Madelyn Jones, a 6-year-old witch in a black and purple dress, sat on a low garden wall and gazed up at the tall tower of Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

“I’m trying to be patient,” she said, swinging her pink sneakers in excitement.

A flash of black appeared up high, a mask peering over the edge. A wisp of red cloak fluttered.

“I see Batman,” Madelyn cried. “I think that’s Superman!”

Her 4-year-old brother, Oliver, ran about, a pint-sized Batman with a super dose of energy.

“I see them! I see them!” he called.

And that’s when they descended—four superheroes, rappelling down the side of the gleaming 11-story building.

Kids, parents and staff gathered in the play area below cheered and clapped as Batman, Thor, Captain America and Iron Man made their way down, capes billowing in the breeze.

The superheroes turned to wave at the crowd. And they paused on their way down to wave to children inside the hospital, as well.

Their arrival kicked off a Halloween party in the hospital’s Balk Café.

Kids shopped for costumes, created Halloween crafts, ate pizza and posed for pictures with their favorite superheroes.

The event provided entertainment for young patients and their siblings. Madelyn and Oliver joined the fun with their father, Martin Jones, while they were visiting their newborn sister, Juliette.

Austin Coultes, a 9-year-old boy from East Jordan, Michigan, took a break from his hospital room to watch the superheroes with his mom, Adrianna Park. He wore a yellow Pikachu costume with a mask he’d just made that day.

Watching the superheroes’ descent was fun—and he especially was glad to meet his favorite, Thor.

“It was pretty cool,” he said.