Almost 25 years after the town of Gander, Newfoundland, took in nearly 7,000 stranded travellers whose planes were diverted due to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a new Heritage Minute is commemorating the Canadian community that welcomed them with open arms.
Historica Canada, in its latest Heritage Minute, a 60-second film series highlighting significant stories from Canadian history, honoured the small community for its humanitarian efforts, which went on to capture the attention of the world when the story was retold through the stage musical Come From Away, which became a major Broadway and West End hit.
Locals who remember the events, along with community members and supporters, attended a celebration at Gander International Airport earlier this week, which Historica Canada described as “a special evening celebrating a remarkable story of generosity, compassion, and community.”
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The event precedes a visit by U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and other officials to Gander that is set to take place on Sept. 11. The town has hosted commemorative events every year since the terror attacks that killed almost 3,000 people when Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked and crashed four commercial aircraft into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania.
Gander Mayor Percy Farwell said Tuesday, “We also acknowledge the connection that transpired with our little neck of the woods here and how meaningful that turned out to be.”
“(We were) responding to people that were in distress and needed a lot of life’s necessities like food and shelter. Mostly they needed love and compassion because it was a very distressing time,” he added.
The town of about 9,500 people became eternally linked to the 9/11 attacks when its tiny airport took in 38 passenger planes grounded by air traffic control in the immediate aftermath of the coordinated hijackings.
The people of Gander rallied around what they called the “plane people,” converting schools and church halls into shelters and taking many passengers into their own homes while providing food, hot showers, clothing and phones so stranded folk could contact their families.
Twenty-five years later, those taken in by the town continue to express their gratitude.
Every September, Sue Riccardelli and her wife, Maureen Murray, fly a large flag combining a maple leaf and America’s stars and stripes outside their New Jersey home to honour the people of Newfoundland who cared for them and their fellow passengers.
The couple were on their way home from France when their plane was grounded in Gander. They stayed for four days, with more than 230 other passengers from their flight.
During their stay in Gander, the couple made lifelong friends and have since returned at least 10 times to visit them.
Last year, as relations between the U.S. and Canada soured amid a reignited trade war, the couple began bringing their flag to local performances of “Come From Away,” as a symbol of solidarity.
Riccardelli, 65, and Murray, 67, are among a group of Americans expected to return to Gander next week for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
The couple told The Canadian Press they were horrified by U.S. President Donald Trump’s treatment of Canada and plan to bring their flag to Gander and hold it high.
“As Americans, our country was at war, we were far away from home, and here were these people — Canadians, people from Gander — who just gave us their all,” Riccardelli said from their home in New Jersey.
— with files from the Canadian Press
What’s in a name?
Get a diagnosis, Mr. President. Your a very sick man.
Everybody in America stop growing food, driving cars and turn off all your lights. And drink ocean water, Canada is closed . No nothing to tyrant rapist leader of the dumb.
Hey america why don’t you clean up your nuclear waste ? Oh that’s right, you feed it to children and give it to your soldiers in their ammo. Nice.
You creep. Tell your master to build a wall, and this time, build more than six miles. We don’t need anything you have. So get out
“The event precedes a visit by U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra”
Why should any Canadian allow this obnoxious and ignorant person to attend an event when he disrespects the nation and people who helped America in it’s time of need?
@Anonymous Canada has been anti American a long time and goes way before Trump. I think it is mainly sour grapes to be honest. I am happy Americans are now boycotting Canada
Jale Perkins – You idiot. Trump started attacking us in his first term. We picked Carney because of his attacks.
Canada was a reliable friend in 2001, but no longer. Carney Elbows Ideology has now made Canada hostile against its biggest trading partner and neighbour to the the south
F/ K GANDER !!!
Canadians now embrace China over the USA. A narrative that Carney supports.
Canada is a great friend to our allies, there’s nothing wrong with commentating one of the many times Canadians have shown up for our friends an allies.
Sad how Canada under Carney is so hostile against the USA
Canada has become increasingly anti American under Trudeau and now Carney. This is great politically for the Liberals but bad for the prosperity of Canada as a whole.Most think Carney walked away from the negotiating table for cheap political points for recent by-election wins.
This is great and makes me proud to be Canadian. This is positive, but the negative Debbie Downers just have to find something wrong.
Canada can’t help but live in the past and reminding everyone about it. What about now? An act of kindness is great but what is going on now.
It was sad during the 2024 Presidential Campaign how Liberals and their supporters badmouthed Trump and the MAGA movement. I guess you reap what you sow.
@Vermont: Canadians are not consumed with anti-American ideology….they many ARE critical of the current, orange administration in the US and the MAGAts that support it. And, for the record, so are the many, many other truly democratic countries on the planet!
Now Canadians are consume with an anti-American ideology, boycotting, etc. Canadians sure have changed and are ungrateful.
@ Gangshew They think they’re clever and/or tough, but they’re really just a bunch of sad MAGA-wannabe, anti-Canadian edge-lords.
I really do not understand how anyone can be so negative or mean-spirited about this wonderful moment in Canadian history; a moment of unity between Canada and the US during a time of international tragedy. What is wrong with you?
@Ben. You spew anti-USA comments all day. Best not to be a hypocrite.
It is so good to hear about how Americans appreciate Canadian hospitality, especially during a crisis time. Trump needs to hear the many thousands of stories of how on both sides we appreciated each other, had each other’s back in wars and elsewhere instead of his divisive talk not only in dividing Americans but in dividing Americans against Canadians.
Nelson Wolf… Canada has always been relevant regardless of who has been in power. Welcoming Newfoundlanders have absolutely nothing to do with who is in power and in fact many Newfoundlanders vote Liberal. Check your political history before you make misinformed comments.
Cue the anti-Canadian, garbage comments from the nut-wing MAGAts, lol!
And mini MAGA of course has nothing good to say. They are the definition of Debbie Downer.
When Canada was relevant. Unlike now after 11 years of Trudeau/Carney regime.