September marks the 20-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist bombings. For most us, that Tuesday morning is seared in our memories. We can still recall where we were when we heard the news, scrambling to find the nearest TV to watch in horror as the twin towers of the World Trade Center crumbled before our eyes.
In all, 3,042 died from the terrorist attacks; the deadliest in human history.
“THE DAY the World Came to Town,” is the story of 9/11, but from a thousand miles away in Gander, Newfoundland.
The book is by Jim Defede and is the choice by the Iola Reads committee for the community to study as a whole.
It’s a heartwarming story about the people of Gander who came to the rescue of almost 7,000 passengers and flight crew members stranded in the remote seaside town when the terrorist attacks closed U.S. airspace, preventing thousands of airlines heading toward the United States from reaching their destinations.
More than 30 jets landed in Gander, a town of about 9,600 at the time. That a town that size boasted an international airport is of note.
Built in 1938, the airport was initially a military base shared by England, Canada and the United States and played a critical role during World War II. At the time, it was the largest airport in the world and built to accommodate the heaviest airplanes of the day.
Its location halfway between the U.S. and Europe also was a critical refueling point for transatlantic flights and it was dubbed the biggest gas station in the world.
The town of Gander didn’t even exist prior to creation of the airport.
THE GANDERITES welcomed the strangers from more than 200 countries into their homes, schools, and public and private facilities for five days.
Traumatized by their situation, the passengers were treated with kid gloves and untold generosity. Some had relatives at the sight of the bombings.
One vignette relates how two women went to a sporting goods store to buy camping gear so they could avoid sleeping in a crowded Knights of Columbus building.
When they went to purchase the gear, the cashier said, “You’re off the plane, right?”, and were told to take whatever they needed, free of charge.
Such generosity was repeated time and again throughout the town, whether it was for food, clothing, or prescription drugs. No questions asked, just a helping hand with the understanding they would do the same for them under similar circumstances.
LAST WEEK, millions of Texans were without heat during a massive winter storm that overwhelmed its power system. More than 50 died, some freezing to death.
