'Batkid,' who is still cancer-free, celebrates 10th anniversary of the day his wish really came true

For most kindergartners, becoming a superhero is their very first ambition in life. Their innocence at that age does not let them understand the element of fiction in those superhero stories. Not caring about reality, all they wish to do is fight the villain, save their people and just be powerful. In 2013, Miles Scott, a 5-year-old cancer survivor dreamed of becoming a superhero, particularly Batman, and his wish came true on his birthday through the efforts of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. On November 15 this year, Miles, now a teen, reflected on that momentous day in his life.

Miles was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as early as 18 months of age and has been a fighter since. When the 5-year-old Miles wished to be a "Batkid", Great Bay Area's Make-A-Wish made a stellar arrangement, turning San Fransisco into "Gotham City" and letting the little one defeat villains, avert crimes, free San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal and earn a key to the city, all this while thousands of people were cheering for him, as per People. He has been cancer-free for the past 10 years and is now a high school student with a typical teen life and dreams. Recalling that unforgettable day, Miles told Make-A-Wish that his friends and teammates still call him "Batkid". "Batman doesn’t have all the superpowers, but he’s still going out there and saving people," Miles said in a press release and added, "That’s what I like about him. He gives people hope without any superpowers."

The "Batkid" was so popular that he became a national news item and the then-president of the United States, Barack Obama, cheered for him on X (previously Twitter). Miles recently stated, "I feel like it brought hope to more than just a couple of people," and added, "They came out and they were happy. They were away from their jobs. It wasn’t just about me on that day, I don’t think. It was about them getting all together and just having fun."

Miles' mom Natalie Scott is now a volunteer with Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area. Reminiscing about that iconic day, she said it felt "palpable". "You could just feel the positiveness and how the community came together," said the mom and added, "The city... a huge city...people flew in from everywhere and it just gave everyone some sense of peace almost." Things have changed for Miles who is not a "Batkid" anymore but a sensible teen who now chooses a tractor over a batmobile to help family with the farm. His Batkid outfit was worn by his younger brother Ben last Halloween, according to Make-A-Wish.

While Miles has been in remission for the last 10 years, he has regular checkups with his oncologist. His father Nick Scott shared, "Everything’s been on the straight and narrow, so, we hope to keep it that way." Speaking about Miles' aspirations, his mom said, "He's dead set on going to Alaska and being a 'pack mule' for his cousin's husband's guide business," and added, "And he has a lot of interest in welding. So, we'll see!" No matter how much "normal" life gets for Miles, he mentioned that his "Batkid" experience will always be a thrill to reminisce.