A mum has publicly thanked a flight crew who went “above and beyond the call of duty” to help her son, who has autism, feel special.
Christine Bush, from New York, US, explained that she always arranges to pre-board planes because her son Henry can find the noise and crowds “overwhelming”.
As the family settled into their seats on a Delta airline flight from Minneapolis, a flight attendant called Natalie came over to check they had everything they needed.
Henry took an instant shine to her - and she returned his warmth.
“She was a friend to a little boy who doesn’t always feel like he has too many of those,” Bush wrote on Facebook on 1 May.
Bush explained that: “Natalie went out of her way to bring over demo oxygen masks and life jackets for Henry to look at.
“She surprised him with a chocolate bar and extra cookies. She listened as he talked about being on the spectrum and about how loud noises bothered him.”
When Natalie learned that Henry’s birthday had been the week before, she and the other flight attendants made him a crown out of cookie packages and the pilot gave a special message over the intercom to thank Henry for his help during the flight.
“When the flight landed at LaGuardia, the pilot presented him with special golden wings (just like the pilots wear), let him try on his hat, and then the crew got together for pictures,” wrote Bush.
”Natalie and the rest of team on Delta Flight 1596 went above and beyond the call of duty to help him feel special,” wrote Bush.
“Henry later said that he ‘felt like a first class passenger’ and said that he would ‘never forget my best friend Natalie’.
“You can’t get much better than that.”