I was in Walt Disney World with my son, Daniel, who is autistic. At the time was 7 years old. My wife and our three other sons were with us too.
He was having one of his melt-down screaming tantrums, God only knows why. So my wife and I decided I would take the bus back to the hotel, and she would stay in the park with the other three children.
And the screaming continued… We waited for the bus as the screaming continued. Then we got on the filled to capacity bus, and the screaming continued. As the bus wound around the many stops it had to make before arriving at our destination, the screaming continued.
My son looks “normal”. To the many people on the bus, he appeared to just be a kid screaming – or a spoiled brat who did not get his special toy that day. It did not take long – less than a minute – before the screaming prompted stares, then glares from the other passengers.
To my utter shame, I found myself losing my temper at my own son. I was embarrassed, and angry, and frustrated, and felt cheated by God for not being able to enjoy a normal vacation with our family because of this damn affliction of my son. And then I realized I was close to losing it too.
I started to wonder what life would be like without having to deal with this cross. And just as the reactions by the other passengers was becoming most intense, a man seated just in front of me turned around to face me.
I braced myself for his onslaught of advice on how to raise a well-behaved child.
Then he said calmly, “Is he alright?”
I said, “He’s autistic.”
Then the man said, “It’s alright.” And he smiled.
That’s all.
And suddenly, all the anger building up inside me was gone. I almost wept for shame at how I had felt a moment before. It no longer mattered what the other people thought.
My son was my gift from God again.
I will never forget that man, nor his small, simple act of kindness and understanding.
I truly believe he was my son’s guardian angel that day, maybe mine too.