Channel of Peace: Stranded in Gander on 9/11; © Kevin Tuerff video from Gander, 2001.
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Kevin Tuerff's exclusive video from time being a "Come From Away" in Gander, Newfoundland on September 11th, 2001. His Transatlantic flight was the fourth of 38 wide-body jets to be diverted to the small airport when US air space was closed that tragic day. The town of 9,000 provided food, clothing, shelter and information to 6,579 stranded passengers and crew for five days, when they didn't have to. The compassionate action to strangers from 90 countries inspired Pay It Forward 9/11, an annual event encouraging good deeds and service to strangers. Part of Tuerff's story is included as the character "Kevin T" in the Broadway musical "Come From Away" and the award-winning documentary "You Are Here: A Come From Away Story." Learn more in the new book from House of Anansi Press, "Channel of Peace: Stranded in Gander on 9/11" by Kevin Tuerff at channelofpeaceb... #comefromaway
That day we had 6595 passengers in Gander (where I'm from) and our population at the time was barely 10 000 people
I'm only 13 so I was not alive at the time but my teachers have told me that people slept and basically lived in my school until the airspace opened again. So glad to be a Newfoundlander
Joshua Collins i just want ti thank you for lwtting us in and helping us through 9/11
People who have never heard of Gander dont realize just how historic of a town it is. I didnt realize it either. Gander, Newfoundland, in my opinion, is the most iconic town in the world outside of Everett Seattle when it comes to its contribution to the aviation world. Its been taking care of international passengers since planes starting crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The aviation community along with every single american is indebted to the historic family of 10,000 people known as the town of Gander Newfoundland. I have a 9/11 story (i was walking into the south tower at 8:45 with my uncle) and im proud to be an american but im even prouder to know that a place on our wonderful planet like Gander exists in real life and not just fantasy.
You should watch the musical "Come From Away" if you haven't yet :P
You should be extremely PROUD ❤️
hope you are doing just safe and fine Joshua Collins :)
Thank you Gander and Halifax for your unmatched hospitality! Only love 4 the Canadian people from Italy 🇮🇹
This is a truly incredible and historic piece of footage, being able to have an audio visual record of what happened on those days is incredible.
I’m thankful to live in a time like this where we can capture stuff like this… these types of footage will be so useful for educational purposes
🤢
@@DraggonLong ? 🤔 ?
The Canadians welcomed everyone openly and the town mobilized very quickly to take care of everybody
This story that makes me beyond proud to be a Newfoundlander. I was a child when this happened and remember how all Newfoundlanders stepped up and helped the passengers throughout the province, including my family.
Gander and Canada a huge thank you! You are a great neighbor always having our backs.
As an American thank you for what you guys did to help on that day! We didn’t forget that either
Back in the 1980's, a cousin of mine from England was on a teacher exchange program. I picked him up at the Toronto airport and asked him where he would be going. Wabash, Labrador (part of Newfoundland but on the mainland), I felt sorry for him being stuck in the middle of nowhere for a long cold winter. It turned out he loved it, making friends he is still in contact with to this day.
Wonderful to see the video. Along with 2 colleagues I was on a SABENA flight and one of the last to leave Gander after several nights. The last night, finally, in a hotel. I slept many nights on the gymnasium floor and showered kneeling on the floor. Overwhelming memory of the wonderful people of Gander. The local bat that never sold so much Labatts and the local Rick band playing and impromptu gig. I too bought a plaid shirt!
Thank you Gander for your hospitality.
Bravo, CANADA! Your nation is full of UNBELIEVABLE PEOPLE! I LOVE CANADIANS, I LOVE CANADA! Your spirit is always warm, but I don't like your winter ! BRAVO CANADA!
Yep
Yes Canadian are nice people, according to American
It's the winters that make us so warm...
We get it you LOVE Canada lmao calm tf down
From the Prairies: We love our winters. Keeps the riff raff out.
I remember reading an article about this. The elderly were taken to private homes. The stranded had access to a pharmacy, phones, got free meals at restaurants, were taken on day excursions.
Yep. I remember this as well. But to be honest, just be taken on day excursions and such is the best way to deal with stuff like this. Not having to deal with thoughts for a while sure helps to battle with the emotions.
