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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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Sending your kid on a flight alone can be scary for any parent – but when your child has a special condition these times can be extra nerve-wracking. Alexa Bjornson sent her 7-year-old son Landon Bjornson to visit his dad in Portland but as a kid with high-functioning autism, his mom knew that flights could be difficult for him – so she was prepared.

Bjornson was unsure of how her son would do on his own so she gave Landon a note for his seatmate along with $10 for their presumed troubles. What happened on his flight though warmed her heart and reminded her that there are really good people in the world.

RELATED:

Mom Alexa Bjorson was worried about her son’s solo flight. Because of his autism, she wasn’t sure how he fair on the trip – so she tried to prepare

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

“I was feeling anxious and [Landon] was super excited to get to his dad and cousins. I was more worried about missing him then how HE would do on the plane. That was probably his 5th or 6th flight so he knows what to do and how to act. I was just worried about him being “annoying” to his seat partner,” Alexa told Bored Panda. However, she couldn’t let her anxiety prevent Landon from going on a trip. “This year we had a newborn baby, and funds were too low for me to fly 3 of us there and then 2 of us back. Landon was also having some bullying issues so we just wanted him to be able to enjoy the rest of his summer!” she explained.

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And this is the response she got

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

“I really couldn’t think of any other way to get my point and goal across besides a letter with an explanation and incentive for being kind. I wrote the letter an hour before we left for the airport,” she said. In the letter, she explained her son has high functioning autism and asked the seatmate to be patient with the boy, as he may ‘are we there yet?’ several times.

When asked about Landon’s condition the mother said: “Landon started struggling from what we noticed around the 1 yr age after vaccinations. We waited a while to see if it was a phase, and we had him tested out 6 months to a year later. He was non verbal and very frustrated. Over time and lots of efforts, he has grown into an amazing little boy and can do pretty much anything other kids can. He does still struggle with eye contact, focus, and high emotions.”

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Bjorson shared the story and it quickly spread around the internet – the mom said she was so grateful at the impact it had made on people

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

Image credits: alexa.bjornson

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

The mother was moved by Ben’s response. “I felt total relief and humbled when I got Ben’s message. I was overwhelmed and did cry a few tears just to see the humanity and love that still exists in the world.” Alexa is glad that she didn’t let her fear of being apart from her child prevent him from experiencing things and encouraged other parents to do the same. “Do what you think is best for your children and let them experience what life has to offer. We can’t teach them to be “scared” of the world. Because one day we won’t be here to guide them and they need to be prepared and have experiences like everyone else. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed of what others have to say, because they are not in your shoes”

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People in the comments loved the heartwarming story

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

Image credits: jasonofthedead

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

Image credits: 1Sunnyone2

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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Image credits: Roy_CSCS_SCA

The Marcus Autism Center offers several recommendations for parents traveling with children who have autism: Check flight schedules for the best times of day for your child to travel. If she can sleep on a plane, naptime may be a good time to fly. Plan ahead for your seats. Consider requesting bulkhead or aisle seats, particularly if your child likes to kick his or her legs or move around. Don’t forget to pack necessary coping or treatment items in your carry-on bag, like a change of clothes and medicines. Many airports and airlines have supportive resources and staff. Don’t hesitate to ask for the help you need.

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

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7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

7-Year-Old Autistic Boy Flying Alone With $10 And A Note Explaining His Condition Gets The Best Seatmate

Ilona Baliūnaitė

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

What do you think ?

Gintare Cer 5 years ago

I'm more concerned about mom's comment on getting Autism around 1yr, after vaccination. Sounds more like anti-vaxx than "that guy is great!"... "started struggling from what we noticed around the 1 yr age after vaccinations"

73points

Koalamonster 5 years ago

I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by that. I mean, there are some kids who you can tell very early on are autistic, but with a kid with high functioning autism you're not going to notice it that much until you expect them to start talking and stuff. It just seems kind of crappy to slide that in there. Does seem to be that she is probably anti-vaxx, which sucks because they don't need other anecdotes to try to prove their point. That's the only plus of delayed vaccination- you can't blame the vaccine for something it didn't cause. It's not worth all the measles though.

33points

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Just saying 4 years ago

My son has high functioning autism, and typically this only showed when he went into year 1 (in UK this is 5/6 yrs old) where they move from free play to having to sit nicely in circle time, and interact with other kids rather than playing alongside them. Yes, this is a couple of years after the MMR booster....but this is purely co-incidental, the developmental 'otherness' just happens to be more obvious at this age, and I actually think I was seeing autistic traits in him at around 2-3 months old, before he was vaccinated for anything.

2points

T.Milly 5 years ago

My thoughts exactly!!! If my son had” high functioning autism,” or any issue that could potentially cause problems for others on a flight or other social situation, I’d either go with him or , more likely, we’d avoid the situation all together unless it was an emergency. My son is 10 & he can be very impulsive, has poor eye contact occasionally, & is also prone to high emotional responses depending on the situation. He’s not autistic though. He’s just a 10 year old boy with an excess of energy. A 7 year old autistic boy should never travel alone-ever. What happens when he’s triggered & his response is a physical /verbal (noise but no words) explosion of uncontrollable energy? How is a stranger(s) supposed to console him? I can’t even imagine a parent feeling comfortable enough to let a “normal” 7yr old fly alone. Sending $10.00 & a note explaining the situation is completely irresponsible. I wonder when their son started flying alone? 5/6 ? If I were this child’s seat mate, the dad

1point

Tam Ara 4 years ago

Why? Because mother’s can’t share their experiences with their child’s health if vaccines are involved? If a parent states that their child died from side effects related to chemotherapy do we jump all over them claiming that they are putting all of the cancer kids at risk?

