Train passenger filmed helping mum with autistic son speaks out

‘You just do what you can to help out’, says Dan Ball

A train passenger who was hailed a hero for helping a mum to calm down her autistic son has said he was just doing what he could to help.

Dan Ball was praised after a video of him trying to calm down Gayna Pealling's five-year-old son, Jack, went viral.

Ms Pealing was also travelling with her four year-old daughter Amy when Jack, who has ADHD and autism, “started to have a meltdown”, she said.

The 21-year old stepped in to help when Gayna had asked Jake to take one of his tablets.

Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, Dan from Farringdon in central London, said: “My mum has a background working with kids with special needs and I’ve been exposed to it my whole life so at that point I kind of realised that he had ADHD.

“I just thought I’d pipe up so I said ‘oh jack I take loads of pills every morning, it would be really helpful if you could show me how to take them’ and he did.

“Amy, Jack’s sister was already sitting opposite me… So I said ‘oh Jack do you want to come and sit and play with your sister as well?'”

Asked by host Philip Schofield if this was something he did a lot, he laughed and said: “I don’t really get trains very often to be honest with you.”

Ms Pealing shared video of the incident on her Facebook page and it quickly went viral. Some called Mr Ball "a hero" for helping out.

The pair have since come up with a badge to support parents of children with special needs.

Parents would wear the “Come to my Rescue” badge so people know when they can step in, if it looks like help is needed.

Ms Pealling from Farnborough said: “They are a bit like the ones you wear on the underground saying ‘baby on board’ and people invite you to seat down.

“The ‘Come to My Rescue’ badge would be for someone like me to wear it, to let people know that you can approach us. Because although people tut and act funny, I think there are people who don’t approach us because they think we might bite their heads off.”