Any parent knows how difficult it can be when your child starts throwing a temper tantrum in public. This can be an embarrassing situation especially when the tantrum grows in intensity and there’s no hope to assuage the outburst no matter what you do or say.

This is exactly the situation a young mother recently found herself in on an airplane, and just when she was about to lose hope, she ended up getting help from an unlikely person.

Sonja Redding of Omaha, Nebraska was flying home from a medical trip for one of her children when her son Xayvior started throwing a tantrum. Xayvior has Methylmalonic Acidemia or MMA, which involves the body’s inability to break down certain proteins and fats. On top of that, Xayvior was also recently diagnosed with autism, so it’s safe to say that Sonja has her hands full.

During the flight, Xayvior had a sudden emotional meltdown, and his parents could not calm him down. Just when Sonja was losing all hope and patience, a young flight attendant stepped in to help.

The flight attendant asked if she could hold Xayvior, and she proceeded to give the boy a tour of the plane. Sonja was hesitant at first, and she warned the flight attendant that the boy might try to harm her since he sometimes has sensory processing problems. The flight attendant, however, did not let this deter her from helping out.

Sure enough, Xayvior and the flight attendant bonded immediately. By the time they came back from the tour of the plane, the little boy was showering the flight attendant with hugs and kisses. Sonja was so touched by what the flight attendant did that she took to social media to thank the Delta Airlines employee. Her post has quickly gone viral, with people all over the world praising the flight attendant for her actions.

“I want to thank this Delta employee and let Delta know what a wonderful woman they have employed with them. She didn’t stare or judge, she just showed love and empathy without hesitation. We need more people like this in the world. Thank you, Delta employee, thank you!”

What a wonderful story to remind all of us that a simple act of kindness can spread so much joy and gratitude.