He runs instead of flies but Singapore's very own Superman is finding a way to leave his own mark

He runs instead of flies but Singapore's very own Superman is finding a way to leave his own mark Mr Simon Trevor Wood, a 61-year-old expatriate, has gone viral online as people spot him in public wearing an unusual suit. CNA TODAY's journalist Loraine Lee gives chase to find out who the man in the cape is. At Jurong Lake Gardens on a weekday afternoon, you may expect to see birds foraging for food in the grass, or aeroplanes flying by from the nearby Tengah Airbase. On some afternoons, though, parkgoers are treated to a little surprise – not a bird or a plane but "Superman" running by them with a smile plastered on his face. This "superhero" is 61-year-old expatriate Simon Trevor Wood, who has been living in Singapore since 2016. His running antics have drawn hundreds of thousands of views on social media after curious passers-by uploaded videos of him out and about. Just in March, a TikTok video of him waiting at a road crossing after a warm-up run – to prepare for the Singapore Cancer Society's Relay For Life 2026 – received more than 600,000 views. True to the spirit of the DC Comics character Superman – who dedicated himself to using his superhuman strength for the good of humanity – Mr Wood, too, is using his love for running to raise money and support several charities. Born in London, England, in the 1960s, when the country was going through an economic crisis, Mr Wood recalled being picked on when he was a child. With a smaller build and platinum-blond hair, he stood out and was often bullied in school for food, money and whatever else other boys could get their grubby hands on. "In one case, I got beaten up with two broken ribs … and then got my head put down the toilet. "But back in those times, you never spoke of those things, because it wasn't something to be spoken of. You had to toughen up," he recalled of his primary school years. BROKEN LEG, UNBROKEN SPIRIT He endured the bullying until a traffic accident when he was 13 years old left him wheelchair-bound for three agonising months. The motorcyclist who struck him and his mother at a pedestrian crossing on their way home from his school was later caught. However, the accident had a silver lining. With his right leg fractured in three places and requiring more than 70 stitches, he needed physiotherapy to learn to walk again. And once he could stand on his own, he embraced an active lifestyle and started training with weights, practising martial arts, swimming, running long distances and more, which made him fitter and also put an end to the bullying. The discipline to continue improving his fitness carried on well into adulthood and he attributed this to his father, who once served in the military and ran a tight ship at home. Mr Wood, who has a younger brother, recounted spending his weekends cleaning the family home, wiping down the stairs, helping to dig the garden, chopping down trees with an axe, and exercising. "We did these different exercises to progress in our development. (My father) ran the house in a very disciplined manner … we had to do all sorts of things." THE HAWKMAN IN HIM Listening to him recount the days when he started working, it feels as if Mr Wood is less like Superman's civilian alter ego, journalist Clark Kent – and more like the other DC Comics character Hawkman, who has variedly been an archaeologist, museum curator and police officer. Living a kaleidoscopic life working across a range of sectors in several countries, Mr Wood's first job after leaving school at 16 was at supermarket chain Tesco, where he worked his way up from a trolley boy to store manager within six years. He had worked there part-time since he was 14. With his fitness routine and puberty, he stood out at the age of 18 for a different reason. At more than 1.8m tall with pronounced features, his good looks led him into the world of fashion. He modelled for famous designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Jasper Conran and Vivienne Westwood. At the same time, he was a dancer in live shows featuring popular music artistes in the '70s and '80s, including disco group Boney M and British duo Pet Shop Boys. For one gig, he landed a role in the music video for Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart (Turn Around), which was uploaded to YouTube 13 years ago and has since amassed 1.3 billion views. In a scene within the first minute of the video, Mr Wood was standing alone as a schoolboy, his eyes glowing. In other scenes, he was featured with other youth, clad in swimming trunks and wearing goggles, as well as dancing on a flight of stairs in a leather jacket. Over the years, the outgoing and affable man has met a variety of people around the globe, which has led to different career opportunities opening up for him. Describing himself as someone who does not hesitate to seize opportunities, he said that he soon found himself pursuing different careers across Europe and later in New Zealand, working in the agricultural industry and even running a successful lawn mowing franchise. In total, he has worked in 23 countries. "My father always told me, 'Never be a jack of one (trade), be a jack of many.' I learnt so much from different jobs, applying my knowledge across different industries," he said. "I continue studying and learning today because knowledge is power." His life was hectic, but he just focused on taking the next step and looking ahead. "When you're down, you can't stay down. You've got to get up – no retreat, no surrender," he added. "You just have to keep pushing, and you have to turn it with a positive attitude." TRADING SCENIC VISTAS FOR SINGAPORE'S GREEN SPACES In 2015, an old contact reached out to him, looking for someone to write a marketing pitch for a Singapore-based firm in the marine industry. The 16-page pitch landed him the job, and he moved to Singapore in 2016, where he has been working since as the director of operations and marina developments at a firm that handles leisure craft such as yachts. I met Mr Wood at one of his usual running spots in Jurong at lunchtime, which