Autistic Leith 8 year old forms heartwarming bond with kind taxi driver who takes him to schoolhttps://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/ed ... o-19485962"I watch from the window as they make their way to the taxi and Alex always has a guiding arm round Ellis, crossing the road and right to the door."
Image: Leigh Maclelland/Edinburgh LiveMost local parents wouldn't think much of waving their 8-year-old son off to school, but for Leith mum Leigh Maclelland, seeing her son disappear down the path without her by his side is a minor miracle...and it's all down to an amazing, kind-hearted taxi driver called Alex, and his wife Jill.
8 year old Ellis has autism, and attended Leith Walk Primary until being moved to a speech and language unit. When the council told Leigh that Ellis would be entitled to transportation, she thought there was no way he would go in a taxi with a stranger as she and Ellis are "joined at the hip", and she had always taken him everywhere.
However, that was before Alex and Jill came into their lives.
On Friday morning (18 December), Leigh shared a photo of Alex walking Ellis to the taxi, his arm around the boy's shoulder, writing:
"Everyday Ellis gets a taxi to and from his Speech and Language unit school in Edinburgh, his taxi driver Alex is probably one of the best ‘strangers’ to Ellis that there’s ever been. In a year Ellis trusts him with his life and we are SO lucky. Thanks @Edinburgh_CC."
The tweet quickly racked up hundreds of likes and comments, including from Alex's daughter, who wrote:
"Thats 100% our dad. Thank you so much, tearing up reading that. He's a good man."
Another person said: "Not all heroes wear capes, these people just go about being legends as part of their normal life, and that's what makes them real heroes"
Image: Leigh Maclelland/Edinburgh Live"Today they’ve dropped Ellis off with Christmas gifts."Leigh told Edinburgh Live why she decided to share the photo, explaining:
"From the minute Alex came to my home to introduce himself I knew he was a gentleman, so friendly, chatty and I knew Ellis was going to be just fine. Then we met his lovely wife Jillian who helps Alex collecting and dropping Ellis off and I just felt we had known them for years.
"Ellis was obviously apprehensive for the first month or so but we persevered and I’m so glad we did. He now asks for Alex and Jill every single morning whilst I get him washed and dressed for school and looks forward to seeing them.
"Ellis loves technology and Alex and Jill don’t hesitate to give him a little shot of their phone to play a game on the journey to school or coming home. I’m pretty sure he probably uses all their data!
"Even the way they speak to Ellis and make him feel so worthy, they frequently call him ‘my boy’ or ‘my wee pal’ and he loves it!
"I watch from the window as they make their way to the taxi and Alex always has a guiding arm round Ellis, crossing the road and right to the door of the taxi."
Leigh says that Alex and Jill go the extra mile every single time they see Ellis, saying:
"Every Friday they give Ellis his favourite sweet and never leave his younger brother Fergus out giving him one too.
"Today they’ve dropped Ellis off with Christmas gifts for himself and his brother and I know Ellis will miss them over the Christmas period.
"They certainly put a smile on our faces daily and we are extremely grateful to them and everything they do for Ellis."
Well done Alex, Jill - and Ellis too! If you have someone you would like to publicly thank for brightening this strange and difficult year, please feel free to get in touch by emailing
news@edinburghlive.co.uk
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