An Oregon mother says she and her severely disabled son were ejected from a movie treater on his birthday over the weekend after other viewers deemed them disruptive.
Brenda Branton, of Springfield, shared her story on Facebook on Saturday, writing in a post that she and her son grown Sam, who in wheelchair-bound and non-verbal, were ‘kicked out of the movie because he was making too many happy noises.’
The post, which showed Sam Branton at the Cinemark 17 theater in Springfield, has been shared more than 12,500 times as of Wednesday afternoon.
Kicked out: Brenda Branton and her disabled son, Sam, headed to a movie theater on Saturday to watch Deadpool 2. They were ejected from the screening because the non-verbal man was making ‘too many happy noises’
A spokesperson of Cinemark 17 in Springfield said other patrons complained because Sam Branton was making ‘many loud, disruptive noises’
The mother and son had gone to the movies to watch Deadpool 2, as KATU reported. Sam even donned a baseball cap emblazoned with a picture of the superhero played by Ryan Reynolds for the occasion.
The theater later confirmed that the Brantons were asked to leave during the screening after several other patrons complained about the man’s ‘many loud, disruptive noises,’ reported KEZI.
The venue’s director said Brenda and her son were given a full refund, and they have since attempted to contact the family to schedule a private screening.
Brenda wrote in an update on Sunday that she and Sam have been overwhelmed by the thousands of people who have responded to her initial post to show their support for her son.
Birthday boy: When Sam Branton was 14 years old, he was injured in a car crash that left him with a traumatic brain injury. Saturday was Branton’s birthday
‘I have always believed that the good outweigh the bad but WOW. So many loving, caring people,’ she gushed.
Thanks to the efforts of local media personality Rick Dancer, Sam and his loved ones will be having a private viewing of Deadpool 2 at the Broadway Metro movie theater on Friday.
According to a news report from in 2002, when Sam Branton was 14 years old, he was injured in a car crash after his 19-year-old friend, who was behind the wheel, passed out.