Dan Lanning’s parents were at the airport gate in Kansas City when their flight to San Diego was canceled earlier this week. Don and Janis Lanning figured there had to be other options.

They checked flights out of Wichita, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Dallas, Denver and St. Louis.

Said Don: “Absolutely nothing available.”

Another son, David, was stranded with them. So was their 9-year-old grandson, Grayson, who had asked to go to the Holiday Bowl to see the Oregon Ducks play as his Christmas present.

“This,” Don said, “is now part of family legend.”