Could you imagine knowing you needed water or had a headache, had to use the bathroom, but not being able to voice it?
That’s the question Ashley Wright asked readers when she penned a Facebook post that went viral after a trip to the zoo with her children went sideways.
A man with a problem
Wright took her 13-year old son Logan and 11-year-0ld Brinlee to the Riverview Park and Zoo in Peterborough, Ontario one day and was confronted by someone who had an unbelievable reaction to her son’s behavior.
“Logan has severe autism, global developmental delay, echolatia, and im leaning towards tourettes as well. Hes big. 6 foot 1 and about 190lbs,” she told her followers.
While the teen was having fun, it turned out he needed to use the bathroom but was having trouble communicating that. No doubt knowing he had a disability, a man walking ahead of them decided to turn around and yell at the mom.
“Why do people bring kids like that out in public?”
Wow.
Getting real
In her Facebook post, Wright was admirably restrained. She even wrote about how convenient is it for places like this to have co-ed bathrooms now:
“Thankfully like many places nowadays Peterborough Zoo has a coed bathroom. Do you know how hard it is when places don’t have those? All the dads with daughters and moms with sons. Or people supporting people with disabilities. What do we do when they can’t go in the opposite-sex bathroom? anyways…. he went in with me, I was careful not to use the hand dryer (loud noises can really bother autistic people, Logan is no exception).”
Unfortunately, while Wright got to use the bathroom, Logan had to go too but didn’t communicate his needs while they were in there. And by the time he did, he was getting frustrated.
A bit of a breakdown
It shouldn’t have been a big deal. Polite people either look away and let families get on with their lives or offer a hand. But the man harassing the family didn’t take kindly to Logan’s outburst.
“Logan started grinding his teeth, making a really loud, growly EEEEE sound and started pinching himself. I asked him if he wanted to leave or needed a drink or to use the bathroom. But he was passed being able to answer,” Wright explained.
The man glared as Logan tried to grab his mom’s hair and began to make loud noises. When he bit Wright’s arm she knew others were staring too, but if they were judging they were at least doing it silently.
Crossing a line
We have to hand it to this mom for keeping her cool, especially as the man approached her and his family in distress – and it wasn’t to help!
“You started walking closer to us and my brain instantly went into thinking sir please stay away im trying to protect myself my daughter and my son I dont need another potential person getting hurt. You got about two feet away from us and very loudly yelled ‘WHY DO PEOPLE BRING KIDS LIKE THIS OUT IN PUBLIC? THEY RUIN SOCIETY,'” she said.
A mom’s composure and grace
Wright didn’t get angry. Yes, she was scared at first, but she was also able to calm down later and try to be objective about it, which truly takes a special kind of person.
She wrote of the man:
“Now, you have your opinion, and I’m sure you think you are valid in what you said. But you are wrong. Logan was being loud, he was probably scary to some people and he was definitely distracting at least you and your family from what I’m sure was supposed to be a fun family outing. What you don’t realize is Logan deserves to be out in public just as much as anyone else. He doesn’t ruin society. He didn’t hurt anyone.”
In case anyone is wondering, she also mentioned what might have helped.
You could’ve asked me if I needed help. I would’ve politely declined since like I said the last thing I need is to have to worry about another person in this situation, but you still could’ve. Or you could’ve done what the majority of people do and look at us, look away and go on about your business. “
A bright spot in a rough afternoon
Despite the rude man, the family still made the best of it. A bystander did indeed get involved and gave the aggressor a piece of his mind. And after encountering him again, a little bystander intervention seems to have calmed him down.
To read the rest of the story, be sure to scroll down below for her entire Facebook post!
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