"I am ready for takeoff!"
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These were the words of three-year-old Memphis Francis as he boarded a flight home to Queensland from Griffith Regional Airport on Friday.
After two months away from mum and dad, Memphis was on his way home with the help of Angel Flight Australia.
The toddler become the face of state border closures after Queensland Health denied a number of exemption requests for Memphis to reunite with his family in the sunshine state.
However, he was granted an exemption to return home on Thursday, September 2, after intense public condemnation.
Grandfather Mark Facer was happy Memphis was able to go home on Friday, but said would miss him dearly.
"Late (Thursday) night Angel Flight reached out and offered to assist us to get Memphis home so quickly and we are tremendously grateful to the organisation," Mr Facer said.
"I just would ask that the Queensland government show some compassion for any future instances like this."
Memphis told The Area News that he was "very excited" to see his mum, dad and sister Paisley, but would miss his grandparents.
"I am ready for takeoff," Memphis said.
The flight was his first time in a plane and was piloted by former Qantas Captain, Paul Michel who said he was more than happy to help the family.
"It is very satisfactory to donate my time and aircraft to help this family out," Mr Michel said.
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Grandmother, Alex Facer said the two-month long ordeal had been "extremely frustrating".
"Memphis would have slipped through the cracks if it had not been for the media exposure," Mrs Facer said.
"This is desperation right here, this is why people go to the media because media pressure works.
"We are so happy he is finally leaving us, but he is taking a big part of me with him. I would just hope any future decisions in regards to border closures and exemptions that the Queensland government makes are based on commonsense."
The flight left Griffith Regional Airport at 10.30am, arriving at Archerfield Airport at 1.30pm where Memphis will say goodbye to his grandma and reunite with his mum Dominique.
Angel Flight will then fly Mrs Facer home to Griffith and Memphis and his mum home to Hervey Bay where he is expected to land around 2pm.
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