AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

ANYBODY WHO’S EVER been late for a flight knows that when they close the doors, you’re done for.

But airport staff in Minneapolis waived this rule to help out a family going through a very tough time.

Nicole Wibel’s father passed away from lung cancer last month at the age of 56 – his last wish was to be buried with his family in Tennessee.

Facebook / Nicole Short-Wibel Facebook / Nicole Short-Wibel / Nicole Short-Wibel

She, her mother Marcia and her two siblings boarded a flight to Memphis for the funeral, but due to some damage to the cargo doors, they were late taking off. Posting on her mother’s behalf on Facebook, Nicole wrote:

We had a connecting flight to catch in St Paul Minneapolis and the delay gave us seven minutes to get to the gate. With only two minutes to spare, we got to the gate and the attendant was not at the podium. My son and I were waving our arms at the pilots and the ground crew… We pleaded for them to not take off.

The attendant eventually arrived and said there was nothing they could do but put them on a flight to Atlanta, where they could drive to Memphis. But the plane was still outside the window, so they begged the attendant to give them a chance:

I was crying and attempting to console my girls when the phone rang, the pilot was pulling back to the gate to let us board the plane. Pilots Adams and Anderson of Delta Airlines have blessed my family and gave us a gift no one else could. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Who’s chopping onions? Reveal yourselves.

More: A mam’s heartfelt thank you to the air hostess who helped calm her baby is going viral>