Reunited and It Feels So Goodby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 08 May 2009 11:08 PM In honor of Mother's Day, I thought I would share the moving story (in more ways than one) of a 13-year-old boy who desperately wanted to see his mother. When you're done reading, consider what lengths your child would take to spend time with you, and whether the teen's efforts are not the sign of a larger problem. Kenton Weaver missed his mom. A lot. So much, in fact, that he didn't let his age, or the fact that he has Asperger's Syndrome, stop him from formulating a plan to be reunited with the woman who gave him life. A couple weeks ago the boy, whose parents are divorced, set his plan into motion. His goal: board a plane from his dad's hometown of Bacon Raton, Florida, and fly to see his mom who lives near Fresno, California. Easier said than done, right? Not for Kenton. The autistic teen was somehow able to sneak out of his father's home, snatch his dad's Ford Explorer, drive himself to the Fort Lauderdale Airport, and hop on a plane bound for California. The only catch in Kenton's plan: no transportation from the airport to his mom's home. According to news reports, the boy was found by police wandering around the San Jose Airport in the wee hours of the morning. I can't believe he pulled this off," Kenton's mom told news reporters. "I'm flabbergasted." Kenton's dad was also upset, and blamed airline workers for letting his child purchase a ticket and board a plane without a driver's license or photo ID. According to the boy's dad, Kenton used a stolen credit card to purchase his plane ticket. "Kenton can be a handful," Dan Weaver told reporters. According to his parents, Kenton's Asperger's Syndrome often fuels his inhibitions, and leads him to engage in risky activities. Hmm... then perhaps Kenton's dad should have been watching him a bit closer. I'm just saying. As it turns out, it appears that Kenton's mom will be taking on that responsibility until the boy's father can get some safeguards in place. "I'm obviously not set up here to keep him, though I've tried," Weaver told local reporters. "I have another son, 8 years old. My fear is next time he gets in the car, he might take his little brother." Kenton's mother says that her son has been obsessed with planes since he was a little boy, and that his fascination with flight, coupled with the fact that he missed her and other family members who live in California, is probably what fueled him to take off. At least mother and son will be together on Mother's Day. Related Articles: Confessions of a Reluctant Facebook Parent Parental Threat: Intention Good, Results Not So Much Be Glad You Aren't These Parents "Slumdog" Star's Crazy Father Beats Him What Happens When Your Own Mother Thinks You're an Abomination What NOT to do with Your Newborn Twins What Kind of Parents Take Their Kids Shopping on Black Friday? Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantparenting tags User Comments baker33 (205) 13 May 2009 02:13 PMThat story is touching. Discuss this article
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