“You’re doing great,” he said gently. “Don’t let it get to you. We’ve all been there or will be at some point.”

I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, and a few other passengers nearby nodded in solidarity, murmuring words of encouragement. The flight attendant, who had been observing the interaction, smiled and handed the man in the suit a pair of complimentary headphones. The suit guy reluctantly put them on, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes, seemingly calming down a bit.

Meanwhile, the bearded man returned to his seat but not before giving my son a playful little wave, which mercifully distracted him for a few precious moments.