My dad used to work here. He was teaching/training some students for flying planes when all these jets came in all at once. It was a bit strange at first until this man came in with a TV which showed that the pentagon was on fire and tower 2 had collapsed, leaving only tower 1 standing. He spent the rest of the day trying to help and comfort the passengers as they came off the planes.
It's May 2012. I am still in awe of Gander. Thank you for everything, from an appreciative neighbor to the south.
May 2021* ;)
@@bulletprooftiger1879~ Yeah… oops. 😉
This is one of my favourite stories. Well done Gander from an Albertan.
God Bless the Gander people for taking in and giving all the planes safe harbour in a storm And for showing such humanity and kindness with grace under pressure on that terrible day.
We will never forget, much love from the USA, your big family to the south!
I hope that white board was preserved. It's a piece of history.
Stunning bookends, Kevin. Starting with Canadian and Newfoundland flags flying cheerfully in the breeze, then ending with the flags at half- mast....that was heartbreaking.
Thanks. I edited this video shortly after returning home in 2001. While the US struggled for months over the recovery operations in DC, NYC, I knew that what I experienced what unique and inspiring. Never in a million years did I think my story would inspire the Come From Away musical, or that I'd write a book about this! (Channelofpeacebook.com)
No matter which coverage of this I watch it brings me to tears. Every time.
I flew Frankfurt-Dallas the day before. Will be forever grateful to the travel agency to have booked me on that date...
While our diversion was an inconvenience in 2001, it was a blessing I'm grateful I experienced.
This video is a piece of history, I’m surprised it doesn’t have more views.
Watch 60 Minutes Australia on YT for another version of this amazing situation… the passengers had to stay five days and hosted by Gander and another nearby town… 7,000 ppl all up. Hospitality personified from all accounts. 🇳🇿🇳🇿🐑🐑
Thanks! One of the best stories to come out of an awful day.
There is a wonderful line from a pretty good movie called Starman, with Jeff Bridges, in which as a visitor from another planet, he says, "Shall I tell you what I like the best about you humans? When things are at their very worst, you are at your very best."
Cheers!
Check out the new book, "Channel of Peace: Stranded in Gander on 9/11" and don't miss the hit Broadway musical Come From Away!
Just bought a signed book!! I can not wait❤️🥺
That’s musical is strange and weird not to be mean, are those the people from that time or actors? I watched like 20-30 seconds of it and had to stop...when those people are in the suppose airplane seats doing all those movements and stuff I was like wow, musicals are horrible to begin with, besides the wizard of oz one I went to as a kid lol.
Come From Away is my favourite musical and I hope to visit Gander just because of this incredible story - the way they welcomed the “Plane People” was just so touching. They did everything possible to make them feel fine despite of the horrendous terror attack in New York.
As terrible as that day was its great to hear theses stories
I do enjoy the pieces from large news organizations on Gander's lovely embrace of their "plane people." But Kevin, I greatly appreciate your first person and very personal window on such a lovely place on such an awful event.
I've just learned about how Gander and its beautiful people accomodated the plane passengers during 9/11 tragedy.
Hats off to you, Gander locals.
Great work, Kevin. Come back anytime, any village, town, community or city, our doors will be open for you. God Bless.
The people of Gander Newfoundland deserve to feel very proud of this response to a very significant unexpected event.....my wife and I visited Newfoundland in October 2011 and of course when visiting and staying near Gander it was the talk of the day.....big THANK YOU to Gander and the Newfoudlanders 💕❤
FROM MAINE USA..... correction, oops! October 2001...month after the attacks
Thanks, Erik. I missed you just by a few weeks. My first return to Gander after this video was for a passenger reunion in Gander on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 attacks. Sadly, I couldn't return for the 20th anniversary this year, due to pandemic. But return I shall!
I'm from Newfoundland living in Ontario. Was supposed to be in Buffalo early that morning for work, but had a dr appointment. My supervisor called me and asked if I saw the news. Was shocked... Some of my relatives worked for Air Canada and were sending me photos from Gander Airport.. Thought I was going to have to drive my mom to Sydney Nova Scotia to catch the Newfoundland Ferry to go back home, as she arrived in Ontario the day before 911. My mom was too frightened to fly after what happened.
This is my 1st time seeing this footage, it's comforting for me knowing people had some place to stay. All the airline crews had their hotel rooms to go to. I was picturing people walking around aimlessly with no place to go.
