We must never forget evil when it unleashes terror upon innocent civilians so we can remind ourselves of humanity at its worst. Yet we must also remind ourselves how evil can bring out the very best of humanity. Despite all the death and destruction that was deliberately and wantonly inflicted on September 11, 2001 there were good people who kindness and generosity shone bright on that dark day.
In the town of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, September 11, 2001 began as any other day would for many Canadians. The locals gathered at Tim Horton’s for coffee and donuts. Amongst those at Tim Horton’s that morning was Claude Elliott, the mayor of Gander. It was there where Elliott and the people of Gander learned about American Airlines Flight 11 crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Yet at that moment neither Elliott nor anyone else could have imagined how what seemed to be an accident would profoundly affect their community.
“It wasn’t taken seriously at first,” Elliot told me over the phone. He and others at Tim Horton’s initially believed the crash was accidental. Yet within the space of a couple of hours United Airlines Flight 175 had struck the South Tower of the WTC, American Airlines Flight 77 had struck the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 (apparently headed for Capitol Hill or the White House) had crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This was no accident. It was then that Mayor Eliott and the people of Gander knew they would not merely be observing the unfolding horror on TV. They would have to rise to the occasion.
You see Gander is the home of one of the busiest airports in all of Canada due to its strategic location on the northeastern tip of North America. Opened in 1938, its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean made an ideal spot for American, Canadian and British troops to be stationed during the Second World War. After the Allied victory, Gander Airport (now Gander International Airport) was largely converted to civilian use and for many years was a refueling stop for commercial airliners. However, there is still a military presence at Gander International as it is the home to Canadian Forces Base Gander where the Canadian Forces Air Command conduct search and rescue operations.
It must be remembered that uncertainty prevailed on September 11, 2001. It was not immediately known who was responsible for the attacks or if there would be any more attacks carried out that day. Given the large number of commercial aircraft still in flight in U.S. airspace or approaching U.S. airspace at the time of the attacks, the Federal Aviation Administration saw fit to shut down U.S. airspace after its counterpart, Transport Canada, agreed to open Canadian airspace to these flights in an effort that became known as Operation Yellow Ribbon.
While airports in major Canadian cities like Halifax and Vancouver were involved in the operation so were airports in smaller communities such as Gander. Given that Gander was the closest airport to Europe it would play a vital role in the success of Operation Yellow Ribbon. Within a matter of hours, 38 commercial airliners carrying nearly 6,600 passengers and crew landed at Gander International. Although Gander wasn’t only the community in Canada assisting bewildered passengers it was one of the more notable efforts considering that Gander’s population is approximately 10,000. Within a matter of hours the population of Gander had nearly doubled.
Of course, such an operation could never have succeeded without the people of Gander themselves. Elliott, who is seeking his fourth full term in office later this month, described Gander’s people as its “greatest asset.” The local chapters of the Salvation Army and Red Cross sprung into action as did private individuals. “Word traveled fast,” Elliott said, “People looked out their windows (to see the airplanes landing) and asked, “What can I do?” Of the nearly 6,600 people who unexpectedly found themselves in Gander approximately 4,500 stayed in Gander while the remaining passengers and crew were housed in surrounding communities. Many of the passengers and crew would remain in Gander area for up to five days. Those days were arguably Newfoundland and Labrador’s finest hour since joining Canada exactly sixty years ago.
Needless to say, the hospitality and kindness of the people of Gander made a lasting impression on those people many of whom had probably never heard of Gander. Many of those 6,600 people have returned to Gander during the summer months or on the anniversary of September 11th to renew old acquaintances and to remember.
Mayor Elliott described September 11, 2001 as “one of the darkest days in modern history.” If not for the good people of Gander (as well as many other communities across Canada) that day would have undoubtedly been much darker.
Aaron Goldstein was a card carrying member of the socialist New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP). Since 09/11, Aaron has reconsidered his ideological inclinations and has become a Republican. Aaron lives and works in Boston. 
