A San Francisco man had to make quick flight arrangements to Texas -- to see his mother before she passed away.

His itinerary included a risky 40-minute layover, but he was desperate and took the flight.

After his San Francisco flight was delayed, he was worried about making the connecting flight and being able to make it to his mother in time.

The United flight crew comforted the guy and the pilot even went out of his way to contact the connecting flight to tell that pilot about the situation.

When the man landed for his connecting flight he assumed he had already missed it because it was past the departure time. To his surprise, not only had the pilot held the flight for him, when he got to the gate, the flight crew said "we've been expecting you", and got him on the plane.

When his mother passed away the next day, he wiped his tears with United napkins leftover in his pocket.