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Family Allegedly Asked to Leave Outback Steakhouse After Receiving Noise Complaint About Disabled Son

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On Monday, a women named Amanda Jean Braun posted a lengthy Facebook post detailing a troubling incident that reportedly took place at her local Outback Steakhouse restaurant in Glen Burnie, Maryland. . .

Shortly after their meals arrived, writes Braun, a man who identified himself as the manager came to the table and stated that he had “received a noise complaint” about Braun’s 4-year-old son.

My son Killian was born with a neurological disorder that affects his speech called Childhood Apraxia of Speech. This disorder affects Killian in many ways especially communication and behavioral. He is a very energetic kid with much to say, however, when he speaks, his words are unclear.

Despite noting that he felt uneasy with his role in the situation, the manager reportedly asked the family to complete their dinner and leave the restaurant. He then offered them a $20 gift card “as an apology,” according to Braun, who added that she won’t return as she doesn’t want to “subject [her] son and the rest of [her] family to that type of discrimination.” . . .

Speaking with local ABC affiliate WJLA, Braun said that she’s no longer angry, but sad about the way her son will be treated going forward: “The anger has subsided and I’m left with sadness for my son and his future struggles of being in public.” (Read more from “Family Allegedly Asked to Leave Outback Steakhouse After Receiving Noise Complaint About Disabled Son” HERE)

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Miniature Horse Aids Alaska Boy With Special Needs

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Photo Credit: AP

A young miniature horse in sneakers is helping a 4-year-old special needs child at an Anchorage public elementary school. Zoe, a black mare, is a service animal for preschooler Zaiden Beattie at Russian Jack Elementary School. It’s the only service horse in an Alaska school _ and after multiple online searches, the only service horse Principal Elizabeth Hornbuckle could find at any school in the nation.

Zaiden is one of 300 children in the U.S. diagnosed with A-T, or ataxia-telangiectasia, a genetic disorder that progressively robs children of their ability to coordinate movement such as walking. Zaiden’s mother, Lesley Zacharias, a professional horse trainer, is teaching Zoe to help Zaiden walk steadily until the disease inevitably shackles him to a wheelchair.

“He moves around a lot better and has more energy if he’s got a hand on someone, either holding someone’s hand or a hand on something,” Zacharias said. “My personal goal is first grade with a pony instead of a walker.”

The head of the 10-month-old horse only rises to an adult’s waist and is almost irresistible to touch, though training protocols call for her to be petted on the neck, not the face, and only when given permission. Zoe is calm but playful, eager to play or work, and lets her owners know it by nuzzling their hands.

The sturdy, 150-pound animal began making appearances in Zaiden’s preschool classroom in January. Early training began with socialization _ exposure to crowds and loud noises such as the school’s fire alarm. Now she’s learning tasks.

Read more from this story HERE.

Video: Pat Robertson’s advice – “don’t adopt children”

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While discussing a question about adoption on the 700 Club last week, Pat Robertson disagreed with his co-host and stated that women should not adopt children and “take on someone else’s problems.” He notes that children may be sexually molested or abused in other ways prior to the adoption. At the end of the segment, however, Robertson realizes he stepped in it and admits, “OK, I’m in trouble.”

Here’s a transcript of Pat Robertson’s comments:

A man doesn’t want to take on the United Nations, and a woman has all these various children, blended family, what is it – you don’t know what problems there are. I’m serious. I’ve got a dear friend, an adopted son, a little kid from an orphanage down in Columbia. Child had brain damage, grew up weird. And you just never know what’s been done to a child before you get that child. What kind of sexual abuse has been, what kind of cruelty, what kind of food deprivation, etc. etc. “You don’t have to take on somebody else’s problems. You really don’t. You can help people – we minister to orphans all over the world, we love helping people. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to take all the orphans around the world into my home.