A brave schoolboy who was once inspired to take his first unassisted steps after meeting Spider-Man was left “bawling his eyes out” after his hero appeared to ignore him at the movie’s London Brand New Day premiere.
Noah Connell, 9, who lives with Pierre Robin Sequence, was born with part of his spine missing and requires round-the-clock care, as he cannot eat or speak and is fed through a tube. The youngster uses a wheelchair but was inspired to achieve the milestone his family feared may never come after meeting his superhero during filming for the movie in Glasgow last year.
Red carpet snub
Following the remarkable achievement, Noah and his family travelled to the glitzy event in London on July 29. His mum Jade says the youngster was left devastated after Tom Holland and Zendaya greeted fans along the red carpet but did not stop at the disabled pen, where Noah and seven other families had been waiting.
Jade said: “We waited hours for them to turn up. We were due to leave for our train home before Tom turned up and started signing autographs then we couldn’t bring ourselves to just in case Noah got to meet him. He would never have that chance again.
“We booked a hotel and took the chance. We hoped to walk away with an experience of a lifetime but instead walked away bawling our eyes out. It was horrific, Noah wouldn’t stop crying.
“We and the seven other families were discriminated against. It was so badly organised. I don’t think Tom, Zendaya or any of the stars knew we were there because we were so far out the way.”
Inspirational meeting
The heartbreaking experience came after Noah’s remarkable meeting with Spider-Man during filming in Glasgow last year. The youngster had been taken to the set after Marvel crews descended on the city to film the blockbuster.
He eventually met Spider-Man, shared high fives and touched the suit of his superhero idol. Just hours later, Noah took his first ever unassisted steps at home – a moment his family said was inspired by his meeting with the web-slinger.
Jade previously told the Record: “We have said that it was Spider-Man inspired and Noah is the superhero now.”
Child of Courage
Noah, who doctors once doubted would survive infancy, has since continued to defy expectations and was honoured as a Child of Courage at this year's Pride of Scotland Awards.
His family were invited to the London premiere and Noah arrived decked out in Spider-Man clothes, with his mum saying he was desperate to ask Holland a question.
Jade said: “Noah was so excited to ask Tom his question. He wanted to ask, ‘how does it feel to inspire kids to be heroes like you?’”
She said the family accepted there was no guarantee Noah would meet Holland or Zendaya, but felt the disabled area being placed away from the red carpet meant the stars did not know they were there.
Jade said: “We were blocked off from the rest of the fans like caged animals. They stopped for everyone but the disabled fans. It was traumatic for Noah.
“It takes so long for these films to be made, so although Spider-Man may return in five years time, Noah might not be with us then. That’s the most heartbreaking part because we never got to make that memory for Noah.
“Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and we have to make as many memories as possible while we have Noah. We can only hope that by sharing what happened, it can reach one of the stars who can make it up to Noah.”
Jade issued a complaint to organisers, with Sony having since contacting her. It's understood that the studio is taking the family’s feedback on board as it plans future events.
Disney, Premiere Events and Tom Holland and Zendaya's team were contacted for comment.
