Mamoudou Gassama Deemed Hero After Paris Climb
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Sunday praised the heroism of Malian immigrant, Mamoudou Gassama, 22, who scaled the facade of a four-storey building to save a child hanging from a ledge, saying the city will support his effort to settle in France.
The video of Gassama’s quick climbing to reach the child, cheered on by terrified onlookers, went viral on social media.
Mamoudou Gassama won widespread praise after climbing the outside of the building to save the four-year-old.
After meeting him at the Elysee Palace, President Emmanuel Macron said he would be made a naturalised citizen.
He personally thanked Gassama, gave him a medal for courage and said he would also be offered a role in the fire service.
Gassama arrived in France last year, taking the long and dangerous journey to Europe via a boat over the Mediterranean to Italy.
Gassama said he had been walking past when he saw a crowd gathered in front of the building.
He told Macron, “I just didn’t have time to think, I ran across the road to go and save him.
“I just climbed up and thank God, God helped me. The more I climbed the more I had the courage to climb up higher, that’s it.”
He said that the boy was crying when he hauled him to safety and had also suffered an injured foot.
Firefighters arrived to find the child had already been rescued.
Watch Gassama quickly climb up the building to save the child below.
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