Everyone at the restaurant was now staring at her. It was one of the worst moments of her life.
What had she done to deserve this? She felt tears rolling down her face as she walked out of the establishment.
Not Happy
One day, Jamie Mathews Heustes, her husband, and their son stopped by at a local Cracker Barrel to grab a bite.
Little Ian, however, wasn't happy with their choice of restaurant. He desperately wanted to go to McDonald's to get a Dory or Nemo toy from the Finding Dory kid's meal.
Hysterical
As the family got seated, Ian began to cry and beg his parents to take him to McDonald's. Jamie promised him they would go there after, but the little boy wasn't having any of it.
She had no other choice but to get a happy meal for her son with his favorite toy in it. She then apologized to the waitress for bringing in outside food. But that wasn't the only problem she was about to face that afternoon.
Wrong Toy
Jamie, her husband, and all the guests soon learned that the happy meal Jamie got for her son didn't have the toy he wanted. Ian started to scream at the top of his lungs.
Every single person in the restaurant was now staring at them. That's when whispers and glares started.
The Worst Moment Ever
People were rolling their eyes and flashing dirty looks at them. Even couples with young children seemed to be surprised by their son's behavior.
“Spoiled brat!" one of the guests shouted. “Horrible parents!” another roared. Then, the waitress approached them.
The Beginning
“Are you ready to order?” she asked them. Jamie could feel how annoyed she was at them. So she ordered something random while her husband took crying Ian outside.
But unfortunately, this was just the beginning.
Autistic Child
Jamie started to cry in front of the waitress. She couldn't take it anymore. Ian wasn't a spoiled child. He just happened to have autism.
He was a well-behaved boy, but today had just been one of "those" days for him, and the lack of the toy was the tipping point.
Upset
Jamie couldn't believe how cruel the people in the restaurant were. What happened to compassion? Why was everyone so judgemental?
Then, she saw the waitress's note and broke down even more.
The Note
Jamie didn't expect this simple gesture of sympathy from their waitress.
"Your child is amazing, mommy, be strong, keep your head up," the note read.
Covered
And when she tried to pay for the food, the waitress said it had already been covered.
Jamie was confused at first. She looked at the waitress and asked again if she could pay for the food.
Food Covered
The woman smiled at her and explained that their meals were covered.
She understood what Jamie was going through and simply wanted to help her. The crying mom immediately shared her story on social media.
Thankful
"In the midst of my own meltdown, she reached out with words of encouragement and a kind heart. I am very thankful," Jamie wrote.
She later learned that the waitress wanted to pay for their meals out of her own tips, but when her manager learned of the situation, he covered the bill.
Collaboration
"Little did I know this was TRULY a collaboration and work of love between two dedicated employees," Jamie continued.
"Their caring and thoughtfulness did not go unnoticed."
Random Act Of Kindness
This random act of kindness restored Jamie's faith in humanity that day. "She left me the words I needed to hear that I think EVERY MOM needs to hear," she continued.
"My note from Kailyn is now hanging on my fridge for those moments I need to be reminded of the kindness of strangers."
Love And Support
Jamie received lots of support and love from people all over the world. Parents in similar situations shared their own stories to make her feel less isolated.
People in the service industry reminded her that she's an amazing mom and it's not her fault. Do you agree?