Daughter says goodbye to terminally ill mother with help from airline

Hannah White He bought a ticket in a desperate attempt to say goodbye to his mother for the last time before her death.

In October, White’s mother was in critical condition due to undiagnosed pneumonia that quickly progressed to septic shock.

Doctors informed the family that White’s mother, Kathleen Nelson she had little time left to live, but they could not give an exact deadline, given her state of health.

In a race against time, White purchased a ticket to Bismarck Municipal Airport in North Dakota . However, due to the city’s small size and limited flight options, she was unable to board until the next day.

“I panicked right away, as I had waited a whole day to see her, and we didn’t know if she would still be alive when I arrived,” White said.

On one of the most difficult days of his life, White found solace in generosity and determination from several Delta Airlines employees who went above and beyond to ensure she had 24 more hours with her mother.

White’s story, which she posted on TikTok in Decemberwent viral and reached more than 10 million views and more than 27 thousand comments from people sharing similar experiences with words of support.

Joint work

White boarded Delta’s scheduled flight in Dallas, and while anxiously awaiting takeoff, the pilot warned passengers about a delay due to technical problems . With just an hour to connect to her next flight in Minneapolis, she knew she wouldn’t make it in time.

She finally had the courage to tell one of the flight attendants about her situation, Eva Ortiz hoping that there would be a solution. Ortiz explained that Delta’s automatic rebooking system had already booked the next available flight — but it wouldn’t depart until the next day.

“Obviously, I wasn’t mad at her, but when she explained it to me, I started crying right away,” White said. “I just thought about how lonely my mother would be… and Ortiz also got emotional, apologized and gave me some tissues.”

More than an hour later, Ortiz returned with an unexpected message.

She had informed the pilot, the Captain Keith Napolitano about White’s situation. Napolitano made a point of calling Delta dispatchers to see if it would be possible to hold White’s connecting flight. Fortunately, they managed to do it.

“The stars don’t always align for me to be able to influence the outcome, but this was one of those cases where I felt like it was possible,” Napolitano told CNN Travel .

Napolitano was just one of the crew members involved in the process. Since none of the passengers on White’s connecting flight had tight commitments, the team, which included Ortiz, the connecting flight’s pilot, and several dispatchers, worked together to ensure White could be reunited with her mother as quickly as possible.

“I was emotional, because I had already accepted that I would only see my mother the next day,” said White.

Another passenger, who was also part of the crew, suggested that White take her seat at the front of the plane so she could get out faster. Other passengers nearby helped find the quickest way to the boarding gate.

Immeasurable gift

As soon as the plane landed, White was quickly removed to the front. Filled with emotion, she ran through the airport, tears streaming down her face.

“As I ran to my gate, I thought my mother would also run for me, across the country if she had to,” White said. “She would run over broken glass to be there for me and my brother.”

When White boarded her connecting flight, she was greeted with smiles from the new Delta crew and passengers willing to help her journey back to her mother.

White and the rest of his family arrived at the hospital and they had one more day to spend with their mother her before her departure. The extra time they shared, provided by the quick action of the Delta crew, became an unforgettable gift that White will always cherish.

“I don’t think they know how grateful I am for giving me more time with my mom or for just being kind to me on one of the worst days of my life,” she said.

White and his mother had a very strong bond a connection she will continue now that her mother is gone.

“My mother was the love of my life ,” White said. “I know everyone says this about their mothers, but she was truly the embodiment of grace, class, kindness, patience and unconditional love.”

In addition to her gratitude for the Delta team, she also recognized the importance of kind strangers who offered their support through gestures such as welcoming smiles or words of encouragement.

“I feel eternally grateful to them,” she said. “It wasn’t one person doing something great, it was many people doing something very beautiful.”

“Seeing the good in people”

After losing her mother, White wanted to believe there was some purpose to the family’s pain. But when she decided to post the TikTok, she didn’t realize how much comfort her story would bring to others who are dealing with the loss of a family member.

“I hope this reminds us all to look for the good in others,” White said.

While air travel stories often gain attention for causing frustration, Napolitano hopes White’s story shows that there are many good things happening at airports every day.

But he said seeing the results of acts of kindness is rare.

“It’s very rare that we get a chance to see the results or hear how it ended,” Napolitano said. “In my opinion, it is humbling and beautiful to see the outcome of this story.”

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Source: CNN Brasil