The population of Gander, Newfoundland came together, and opened their homes, schools, and rec centres in order to house the 6500 people forced to land in Gander through no fault of their own. I’m sure It warmed everyone’s heart to see the generosity, and kindness of Ganders citizens toward strangers of all nationalities who needed a hand.
The desire to help those in need is universal. I have travelled extensively in this world, and if there was one common thread, it was the same desire to help a stranger. Sure you have a tiny minority of ultra right nationalists who want nothing to do with anyone not a citizen of their country. Although these nationalists can, and do make a lot of nonsensical noises, they are no match for the cab drivers, plumbers, carpenters, secretaries, etc, once they unite for a common good. .
Thank you for all the kindness of these wonderful people.
You better believe Canadians are having a field day reading these comments!
GENERAL KENOBI. You are a bold one, fancy seeing you here.
Obi-Wan Kenobi no Canadians are a bit more humble than our neighbours. Sorry! Every bodies knows about the Newfie hospitality. The only surprise is that some people think it's insincere.
And why not!
I love how calm your voice is. My sis was on Boston to La flight. It was said a bomb on it, she sat on tarmac hours while FBI cleared everyone... She had the only baby onboard. I've kept 1 of the diapers the FBI woman bought for my sis. (I'm the family historian) They did get to stay in a hotel after the all ok. Sending nice thoughts to those who really had a difficult day..
I am from the Maritimes and I am proud to have the awesome people of Newfoundland as our neighbours. Canada is so much richer for them.
Everyone I've met from Maritimes on my book tour had same compassionate spirit of Newfoundlanders.
@@kevintuerff5125 God bless Newfoundland.
Thanks for sharing this interesting story. Its so nice to hear about humans helping humans.
I know this story inside and out. When I, for the first time, saw the Canadian Flag flying at half staff, in solidarity, I teared up with gratitude.
Thank you for this footage of your time on the rock, this original content is hard to find. It's nice to see that you continued to pay these good deeds forward. All the best, from a proud Newfie
Thank you. If you'd like to learn more stories beyond Come From Away, check out my memoir at ChannelofPeacebook.com
Great video documenting humanity at its best
This makes me glad to have been born and raised here, never imagined to see a video this old being recommended to me
thanks b'y! ;)
Not to diminish Gander and it's people but they could have landed anywhere in Newfoundland and got the same treatment. Such are the newfies. Wonderful people.
Not only that but many places in Europe and the US they would did the same...but still not taken away from what these people did, I don’t think other places would been nearly as prepared.
How have I never seen this?? I just rewatched Come From Away, and decided to poke around. But seems to me millions should have seen this video. It was such a huge part of that awful day/time. I had friends on the second plane in. I have long said we saw the worst in humanity followed by the best. I don't think the world was ever more connected, certainly not in my lifetime than the days and weeks that followed. I wish folks would find a bit of that love to fellow man now, before tragedies happen!
Currently reading and enjoying your book, Kevin! An incredible story and wonderful to see the 'raw footage' after reading about it. Thank you for posting it!
Thank you for sharing, since I saw the documentary I was wondering how on earth people coped 3 days on an airplane in there (that was my impression from the documentary) its good to know you were looked after and given accommodation.
It’s so beautiful what happened in Nfld during that week or 2. I was at the 9/11 Memorial museum and memorial in 2017. I was truly disappointed that the only hint of what happened in Gander was 1 8x11 picture with a brief text! I hope it has grown, given the popularity of the musical Come From Away, but it should be bigger without that! America needs to treat Canada better, not just in words!!!
Thank you so much for sharing! (In every sense of the word)
I love the story of this town!
Learn more stories in my book ChannelofPeacebook.com then book a trip to visit Newfoundland. Beyond the beautiful people, it is a beautiful province which reminds me of Ireland.
Incredible footage. Thank you Newfoundland ❤️.
I've watched this a couple of times, the most important scene is the Canadian flag at half mast. Canadians and Americans grieve together!❤
If I am not mistaken, I read somewhere Gander only had something like 300-600 hotel rooms and all of them were blocked out for pilots/crew.
Thanks for sharing this.
OH Gander!! Oh Canada! You did us so proud Gander! Class! Class!! Gracious Hosts x 10000000000000000!!!
This is a side of 9/11 I hadn’t given much thought to. It’s good to see things from a new perspective.
Rip to all Middle Eastern people who died in wars because of 9/11
Good point!
love the Kev's!
