The Florida mother of a young cancer patient has criticized Spirit Airlines and called them “heartless” for not letting them fly with checked-in luggage containing her son’s medicine after they were late to their departure gate.

Delray Beach resident Talia Tallman was traveling to Los Angeles from Fort Lauderdale on Monday, March 12, with her mother, husband, and three children, one of which, three-year-old Escher, has a rare form of cancer called spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma. Escher was due for post-operation follow-up treatment at a Los Angeles hospital.

Tallman said the family arrived at the airport with two hours to spare, but after waiting in a security line, found they were directed to a new departure gate, “almost a mile” from where they were. Tallman says she asked her mother to run to the gate while the family followed behind.

Speaking to Storyful, Tallman said her mother arrived at the gate 10 minutes before the flight was due to depart, and when she explained that her family was trailing behind her, the flight attendant said that they would have 30 seconds to get there. As Tallman and the rest of the family arrived, attendants closed the gate and refused to let the family board.

Tallman said that her husband, Logan, banged on the closed gate door, but to no avail. The family’s luggage, which contained Escher’s medicine, was checked in and on the flight.

She said Spirit Airlines never suggested how they could get a new flight or get to their luggage and Escher’s medicine.

A statement released by Spirit Airlines to Yahoo defended the gate attendant’s actions. “While we are sorry for the inconvenience to this Guest and her family, our records show they were not present at the gate when the flight closed. Our team made every effort to hold the flight for as long as possible. Ultimately, the flight had to take-off to ensure a timely arrival for our other Guests waiting on board,” the statement read.

The Tallmans rescheduled Escher’s doctor’s appointment for Wednesday, March 14. Spirit Airlines gave them five $50 travel vouchers and placed them on a Wednesday flight to Los Angeles. Credit: Talia Tallman via Storyful