0points

Ann Abdelzaher 5 years ago

Glad I am not the only one who caught that.

0points

Wil Vanderheijden 5 years ago

I guess it was part of a hidden agenda, but people were more interested in how a man was kind to an autistic 7 year old then in some nonsense.

0points

Full Name 5 years ago

Haha, I came to the comments section with a bowl of popcorn because I figured the BP community would be super triggered by that. I'm happily disappointed that it's almost a non-issue and people seem to be focusing on the main crux of the story. Waste of a popcorn though ;-P

-1point

Stille20 5 years ago

Most airlines won't take unaccompanied children under the age of 12. There are good reasons for that.

28points

Laugh Fan 5 years ago

Most airlines take unaccompanied children from 5 – 7 but only on a direct flight to a single destination.

29points

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Martata 5 years ago

Alexa, maybe sending a kid at that age is a bit too risky, maybe work it out with the airline and make sure a cabin crew member would look after him and him alone throughout the flight. Because honestly that sounds very scary, to him specially being that young and being alone. Regardless of his autism, my mum works with autistic children and I can tell you both kids with or without autism at that age would be scared to flight alone. Mother's are usually their safe zone and that whole story just made my heart go funny.

25points

Nomadus Aureus 5 years ago (edited)

There's no safer way for a child to travel alone than on an aeroplane. Personally, I've had my first passport at the age of 4 and before all the new laws came into effect, I have been travelling alone internationally. Stop putting children in cotton wool. It does them no good.

10points

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Gintare Cer 5 years ago

I'm more concerned about mom's comment on getting Autism around 1yr, after vaccination. Sounds more like anti-vaxx than "that guy is great!"... "started struggling from what we noticed around the 1 yr age after vaccinations"

73points

Koalamonster 5 years ago

I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by that. I mean, there are some kids who you can tell very early on are autistic, but with a kid with high functioning autism you're not going to notice it that much until you expect them to start talking and stuff. It just seems kind of crappy to slide that in there. Does seem to be that she is probably anti-vaxx, which sucks because they don't need other anecdotes to try to prove their point. That's the only plus of delayed vaccination- you can't blame the vaccine for something it didn't cause. It's not worth all the measles though.

33points

Load More Replies...

Just saying 4 years ago

My son has high functioning autism, and typically this only showed when he went into year 1 (in UK this is 5/6 yrs old) where they move from free play to having to sit nicely in circle time, and interact with other kids rather than playing alongside them. Yes, this is a couple of years after the MMR booster....but this is purely co-incidental, the developmental 'otherness' just happens to be more obvious at this age, and I actually think I was seeing autistic traits in him at around 2-3 months old, before he was vaccinated for anything.

2points

T.Milly 5 years ago

My thoughts exactly!!! If my son had” high functioning autism,” or any issue that could potentially cause problems for others on a flight or other social situation, I’d either go with him or , more likely, we’d avoid the situation all together unless it was an emergency. My son is 10 & he can be very impulsive, has poor eye contact occasionally, & is also prone to high emotional responses depending on the situation. He’s not autistic though. He’s just a 10 year old boy with an excess of energy. A 7 year old autistic boy should never travel alone-ever. What happens when he’s triggered & his response is a physical /verbal (noise but no words) explosion of uncontrollable energy? How is a stranger(s) supposed to console him? I can’t even imagine a parent feeling comfortable enough to let a “normal” 7yr old fly alone. Sending $10.00 & a note explaining the situation is completely irresponsible. I wonder when their son started flying alone? 5/6 ? If I were this child’s seat mate, the dad

1point

Tam Ara 4 years ago

Why? Because mother’s can’t share their experiences with their child’s health if vaccines are involved? If a parent states that their child died from side effects related to chemotherapy do we jump all over them claiming that they are putting all of the cancer kids at risk?

0points

Ann Abdelzaher 5 years ago

Glad I am not the only one who caught that.

0points

Wil Vanderheijden 5 years ago

I guess it was part of a hidden agenda, but people were more interested in how a man was kind to an autistic 7 year old then in some nonsense.

0points

Full Name 5 years ago

Haha, I came to the comments section with a bowl of popcorn because I figured the BP community would be super triggered by that. I'm happily disappointed that it's almost a non-issue and people seem to be focusing on the main crux of the story. Waste of a popcorn though ;-P

-1point

Stille20 5 years ago

Most airlines won't take unaccompanied children under the age of 12. There are good reasons for that.

28points

Laugh Fan 5 years ago

Most airlines take unaccompanied children from 5 – 7 but only on a direct flight to a single destination.

29points

Load More Replies...

Martata 5 years ago

Alexa, maybe sending a kid at that age is a bit too risky, maybe work it out with the airline and make sure a cabin crew member would look after him and him alone throughout the flight. Because honestly that sounds very scary, to him specially being that young and being alone. Regardless of his autism, my mum works with autistic children and I can tell you both kids with or without autism at that age would be scared to flight alone. Mother's are usually their safe zone and that whole story just made my heart go funny.

25points

Nomadus Aureus 5 years ago (edited)

There's no safer way for a child to travel alone than on an aeroplane. Personally, I've had my first passport at the age of 4 and before all the new laws came into effect, I have been travelling alone internationally. Stop putting children in cotton wool. It does them no good.

10points

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Load More Comments

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