Local mom says disabled son was refused handicap accessible seat

A local mom is devastated over what she says her son in a wheelchair had to go through. She claims two moviegoers denied him a handicap accessible seat.

Christine Weideman is heartbroken and she's also angry at what happened to her disabled son Monday night at  King of Prussia movie IMAX movie theater. Her family won a radio station contest. They won four tickets to see a special preview of Beauty and the Beast. 

It was Nicholas' 6th birthday celebration. However, for the kid who suffers from tumors on his spinal chord the outing quickly turned sour.

"I explained that my son was in a wheelchair and that we needed those seats to accommodate him," his mother told FOX 29.

But when they got to the seating area for the disabled and companions.  She says two fellow moviegoers refused to move from their seats.

To make matters worse Weideman says it was an employee with the event's film promoter came over and told Nicholas and his family they would be the ones to have to find another seat.

 "And she told me that it wasn't her problem and they were there first. And I said, 'I understand that but these are reserved it said so right on the seat reserved.'"

After some other patrons switched their seats, the family did get to see the movie. However, they had to double up seats to watch. 

It also made Nicholas feel like he was the one who did something wrong.

"We came back home that night, he apologized for being in a wheelchair. And that's not right. That's not his fault and for someone to make it feel like it was his fault really hurt me," Christine said.

FOX 29 has not been able to reach the event company. We did hear back from the movie theater manager who wants the boy, his family and friends to come back for an all expense paid day,

 

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