A family on a stressful flight sought understanding and patience
Whitney Ellenby’s essay, “Why I always announce my son’s autism” (Ideas, March 22), reminded me of a flight I was on a number of years ago. Early that morning, my 9 a.m. flight home from Florida was canceled and rescheduled for 2 p.m. When I got to the airport, the afternoon flight was delayed. Delay after delay followed. Everyone became more and more frustrated as time dragged on with no explanation for the wait.
When we finally boarded the plane at 9 p.m., I noticed a family of six sitting near me at the front. The mother stood up and announced that her teenage son was autistic and had become very agitated by all the delays. She apologized for his loud outbursts and asked for everyone’s understanding and patience.
The family spent the entire flight trying to calm him. When we landed at Logan Airport, some of the passengers quickly started pushing forward to get off. I stood up, blocked the aisle, and asked everyone to let that family off first. They had to be exhausted and needed space.
The mother thanked me profusely. If she had not explained the situation just before takeoff, I might not have been so sympathetic, and the same was probably true for many other passengers. If only the airline had communicated so well!
The boy keened unceasingly throughout the entire flight, but knowing that he couldn’t help it made it easier both to ignore and to want to help.
Linda Large
Milton
People with disabilities have a right to enjoy public spaces
I’m grateful to Whitney Ellenby for “Why I always announce my son’s autism” and for supporting her disabled son’s right to enjoy public spaces. Her approach feels like a gift to all the strangers who happen to be in those spaces with him: an opportunity for compassion, connection, and feeling common humanity.
Marcie Kaplan
Arlington
The writer is a psychologist and mindfulness teacher.
Mass. lawmakers should pass ‘blue envelope’ bill, aiding drivers with autism
Whitney Ellenby poignantly explains the potential danger of strangers misinterpreting her profoundly autistic son’s atypical behavior in “Why I always announce my son’s autism.” Like Ellenby’s son, my autistic son, Sam, doesn’t have any physical characteristics that would necessarily alert others of his neurological differences. Strangers are often confused by Sam’s actions or communication style until they realize he has a disability or I explain.
Sam is a licensed driver. There is a measure in the Legislature that would allow drivers with autism to request a specialized blue envelope to alert law enforcement of their diagnosis. Police responding to an accident or traffic stop don’t have the luxury of waiting a few minutes to understand a person’s unusual presentation. When officers walk up to a car, they often must make split-second decisions about whether the driver is a threat or if garbled speech means the motorist is operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A blue envelope can clarify the situation immediately.
I hope the House follows the Senate’s lead and passes this simple, inexpensive, and potentially life-saving bill this session.
Ilyse Levine-Kanji
Westborough