{"id":15605,"date":"2011-07-15T21:39:53","date_gmt":"2011-07-16T04:39:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reallifesuperheroes.org\/?p=15605"},"modified":"2011-07-15T21:39:53","modified_gmt":"2011-07-16T04:39:53","slug":"real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/2011\/07\/15\/real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets\/","title":{"rendered":"Real life superhero takes to Vancouver&#039;s streets"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\nOriginally posted:<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets\/article2098046\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets\/article2098046\/<\/a><br \/>\nSUNNY DHILLON<br \/>\nVANCOUVER\u2014 From Friday&#8217;s Globe and Mail<br \/>\nPublished Thursday, Jul. 14, 2011 9:06PM EDT<br \/>\nLast updated Friday, Jul. 15, 2011 1:24PM EDT\n<\/div>\n<p>Before he heads to the poverty-stricken Downtown Eastside to hand water, food and blankets to the city\u2019s most vulnerable citizens, costume-wearing superhero Thanatos prepares one final item for those living on the streets \u2013<br \/>\nwhite slips of paper with the word \u201cfriend\u201d scrawled on them.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<header>\n<h4>More related to this story<\/h4>\n<\/header>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/bc-politics\/bc-urged-to-fund-prostitutes-lawyers-at-probe-into-murders\/article2077657\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">B.C. urged to fund prostitutes\u2019 lawyers at probe into murders<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/bc-politics\/oppal-morphs-into-champion-of-the-underdog\/article2089964\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Oppal morphs into champion of the underdog<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/women-in-vancouvers-downtown-eastside-still-at-risk-street-worker-says\/article2069270\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Women in Vancouver\u2019s Downtown Eastside still at risk, street worker says<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<aside><a title=\"Jul 15, 2011 4:34AM EDT - Cartoon: Thanatos, Vancouver's self-styled superhero\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/cartoon-thanatos-vancouvers-self-styled-superhero\/article2098307\/?from=2098046\" name=\"&amp;lpos=Widget - Inline Article Related picturecollection&amp;lid=Image Link\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI hope that they keep it because they remember that they have a friend out there, they have someone out there who cares,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if it\u2019s a crazy guy in a costume, they know that they have somebody out there who\u2019s trying to look out for them.\u201d<br \/>\nFor four years, Thanatos has patrolled the neighbourhood performing good deeds, handing out items he buys himself. He was once told by a policeman that the end of life is all some homeless people have to look forward to, so the former <a id=\"itxthook0\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets\/article2098046\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\">U.S. military<\/a> man \u2013 who says he moved to Canada in 1973 \u2013 named his alter ego after the Greek god of death. \u201cI thought if that\u2019s the case, death better get out there and take care of these people,\u201d he said.<br \/>\nDuring an interview at \u2013 where else? \u2013 a cemetery, he says the slips of paper were found on 16 people who died last year, a testament to the rough shape some of those he tries to help are in.<br \/>\nHis dark costume is a mix of The Green Hornet, The Shadow, Doc Savage and even a little Batman. Along with the black and green mask, he <a id=\"itxthook1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/national\/british-columbia\/real-life-superhero-takes-to-vancouvers-streets\/article2098046\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\">sports<\/a> a long trench-coat, skull-and-crossbones tie, and wide-brimmed hat. Around his waist is a utility belt equipped with, among other things, a Swiss Army knife and bag of marbles.<br \/>\nThanatos twice taps himself on the chest while describing the costume. A dull knock confirms he\u2019s wearing a bulletproof vest, because even though he doesn\u2019t view himself as a vigilante, trouble sometimes finds him in the form of a knife or gun.<br \/>\n\u201cI was doing a water handout and a fellow came running around the corner,\u201d he said. \u201cI thought he had a black automatic pistol and he put it right up against me here. I grabbed at the automatic because I&#8217;ve been trained to disarm someone and my intention was to jack the slide back so the gun couldn&#8217;t fire. As I tried to do that, it broke apart in my hand. It was a squirt gun that had been painted black.\u201d<br \/>\nThanatos is a member of The Real Life Super Hero Project, a league of caped crusaders that aims to feed the hungry, comfort the sick and better neighbourhoods. As a sexagenarian, Thanatos is the oldest member of the group. He\u2019s quick to note the heroes don\u2019t fight bad guys and leave them tied up for police \u2013 that only happens in the movies.<br \/>\nAs he walks past rows of tombstones inside the cemetery, the interview is continually interrupted by curious onlookers. Thanatos disarms their concerns with a confident hello and tip of the cap.<br \/>\nHe talks at length about the missions he makes to the Downtown Eastside several times a month, but is much less willing to discuss the man under the mask.<br \/>\nAll he says about his day job is that it\u2019s \u201cin a corner of the death industry.\u201d He won\u2019t release his name because he fears that if his identity is revealed he\u2019ll be drummed from his profession.<br \/>\nThanatos mentions a wife and teenage daughter, both of whom support his cause, he says. His wife sometimes joins him on the streets to serve as a spotter, and his daughter has said she\u2019d like to help some day as well. She knows she\u2019s not yet ready for the intensity and heartbreak, he says.<br \/>\nThanatos appears to choke up when talking about a man named Wayne. He says Wayne was \u201cjust a nice guy\u201d who suffered from alcohol problems and couldn\u2019t land a job. \u201cThey found him behind some dumpsters where he had tried to go and get warm,\u201d he said.<br \/>\nThe deaths take their toll but he has no plans to give up. \u201cIt weighs on me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt hurts. But it just strengthens my resolve. It always reminds me of what I\u2019m out there for.\u201d<br \/>\nThanatos was not on the streets during last month\u2019s Stanley Cup riot but expresses disappointment that it occurred. For those unsure how to better their city, he has a rallying cry: \u201cIf you&#8217;re really upset about the riots and you want to make things better, everybody go out and help 10 people. If you can&#8217;t give them anything, give them something that&#8217;s really even more important \u2013 five minutes of your time.\u201d<br \/>\nVancouver police spokesman Constable Lindsey Houghton confirmed the department has heard of Thanatos, who says he\u2019s been in touch with officers on several occasions. Thanatos says he even collects shell casings on the chance they might be of some assistance to police.<br \/>\n\u201cWe&#8217;re aware of his existence and that he&#8217;s anonymously doing good deeds and helping people out in his own way and phoning 9-1-1 at appropriate times, which is all we ask of people,\u201d Constable Houghton said.<br \/>\nDuring a tour of the Downtown Eastside, Thanatos heads under a bridge to highlight a narrow crevice where people sleep. Inside lies a blanket. A message has been left for him in chalk, indicating when the owner of the blanket will return.<br \/>\nThanatos leaves a bottle of water and dashes off, eager to find the next person who needs his assistance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before he heads to the poverty-stricken Downtown Eastside to hand water, food and blankets to the city\u2019s most vulnerable citizens, costume-wearing superhero Thanatos prepares one final item for those living on the streets \u2013<br \/>\nwhite slips of paper with the word \u201cfriend\u201d scrawled on them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[429,754,769,1090,1092,1201,1203,2173,2637,2835,2836],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15605"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15605"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15605\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rlsh.net\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}