FDNY heroes don superhero costumes for sick, grieving children across NYC: ‘Seeing the children’s smiles’

These caped crusaders are on a special mission.

A super team of iconic movie characters dubbed the Humble Heroes of FDNY are celebrating 10 years of donning superhero costumes for Big Apple children who need them the most.

The collection of heroic New York City firefighters, NYPD officers and public school teachers have made the rounds to dozens of schools, hospitals and grief camps.

“Just like the [fire] department, it’s always about giving back and stepping up to help out others,” said firefighter Rob Vogt during a Humble Heroes visit Friday to PS 357R Robert Randall School, a special-needs school in Staten Island.

“We had a hospital visit last month,” Vogt recounted in his Superman garb.

“There were kids in isolation, and we couldn’t necessarily see them, but just seeing us in a window changed their whole day: the nurses told us everything, how grateful they were.” 

The first responders were met on Friday with cheers from kindergarten through second-grade students, who lit up at the sight of their favorite big-screen characters walking the halls.

“My favorite part is seeing the children’s smiles,” said city public school teacher Jillian Valverde, who donned a Batgirl costume. “Oh, my goodness – some of them, they light up. They run over to you. They are filled with love.

“That’s definitely the most rewarding part of it.” 

Alongside the caped crusaders, firefighters Rich Cendali, Andrew Costello and Gary Chan appeared as the Green Lantern, Thor and Spider-Man, respectively, while NYPD Detective Matt Schmalix moonlighted as Deadpool.

Longtime FDNY firefighter Timmy Liss, who serves as the driver for the Humble Heroes, called the costume initiative an “easy transition” for everyday heroes.

“Firefighting is a noble profession and, obviously, this is a noble cause,” said the Staten Island-based smoke eater, who is assigned to Engine 155’s Family Assistance Unit. “This is an easy thing for firemen.

“They love doing this stuff.”

The effort began in 2015 when firefighter Robert Banome and friends dressed as Power Rangers for a Halloween party, where they spoke with a woman whose son had cancer, Humble Heroes’ scheduling manager Alyssa LaRocca, Banome’s sister-in-law, told The Post.

Shortly after, Banome sustained burns while on the job and, while recovering at the hospital, asked nurses if hospitalized children would be interested in meet-and-greets from superheroes.

“I fell in love with the feeling we got [during visits], it’s such a simple act it doesn’t take a lot,” LaRocca added. “It gives the kids a break from what they’re going through: the younger kids really believe a superhero just came.” 

The team is now comprise of about 60 volunteers – including a Pennsylvania chapter – who make between two and four visits per month.

Regular sites include St. Jude’s and New York Presbyterian, LaRocca said. During the pandemic, the heroes would even host drive-by “parades” on Staten Island to lift spirits during lockdown.

The group also touts its own in-house “costume creator” Kenny Restrepo, a military vet and former NYPD officer who helps design some of the more elaborate costumes. Other costumed characters in the fleet include Captain America, Batman and a spate of Disney princesses.

“These costumes are amazing; we had very detailed texts of how to put them on, what to do with them,” said Costello, while transformed into Thor. “The costumes would create a lot of excitement with the kids; the kids love it, so it’s really what it’s all about.”

“I wish I could fit in these costumes,” Liss remarked, noting that his duties as a driver range from handing out toys to running last-minute errands. “I envy [the costumed heroes] and the joy of these kids that you saw, it’s unbelievable.

“There’s nothing like it.”