he described as the "optimal time" to run. "Sometimes, I run from Jurong to Punggol during lunchtime. I enjoy the heat ... because I've adapted to it, having been in the military in the Middle East," he said. As a born-and-bred Singaporean who continually complains about the heat, I couldn’t help but give him an incredulous look when he said that. Despite perspiration trickling down his face, Mr Wood kept his perennial grin as he described his routine of running a mix of short and long distances each week. Most people may think of highly urbanised Singapore as vastly different from the picturesque New Zealand where he last lived – with a mountain range view outside his window – or the European cities he once frequented. Yet, Mr Wood said that Singapore holds up with its natural charm. "It has so much going for itself. It has different plants, different parks – like the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Jurong Lake Gardens – for people to go running," he added. Sometimes, he does coast-to-coast runs and has covered about 100km going around the island's perimeter. Other times, he enjoys the nature trails at Bukit Timah and Mount Faber, where he typically runs once a month with a pack weighing from 21kg to 25kg. "There is much nature to enjoy. That is, if you look for it." Every week, Mr Wood clocks between 85km and 135km and aims to run a cumulative 5,000km this year. I couldn't help but wonder what a runner might think about as he runs around his neighbourhood park to clock 21km on a regular afternoon. What is on his mind, he said, is often his work and what he needs to do. "I imagine I'm writing what I need to get done as a hologram, then I write it down (on a whiteboard) when I get back home," he explained. His runs are a mix of solo runs to keep his stamina and fitness up, alongside those organised by run clubs such as Happy Feet Running Club and Singapore Runners Club, as well as events such as marathons and charity runs. BECOMING SUPERMAN Even though running has always been routine in Mr Wood's life regardless of where he lived, the Superman costume he's known for now is fairly new. He bought the costume in 2022 because people in Singapore kept telling him that he looked like Clark Kent, Superman's human identity that allows him to blend into society. After our five-hour-long interview across two days, I could see where that resemblance lay. Perhaps it was the glasses, the C-shaped kiss curl atop his forehead – a signature hairstyle he holds in place with Vaseline – or his broad stature. He used to wear the outfit only during specific races, but he was encouraged to keep doing it after receiving excited shouts of "Superman" from random passers-by. Describing his attire as a "costume" brings out a slight protest from him. "I wouldn't say it's a costume. When I put it on, it's like a Rocky moment. The outfit empowers you, and you become something different," he said, referring to the boxer Rocky Balboa played by Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone in the movie series popular in the '70s and '80s. "When I'm going to an event (dressed) as Superman, I'm Superman. And I go forward to achieve what I need to do for whatever race or run I'm on." Putting on the outfit is a two-man operation that takes up to 30 minutes. At the flat where he lives in a Jurong public housing estate, he lubricates his body so the outfit slides on, then he calls on his neighbour to help lift the costume over his head. He does not see the process as a hassle because of how he can lift someone's mood. Passers-by often cheerily stop him for a selfie or a high-five. "I see how (being Superman) makes people smile and excited. "I'm running along the road, then all of a sudden, there are people shouting across the street, saying, 'Hey, Superman!' So, I'm glad it makes their day." I wouldn't say it's a costume. When I put it on, it's like a Rocky moment. The outfit empowers you, and you become something different. Being Superman has allowed him to meet new people – be it other superhero fans at a pop culture convention such as Comic Con, or other running enthusiasts during marathons and runs. In his neighbourhood, "even the aunties and uncles recognise me as Superman when I'm in my regular clothes", he said. When running in the Superman outfit for charity events, he noticed that it also empowered him and motivated others around him to keep running. One charity he often runs for is the Singapore Cancer Society. He has taken part in both the Relay for Life and Race against Cancer events, and he is especially connected to the organisation because he lost his parents and several relatives to cancer. When asked how many races he has run for charities or how much money he has helped to raise, he sheepishly said that he had lost count. Besides the Superman outfit, Mr Wood has dressed up as Batman, Santa Claus, the God of Fortune and many others. Yet, most know him as Superman, with his cape flying. He himself has embraced the persona: When I asked him what he wanted others to know him as, considering his long list of occupations, he said he wanted to be known simply as Superman. As for what else he might want to do next, he hopes to become a travel writer, having travelled to 86 countries – with plans to hit 100 one day. He is also writing two books and will continue on his hopeful mission to inspire more people to give back to society. Midway through our conversation, a torrential downpour halted our chat and we were stuck under a small shelter at the park. We arranged to meet another day and were thinking about how to get to the car park when we realised we didn't have enough umbrellas for the four of us, including my colleague and a representative from the Singapore Cancer Society. Without hesitation, Mr Wood handed us his umbrella. Despite our protests, he told us that the rain was "nothing". He then waved goodbye before running out from the small shelter towards his home in Jurong. As I saw him recede into the distance, his cape barely fluttering as the rain drenched it, I thought: Perhaps, indeed, Singapore does have its own Superman. Just that our Superman runs, rather than flies.