Delta Airlines praised for holding flight to allow daughter time with dying mother

Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more

A woman has expressed her gratitude to Delta Airlines after they held a flight for her to be able to see her mother before she died.

Hannah White shared a video on TikTok on December 9, 2024, where she typed out the story of what happened and continuously thanked the airline for what they did for her. “I wish I knew the names of those who helped me, but the story is too beautiful not to share,” she prefaced the story.

At the time, her mother, Kathleen Nelson, was in the hospital for “undiagnosed pneumonia” and was doing well after her surgery. However, White said she received a call from her brother who told her that her mother’s body had gone into septic shock. She was informed that “family needed to visit her immediately” because the doctors were unclear “what was wrong or how long she had.”

open image in gallery ‘I was able to say I love you’ one last time and provide the comfort for her in her final moments, that she provided for me my whole life,’ the daughter wrote in her TikTok ( TikTok/@xoxohannahwhite )

White’s flight from Dallas, Texas, required a connection in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but because of “mechanical issues” her plane sat at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport for over an hour, meaning she might miss her connecting flight and wasn’t sure if she’d be able to see her mother alive.

She then explained her predicament to one of the flight attendants, who told her she would not be able to make her flight in Minneapolis and was booked for a new flight the next day.

“As she explained this, I immediately started welling up with tears. She apologized and cried with me. I bawled in my seat, knowing there was a possibility I wouldn’t be able to see my mom one last time,” she wrote on TikTok.

open image in gallery White was able to say goodbye to her mother thanks to the actions of Delta flight crew ( xoxohannahwhite/TikTok )

However, the pilot on the first flight called the pilot on White’s connecting flight, who agreed to hold the plane until she could get there.

The flight crew also upgraded White’s seat to ensure that she could depart the plane faster and even made an announcement over the loudspeaker to make sure she was the first person off. The man sitting next to her in first class also pulled out a map of the Minneapolis airport so she knew actually where to board her connecting flight.

After the Minneapolis flight waited for 30 minutes, White was able to get on the plane and make it to her destination in time.

“My mom passed away the next day. Delta’s kindness gave me 24 extra hours with her. I was able to say ‘I love you’ one last time and provide the comfort for her in her final moments, that she provided for me my whole life,” she wrote in her TikTok, saying the airline gave her “the gift of time.”

Since the video was first posted, it has received over 10 million views with many people turning to the comments section to gush over the kindness she was shown that day.

“The man mapping the airport for you, all the people who made time stop so you could have 24 hours makes me believe in humanity,” one comment read.

Another commenter agreed, writing, “I know everyone is thanking the crew but I can’t stop thinking of the one flight attendant you told first. Some might have not even gone to ask. So happy she listened and the rest followed.”