Spider‑Man surprises Eagle Mountain boy battling rare cancer
Mar 14, 2026, 6:00 AM | Updated: 10:55 am
EAGLE MOUNTAIN — A 3‑year‑old boy fighting a rare and aggressive form of cancer got the surprise of a lifetime when his favorite superhero showed up at his door — in full costume, ready to sling webs and spark smiles.
For little Mateus, who has spent much of the past year in and out of hospitals, the unexpected visit from Spider‑Man was more than a fun distraction. For his family, it felt like a moment of hope.
Mateus has endured chemotherapy, a liver transplant and even heart surgery — all before his fourth birthday. His father, Gabriel, said the journey has been overwhelming, but something changed a few months ago when Mateus discovered Spider‑Man.
“He fell in love — literally,” Gabriel said. “He was trying to do everything Spider‑Man does.”
And that meant eating, moving and getting stronger.
For a kid this sick, that motivation is everything.
With help from the Casey Cares Foundation, Spider‑Man made a special trip to meet the young hero who had been calling him on his toy watch.
“Hello. Are you Mateus?” the masked visitor asked as the door opened.
The shy toddler nodded, starstruck.
“Did you call me on your watch? That was you? Heck yeah,” Spider‑Man laughed, crouching down to greet him.
Mateus opened the door to see Spider-Man at his home in Eagle Mountain. (Mark Less, KSL)
Gabriel said the superhero has given his son something priceless: a world where pain takes a back seat.
“Pretending he was Spider‑Man, it was really nice, because then he forgot all the pain,” he said. “The cartoon helped him create his own world — a world where he wasn’t stuck in a hospital bed.”
Mateus spent more than a month in the hospital and many more days at home feeling weak. But on this day, he was energetic, smiling and proudly showing off his Spider‑Man moves to his new friend.
“He’s a special kid — super smart,” Gabriel said. “He’s going to remember this all his life.”
The family said Mateus’s body is not fully responding to chemotherapy, making every good day feel like a gift. Watching him laugh and play with Spider‑Man felt nothing short of extraordinary to his family.
“For me, there’s just one word,” Gabriel said. “It’s a miracle.”
The Casey Cares Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to creating uplifting moments for children facing critical illness, said moments like this can make a world of difference — especially for the smallest fighters.
A *GoFundMe has been set up to help support Mateus and his family.
*KSL NewsRadio does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
