PORTSMOUTH, Va. — It doesn't always take a grand gesture to make someone's day.
For one Portsmouth man, a costume and a wave go a long way.
Aaron Jackson braved the heat Friday and spent two hours on Portsmouth Boulevard waving at traffic.
“I can still keep going because I have that type of passion that I really want to make people happy and be their better selves,” Jackson said.
He did it all dressed as the popular Transformers character Optimus Prime.
The man known as the "Mysterious Cosplayer" has devoted hours, two or three times a week for the last two years, creating quick, passing moments of joy for drivers.
“There was a lot of sadness and people being depressed,” said Jackson. “I’m like, I have all of these costumes, what can I do?”
Jackson has a rotation of at least 50 costumes he dons up and down Portsmouth Boulevard.
He has become a popular attraction for people in the area.
Five different families stopped to take pictures with Jackson, who never takes off his mask, during the two hours 13News Now spent with him Friday.
“Whenever I see kids happy, it makes me happy,” said Jackson. “Because they’re the future.”
Jackson proves that superheroes don’t always need superpowers -- sometimes a little effort, and a lot of love, can transform someone’s day.
Jackson has also turned his love of costumes into a business.
He's available for all different types of parties, and you can reach him on his Facebook page for more information.