Turkish 'Spider-Boy' unscathed after jumping from 5th-floor window
Five-year-old Berzan Korkmaz is photographed with medical staff at Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye, June 18, 2023. (DHA Photo)


Inspired by arguably the most famous fictional superhero Spider-Man, a small Turkish boy who jumped from the fifth floor of the building in Istanbul's Arnavutköy miraculously survived the leap with only minor injuries in his back, the local media reported on Sunday.

On June 7, while visiting his grandmother with his mother and brother, 5.5-year-old Berzan found himself alone in a room with his younger sibling. It was during this moment of playfulness that he made the daring decision to leap out of the fifth-floor window of the house.

Upon realizing what had happened, the family contacted medical teams and informed the father, Fatih Korkmaz.

Emergency services arrived and provided initial care in response to the call before transporting the young boy to Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital via ambulance.

After the medical assessment, it was determined that Berzan had suffered bruising on his back area and a minor lung contusion.

Under the supervision of doctors, he underwent treatment and made a remarkable recovery, being discharged a week later.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), the father, Fatih Korkmaz, noted that his son's salvation was like a miracle.

Expressing that he could not forget the fear he experienced that day, Korkmaz recalled that he was at work when he received the call that his son had fallen.

Rushing to the scene, he found an ambulance waiting, but to his relief, Berzan was conscious.

"I said, 'What happened to Barzan?' He said, 'I was trying to jump like Spider-Man. After that, we went to the hospital. They took good care of us. Thankfully, there is no problem," he explained.

Noting that his child mentioned earlier that he would "fly like Spider-Man," Korkmaz stated that they had warned little Berzan in this sense.

Reflecting on the incident and touching upon the fear and shock the family had experienced, Korkmaz emphasized that parents should avoid exposing children to Spider-Man shows excessively and limit their access to electronic devices.

Recounting the traumatic experience, Korkmaz admitted that he feared his son had perished on the way to the hospital. He further acknowledged the determined nature of children "to do something when they put their minds to it" and urged parents to be vigilant, discouraging risky imitations of superheroes.

Korkmaz recounted their time in the hospital and said, "Every time the medical staff took the scan, 'It's like the kid's body is regenerating itself,' they said. We stayed in the hospital for a week. They placed the serum (for the kid) and did all the screenings. Then they said, 'There is no problem,' Bazran was discharged, thank God."

Dr. Mehmet Çakmak, a pediatric surgery specialist at Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital, confirmed that necessary procedures were conducted upon the child's admission, and no fractures were found during the examination.

"Berzan, who was in our hospital for a week, was discharged in good health. It is almost a miracle that he survived," he said.

Çakmak pointed out that flying is a big dream for children who can't distinguish between the real and the imaginary world and said that they sometimes get caught in the fantasy world and act in the wrong ways.

At this point, Çakmak advised parents to be more careful if children are emulating superheroes and not leave them alone.

He also emphasized the importance of directing the children toward social activities during the summer months to channel their energy safely.