Stephen Hamilton has gone skydiving, swam with dolphins and even ziplined over alligators at a Florida theme park.
Now he’s gotten a taste of superpowers.
The 33-year-old’s latest adventure brought him outside the offices of the Journal Review, which through the magic of computer editing was transformed into a subsidiary of the Daily Planet for a Superman photo shoot.
“We wanted him to feel like a superhero for the day,” said Julie Ratcliff, Hamilton’s mother.
In the photos, taken by Cheri Clark of Toes in the Daisies Photography, Hamilton sits in his wheelchair on the sidewalk wearing a Superman costume. Clark superimposed the Daily Planet logo under the Journal Review’s sign.
Ratcliff also took a photo of her son revealing a Superman logo under his shirt like Clark Kent.
“I had fun,” Hamilton said.
The outings began when Ratcliff’s husband fulfilled a longtime dream of skydiving. An instructor pointed to Hamilton and asked if he was going to jump, explaining that he’d taken his own son who has cerebral palsy on a dive.
Hamilton has also been water and snow skiing and participated in half-marathons with a friend. He also rings the bell for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign.
“We just look for opportunities to do new things for him. For us, it’s just important to focus on the abilities, not the disabilities,” Ratcliff said.
The family booked the photo session after seeing Clark’s pictures of a friend’s grandson in a Batman costume. Clark, who recently opened her photography business after a copy editing career, frequently uses superheroes as a theme.
“It’s incredible all the things he’s been able to accomplish and do,” Clark said.
For his next adventure, Hamilton said he feels the need of speed — from the seat of a race car.
