Mural: Superman of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Michael Wheeler, senior citizen, called himself, "Super Runner For the Lord." From 2011 to 2019 he was on the move around Kansas City in a home-made super-suit featuring a blue jersey with the Superman symbol, a red cape, and star-spangled socks. He sometimes carried a football lettered with "JESUS."
People around Kansas City called him, "KC Superman." He loved posing for photos with the people he met.
Despite a record of over 70 arrests -- mostly for running where he shouldn't -- Wheeler was honored with a heroic-size wall mural painted by local artists Whitney Kerr and Chase Hunter. It was unveiled October 20, 2017. Wheeler, age 66, was at the dedication -- wearing an uncharacteristic tailored suit and tie.
Wheeler had been running and preaching for decades. Before the mural, his biggest brush with fame came in 1990, when President George W. Bush went out of his way to meet him on a visit to Kansas City. Wheeler had been beaten with a 2x4 by a drug dealer after he conducted an attention-drawing "Jericho Run" -- seven laps -- around a crack house in his neighborhood.
Wheeler told the Kansas City Star that the mural tribute was especially gratifying since most people aren't honored until after they're dead. He also said that he had been "thinking about kind of giving up on running and doing something different," but that the mural inspired him to keep going. Plus, he said, the superhero costume gave him added endurance.
Wheeler finally hung up his cape in March 2019.