an autoimmune disease. Those treatments haven't worked. 

Henderson, who has been by her son's side during every hospital stay, said that dealing with their Parklen's illness has become "second nature" to the family, and has changed their outlook on life, "We have been forced to learn what is important in life and that 'things' do not fall into that category," said Henderson, whose family lost the home they had been living in after medical bills piled up and are now renting a house from a friend. "We now cherish every moment, even the difficult ones, knowing that time is precious and it could run out at any time."

Henderson said she's truly grateful for all of the support from the community and hopes Parklen felt special on Saturday, a day that was all about him – a little boy with a love for superheroes. "God has blessed us with amazing people in our lives, and he keeps providing support when we need it."

She'll travel with Parklen to Denver this fall, when he'll receive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, treatment the family is praying will finally help heal him. 

"My biggest hope for Parklen is that he could be a little boy," said Henderson. "That he would the chance to play, to get dirty. That not every decision in his life would have to revolve around his health."