Alexa Bjornson’s 7-year-old son Landon was about to take his first trip alone, on a plane, to visit his father in Portland, Oregon. Sending your child away for their first solo trip anywhere can be an anxiety-producing experience. Bjornson’s anxiety was compounded by the fact that Landon has autism. Traveling in general can be tough for the 7-year-old, and doing it alone was going to be its own special challenge. According to a Facebook post, Bjornson brought her son to the airport and got him onto the plane with a note for him to give to whomever he sat next to on the flight. The note explained Landon’s situation and warned that he might frequently ask, "Are we there yet?" Bjornson also attached a $10 bill for the potential seatmate in gratitude for being understanding of her son’s experience.
Bjornson later received an image of Ben Pedraza, the person who had ended up as Landon’s seatmate, with Landon, which she shared on Facebook, along with the message Pedraza had sent.