Flight Attendant Helps Mother With Autistic Son

Image: PHOTO: Delta Airbus A321. (photo courtesy of Delta Airlines) (Delta Air Lines)
Image: PHOTO: Delta Airbus A321. (photo courtesy of Delta Airlines) (Delta Air Lines)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:59 PM ET, Sat April 13, 2019

A Delta Air Lines flight attendant is being praised for stepping up for a family in need.

Delta's Amanda Amburgy was working a flight from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta when she noticed one of the passengers, Sonja Redding, and her two children board the plane. Her son began having trouble as soon as the plane took off.

Redding's children were both diagnosed with Methylmalonic Acidemia, and her five-year-old Xayvior was recently diagnosed with autism. When Amburgy saw Xayvior showing signs of sensory overload, she "offered to take him up to the galley for a set of wings, which is my usual introduction when trying to calm down our younger passengers."

Amburgy's good deal is going viral thanks to a Facebook post from Redding:

Amburgy showed the young boy the blue lights over the overhead bins and brought him to the front of the plane for a quick snack. With Xayvior calmed down again, Amburgy brought him back to Redding and began beverage service.

Another man pressed the call button and informed Amburgy that he also had an autistic child and "he's never seen a flight attendant do this and that he really appreciated it."

"This exemplifies the Delta difference in every way," Delta senior vice president Allison Ausband said in a statement. "Service from the heart is what we're all about and I'd like to thank Amanda and Delta employees around the globe for showing thoughtful service like this to the world."


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