A boy with autism broke down at an Orlando theme park. This employee saved the day

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While Spider-Man was off-duty, a real-life superhero swung into action to comfort Lenore Koppelman’s son. She and her husband, Steve, took Ralph, 9, to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park in Florida on a trip from New York. Ralph patiently cycled through other rides all day, but all he wanted to do was get on the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. With that attraction positioned near the park exit, he’d have to wait. Finally, when it was time to ride, Ralph bubbled over with excitement. But with the ride vehicles in sight, Spider-Man broke down. Ralph, who has autism, “lost it,” Koppelman wrote in a Facebook post. “We could see (the meltdown) coming, like an oncoming train. And yet we couldn’t dodge out of the way.” Ralph lay sprawled on the floor of the ride exit, screaming and crying so hard he could barely breathe. People had to step around him. Koppelman wrote such fits are rare, but the one at the park was “epic.” His parents tried to peel him off the ground as strangers stared at the distraught child. That’s when Spider-Man ride employee Jen Whelchel lay down next to him.