HOUSTON -- Protests erupted late into Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate, interrupting former Vice President Joe Biden moments before he delivered a heartfelt response about his personal hardships.

More than two hours into the debate in Houston on Thursday, protesters began chanting in the audience, though it was unclear what exactly they were chanting.

BIDEN MOCKS SANDERS: 'FOR A SOCIALIST, YOU'VE GOT A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE IN CORPORATE AMERICA THAN I DO'

After several minutes, the protesters eventually were led out of the auditorium at Texas Southern University.

Biden, the frontrunner in the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential primary field, went on to share the hardest times in his life—including the death of his daughter and first wife in a car accident in 1972; the death of his son, Beau, of brain cancer in 2015; and other hardships.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN REJECTS MODERATE LABEL, SWIPES AT PLAN-OBSESSED RIVALS

“I learned that the way you deal with it, is finding purpose,” Biden said. “I hope Beau is proud of me today.”

“Because when you get hit badly, when you lose a job…we’ve all been through that in some form or another,” he continued. “My purpose is do what I’ve always tried to do and stay engaged in public policy. There are a lot of people who’ve had it a lot worse than I have.”