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4 Y.O. Autistic Boy Was Having A Meltdown During A Flight So The Crew And Passengers Stepped In To Help
Some flights can go splendidly, especially if we drift off or watch a movie that makes hours just melt away. However, there are flights that don’t exactly go as planned for plenty of different reasons, from feeling unwell to device malfunctions. When a mother from Cypress, Texas, Lori Gabriel boarded a plane with her family, she planned to have a calm and peaceful trip. Unfortunately, her autistic 4-year-old son Braysen changed those plans even before the flight took off.
As soon as the family got on the plane, Braysen had a meltdown and refused to be seated. As the mother and father were struggling to keep their child calm, they were approached by a United Airlines flight attendant. What followed was a lesson in empathy and compassion and Gabriel shared her experiences in a Facebook post.
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Mother recently shared a heartwarming story about their family’s flight
Image credits: BraysenUnited
Image credits: BraysenUnited
As soon as the flight crew were informed that Braysen was autistic, they did everything to help the boy. “Huge thank you to United Airlines. They accommodated his needs, made sure we were all ok, worked around where he chose to sit,” the mother wrote in her post.
Image credits: BraysenUnited
Image credits: BraysenUnited
The acts of kindness weren’t limited to the crew on board as surrounding passengers showed solidarity and understanding. “To the lady that wrote me this note in seat 7D, thank you, you may not know how much that means to us when we feel defeated,” Gabriel referred to a note that was given to her during the flight.
Image credits: united
Image credits: BraysenUnited
The note read:
“I commend you for your strength. Do not EVER let anyone make you feel as though you are an inconvenience or a burden. He is a blessing. God bless your patience, your love, your support, and your strength. Continue to be Superwoman. And know You and Your family are loved & supported.
– United family”
Image credits: BraysenUnited
Image credits: BraysenUnited
Throughout the flight, the flight attendants let Braysen sit on the floor, venture into the first-class sector where people interacted with the boy to help him get through the arduous journey. And it worked! The child seemed happy and plenty of people were supportive. Even when the child started kicking a man’s seat which made his mother promptly apologize, the man only responded by saying that he didn’t mind.
Bored Panda has reached out to Lori Gabriel for additional information, but she has yet to respond.
Image credits: BraysenUnited
The mother also showed how Braysen usually handles flights
Here is how people responded to the story
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Pamela24 5 years ago
God, I hope those crew people get some proper bonus! Not because I think this shouldn't be a standard. But because I believe that if employees are punished (as in get part of their salary cut off ) if they make mistakes or behave improperly then they should also be financially rewarded when they handle a special situation this well. This touched me, so many great people at once.
Full Name 5 years ago
If only it were possible for the world to give pay based on merit.
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Carol Emory 5 years ago
My son is high functioning autistic. We weren't sure how he'd handle his first flight at age 10, but he handled it like a pro..even though he's afraid of heights. Usually autistics have meltdowns due to over stimulation. My suggestion for mom's future flights is to get Braysen a set of noise canceling headphones...or ones that will cover his ears and limit his audible stimulation. Also, a virtual reality visor may work as you will be able to put simple images on any smart phone he views and limit his visual stimulation. Bless you and United for getting through the flight. Good luck in future travels. Tell Braysen that he's awesome!!
Crochet lady 5 years ago
My twin sons have Asperger's and took their first flight when they were 3. We were so ready for anything and brought enough distractions and things to play with that they actually were really good. We were actually complimented by a few people about how well behaved our 3 boys were, no one even knew the twins were autistic. But I know it could easily have gone in a different direction depending on the day. We also had amazingly thoughtful attendants who paid a lot of attention to our boys, simply because it was their first flight and they were awesome at their jobs.
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Sharon M 5 years ago
While I find this heart touching too, I feel like I should warn other parents with kids on the spectrum that this sort of kind and thoughtful assistance fades away once your little one isn't so little any more. You start to see less consideration or compassion, even after explaining your child is on the spectrum. And you start realizing society expects your child to "grow up" or "grow out of it". You can't grow out of autism. But apparently, people can grow out of basic human kindness.
Mewton’s Third Paw 5 years ago
I am probably in the minority here but I think it would be easier to feel compassion and consideration to an adult with autism. It’s hard to tell if a child is just an annoying little s**t or if there’s some condition that makes the child misbehave. And either way it’s usually very intrusive and bothersome to everyone else. If it’s an adult though, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between an average person and a person with autism. And even if it isn’t, it’s still way less annoying and screechy and shrill and intrusive to deal with when it’s from an adult.
Load More Replies... Pamela24 5 years ago
God, I hope those crew people get some proper bonus! Not because I think this shouldn't be a standard. But because I believe that if employees are punished (as in get part of their salary cut off ) if they make mistakes or behave improperly then they should also be financially rewarded when they handle a special situation this well. This touched me, so many great people at once.
Full Name 5 years ago
If only it were possible for the world to give pay based on merit.
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 5 years ago
My son is high functioning autistic. We weren't sure how he'd handle his first flight at age 10, but he handled it like a pro..even though he's afraid of heights. Usually autistics have meltdowns due to over stimulation. My suggestion for mom's future flights is to get Braysen a set of noise canceling headphones...or ones that will cover his ears and limit his audible stimulation. Also, a virtual reality visor may work as you will be able to put simple images on any smart phone he views and limit his visual stimulation. Bless you and United for getting through the flight. Good luck in future travels. Tell Braysen that he's awesome!!
Crochet lady 5 years ago
My twin sons have Asperger's and took their first flight when they were 3. We were so ready for anything and brought enough distractions and things to play with that they actually were really good. We were actually complimented by a few people about how well behaved our 3 boys were, no one even knew the twins were autistic. But I know it could easily have gone in a different direction depending on the day. We also had amazingly thoughtful attendants who paid a lot of attention to our boys, simply because it was their first flight and they were awesome at their jobs.
Load More Replies... Sharon M 5 years ago
While I find this heart touching too, I feel like I should warn other parents with kids on the spectrum that this sort of kind and thoughtful assistance fades away once your little one isn't so little any more. You start to see less consideration or compassion, even after explaining your child is on the spectrum. And you start realizing society expects your child to "grow up" or "grow out of it". You can't grow out of autism. But apparently, people can grow out of basic human kindness.
Mewton’s Third Paw 5 years ago
I am probably in the minority here but I think it would be easier to feel compassion and consideration to an adult with autism. It’s hard to tell if a child is just an annoying little s**t or if there’s some condition that makes the child misbehave. And either way it’s usually very intrusive and bothersome to everyone else. If it’s an adult though, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between an average person and a person with autism. And even if it isn’t, it’s still way less annoying and screechy and shrill and intrusive to deal with when it’s from an adult.
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