‘Living’ in the wake of 9/11 is a privilege that I enjoy and that I’m fully aware of.
September 11, 2001 was my generation’s Kennedy assassination.
It was real, visceral and I remember every single minute of it like it was yesterday. Any other adult at the time would likely agree.
I was heading into the office tower at the corner of Bay and Bloor in Toronto, going to my job in marketing as I had done many days and months before.
The first time I saw the image and reel that was repeated millions of times since – the second airplane flying into the World Trade Center of New York – I was in an elevator.
A coworker named Blair yelled out as I got off the elevator, “they blew it up” and it was all it took for everyone to drop their to-do lists and gather around the screens in the main media room.
Shock, horror, tears, anger, frustration.
Somewhere in that torrent of emotions, a small handful of people had the wherewithal to act like decent human beings. While most of us were scrambling to reach loved ones and find out if their building was still standing (many people thought it might have expanded to just beyond the US), the good people of Gander had the nerve to say, “land here, you’ll be safe”.
I mean, who does that when the world is on edge, thinking every plane in the sky is a potential weapon of mass destruction?
Their future was unknown, but they made history.
In the wake of the destruction that occurred on September 11, 2001 airports in the United States were closed. That left more than 200 planes, their crews and 33,000 people stranded in mid-air.
Within hours, all of these planes landed at airports in Canada, despite the obvious risk of more terrorist attacks.
Goose Bay, Stephenville, Moncton, St. John’s, Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, Hamilton, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Deer Lake.
Stories emerged that reminded us of that people are decent during crises.
- Come From Away has since become a Broadway musical and hit and has been performed in multiple countries.
- A friend at a car dealer in Gander offered up parts of the dealership for people to sleep as well as vehicles for people to use to transport passengers and supplies around town.
- Homes and shelters were immediately made available for those who were seeking comfort.
- A transportation group in Gander ended their strike when they knew that their services would be needed. Many volunteered instead of demanding more pay.
- Goods and services were made available at other airports and neighbourhoods that were close by.
- Passengers also played their parts: when they arrived in remote communities, many of which didn’t have ideal internet or computer services, donations were made as bursaries to students and hardware for schools.
They came as strangers, but by the time they left, they were family.
As overwhelming waves of stupid and anger reign in the United States, let’s remember the smart and the kind, the patient and generous souls that made a difference and who continue to make a difference to this day.