Superheroes visit sick children in honor of Leonard 'Batman' Robinson

WASHINGTON - Leonard Robinson made a lot of sick children happy. But none of them knew his name.

To the children, he was known simply as 'Batman.'

For years, while dressed as the superhero, Robinson visited countless children who were hospitalized and battling illnesses. He wanted to give them something to smile about.

In August of this year, 51-year-old Robinson was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while he was checking his custom-made 'Batmobile' along the side of a Maryland highway.

"He would come into the hospital parking lot and he would have the Batman theme music on and like everyone knew 'Batman' is here," said Laurie Strongin, founder and executive director of 'Hope for Henry' when we spoke to her following his death. Strongin met Robinson after she founded the organization following the death of her son from a rare disease.

"The kids who were ambulatory would run out and kids in wheelchairs would wheel out and the other kids would be dragging their IV poles and he would let them get in the 'Batmobile' and sit in the seats and push the buttons and he'd open his huge cape and the kids would gather under the cape," she said.

On Wednesday, Strongin was joined by 15 superheroes at Children's National for a 'Superheroes Extravaganza.' The group visited and delivered toys to children in Robinson's honor.

"He was just an absolutely incredible person. I've never really met anyone in my life like him who so generously gave of his time and his heart," Strongin said Wednesday.

"He was someone who was very fortunate and did he really well. He just decided to take his good fortune and give to kids who were the least fortunate of all."

For more on Hope for Henry: http://www.hopeforhenry.org/