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SALT LAKE CITY — Many people dream of lives as superheroes — to be able to fly, bend steel or swim deeply in the ocean — like the superheroes of the Justice League.
Photographer Josh Rossi and his wife Roxana set out to find and photograph "real" superheroes. Their search led them to six kids with rare diseases and disabilities. The Rossis believe these children have all shown some superhuman strength.
"The project was so important to me because I see the suffering that these kids have gone through," Josh Rossi said in an email. "I wanted to bring them some joy and get (them) away from their troubles for a bit."
The photographer, who lives in Puerto Rico now, wanted to create an epic shoot of kids who have battled disease and disabilities with the strength of superheroes. Rossi wanted to make them feel like the superheroes of the Justice League.
After two months of work, the project included a group photograph and individual shots of each of the kids that had the look of a major Hollywood movie release.
"To think that my son was a part of it was just amazing," said Agnes Manuma of Orem. "They wanted to empower each kid, and show them that they could be superheroes no matter what."
Her two-year-old son, Mataese, has battled Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia since April. He's been through four rounds of chemotherapy. He is free of leukemia cells today and has one more round of chemo to complete.
“He's been a fighter," Manuma said.
Born in Hawaii, Mataese was the perfect choice for Aquaman. The Rossi's presented each of the young superheroes their own poster. That was a big moment for Mataese.
"His eyes got big. It was almost like he was star struck by himself," Manuma said. "I had chills."
Last Halloween, Josh Rossi created a Wonder Woman shoot for his daughter and the idea evolved.
Kayden, a double amputee, was transformed into a Cyborg. Sophie, diagnosed with a rare cancer, was transformed into Wonder Woman. Taegan, born with half a heart, has endured three open-heart surgeries. Today, Taegan is Superman. Zaiden has severe ADHD — but, he's also Flash in the Justice League. Five-year-old Simon was diagnosed with a rare form of nerve cancer and transformed into Batman.
"I think it makes them feel like a million bucks, like the luckiest kids in the world," said Provo resident Julie Whiteley, who made the costumes and fitted them on set for the photo shoot.
"It was very touching," she said. "I had never had an experience like it."
Whiteley started making costumes for her kids to give them "a big smile and a memory." When Josh Rossi contacted her about this project, she wanted to be there when these kids put on the superhero costumes for the first time.
"To feel like Flash or feel like Batman. What kid doesn't want to be a superhero?" Whiteley said.
The smiles on their faces the day of the shoot even exceeded her expectations. She saw the reactions from the kids as they learned something new about themselves that day.
"Your weaknesses don't make you weak, they make you better," Whiteley said. "They make you special. They make you unique. They make you different and that's not bad."
A gift for all involved in the project.
"To show not only my son, but all of these other kids, that they could be powerful," said Manuma. "They can be strong individuals."
Maybe, even superheroes.
