Marvel comic book superhero Iron Man is a hero to not only young-at-heart adults but to children of all ages and nationalities. As the younger ones realize, Robert Downey Jr., is the Iron Man of today. He is also one young man’s favorite hero for various reasons.
Alex is a Central Florida seven-year-old boy who is missing his right arm from his elbow on down. A robotic arm has been made for him by Limbitless Solutions through a 3D printing technology, an organization of volunteers that was started by Albert Manero. Manero is a University of Central Florida student who makes free bionic arms for children — like Alex — except for one difference. Alex’s arm is an exact replica to Iron Man’s arm.
Manero has been working with Alex and his family to perfect the bionic arm, teaching Alex to move his arm by flexing his own biceps. When Manero is developing a bionic limb, it takes from 50 to 70 hours of printing time and approximately 12 hours of assembly.
Downey hand delivers Alex’s bionic arm in person, opening a pair of metal cases marked Stark Industries, as Tony Stark is Iron Man in the movies and comic books. The case revealed an Iron Man arm and a smaller, red-and-gold prosthetic arm for Alex. The little boy, wearing a black shirt and red bow tie, sheepishly acknowledges in the video that he’s having an exchange with Iron Man, whom he also identifies as “Robert.”
The video is on YouTube and was posted Thursday by Robert Downey Jr. as well as Microsoft. The meeting between Alex and Downey was part of the Microsoft social media campaign, The Collective Project, celebrating students using technology to change the world. It very quickly went viral on social media.
The video was posted Thursday by Downey as well as Microsoft, which arranged the meeting as part of its social media campaign, The Collective Project, celebrating students using technology to change the world. It very quickly went viral on social media.
Alex is seven, in first grade and a huge superhero fan. His mom told him they were going to Atlanta to meet Manero and a specialist who were working on a new arm for the boy.
“He didn’t question it much, so we kind of just went with it,” his mom, Alyson Pring, told CNN. “Afterward, I asked, ‘Why were you so quiet?’ He said, ‘I was freaking out!’ ”
After giving him the new arm, Downey invited Alex to hang out with him in Atlanta this summer when he’s filming the new Captain America movie.
