A young child in China, who was influenced by cartoons that he watched showing characters with special abilities, made a misguided decision to use an umbrella to leap from his 26th-floor apartment.
He had used the umbrella as a parachute in a Mary Poppins-esque manner. The situation was undoubtedly shocking, but fortunately, the child survived the incident.
According to reports from the Chinese media outlet Shui Mu Wang, the four-year-old from Hunan province imitated a storyline from a cartoon he had watched.
Believing his umbrella could function as a parachute, the child jumped from the balcony of his apartment while no one was present.
It was discovered that the balcony lacked anti-theft safety nets, and his parents were absent due to work commitments.
At the time of the incident, only his grandmother was looking after him but she was not around at the time as she was attending to his sister downstairs.
Fortunately, due to the child’s relatively light weight, he managed to experience some cushioning from the umbrella and nearby trees upon impact from landing.
Although his life is not currently in immediate danger, he sustained a broken right arm and is currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital for multiple fractures throughout his body.
Sources from Oriental Daily indicate that the boy was inspired by the cartoon “Tom and Jerry,” leading him to mistakenly believe that he would land safely if he jumped with an umbrella.
The absence of anti-theft safety nets on his home’s balcony allowed him to easily open the window and make the ill-fated leap.
Following this incident, many Chinese internet users referred to the child’s survival as miraculous, with some attributing it to divine protection.
Simultaneously, they strongly encouraged parents to install anti-theft windows to prevent children from effortlessly opening windows at home.