“Fantastic & Congratulations”
You were a part of it.
Thank u, Kevin, for taking this video and then posting it!!! We need to know!!!💜
I live there
You’re very lucky!
You must be in awe they told YOUR story in Come From Away
Take a gander at a Newfoundlander by!🙂
Incredible footage how fortunate to be safe. Hope you enjoyed your stay in Canada.
Proud to be a Newfoundlander
This wasn't the first time Canada reached out to it's southern neighbour. 'Operation Canadian Caper' (with the British) during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979-1981 is another example
The plane they are on in the beginning is F-GITA, Air France Boeing 747-428, AFR004, CDG-EWR
Correcto!
John F. Kennedy speech to the Canadian Parliament, May 17, 1961. “Geography has made us neighbours, history has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies.”
Wonderful quote, Richard!
@@kevintuerff5125 My pleasure!
Isn't this the town where they test flight the Concord jet?
Yes
Restored one's faith in humankind. The world would be a better place if we follow Gander's example.
Great footage.
Look how a small place such a Gander can help all of these people during such an emergency and you have goverments of all Western countries completely inept at handling the Pandemic! We should let the Newfies be in charge!
My chartered flight to Europe stopped in Gander for a refuel stop. Then again in Reykjavík. Looking back on that I wonder why that Douglas aircraft had such a limited fuel capacity. I was a student on his first school trip to Paris, so at the time I just took it all in stride.
When you stopped in Gander, did you only stay in the terminal? Getting to meet the people is what Gander is all about.
@@kevintuerff5125 There was no time allowed for us to see much of anything. I have read many accounts of the great hospitality of Gander residents, a shining slice of humanity.
Who knows, I could have been one of those stuck passengers had I not rescheduled to return early to the US from France after studying abroad because I was broke and couldn’t afford to spend another day or two in France.
You would've enjoyed the diversion! Add Newfoundland to your travel bucket list!
GREAT PLACE TO BUY SUMMER HOME I SEE
It must have been a strange feeling for everyone who was in North American airspace that day
It's true. After telling my story at various keynotes, book talks, people will often come tell me their story of how they were stranded hundreds or thousands of miles from home, but on the North American mainland.
Tomorrow, it will be the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 incident..
I remember that
One of the aircrafts pictured used to be my workspace😁
Which flight were you on? I was AF004.
Is there a documentary about this? Al I ever see is documentaries about the 4 planes. Would love a documentary like they did for the water rescue! Doesn’t have to be very long
Not a documentary,
But, search “Come From Away”
@@TheAcheronblues ooo thank you!!
If I recall, I think one of the TV news magazines programs like 20/20 or something similar did a segment on an American family that stayed with a Canadian family during the 911 crisis. The Canadian family may have been in a Nova Scotia.
There's a book titled: The Day the World Came to Town.
Type in operation yellow ribbon in CZcams. There is a documentary that is around 43 minutes long
Did the Green Budgy land there? From Dublin?
Imagine being stranded somewhere for days pre smart phone omgggg
Truth! I owned a cell phone, but hardly anyone had international cell phone coverage then. It would be 8+ hours before I reached anyone by satellite phone (a friend in Amsterdam) who confirmed what had transpired in USA that day.
CNN article brought me hear. very interesting story.
That's sad. You watch CNN?
@Ken Lompart O, ok, Better terms for you then. You read CNN? lol
Wow, incredible footage. I’ve just watched Come from Away for the second time; an amazing musical. I’ve got to ask, are you one of the Kevins?
Indeed, I’m honored to be portrayed in stage as Kevin T, the “gay lumberjack!” 😃
@@kevintuerff5125 oh fantastic 👍🏻 such an incredible musical and what a story. I will have to visit Gander one day
♥️
Do you remember what camera you used to videotape this?
I would guess a Sony A7SII
It was indeed a new Sony mini DV which I purchased for my European vacation. Don't recall the model.
I thought they took all of you into their homes..at least that's what the news was saying.
But it appears you all were grateful to be alive and soon on your way home.
From my understanding a lot of people were taken into people's private homes. Just not Kevin and Kevin.
First option was to shelter passengers in public buildings like schools, churches. For elderly and those with children, they usually were offered a place in someone's homes. That's what got me wondering if we would do the same in USA.
@@kevintuerff5125 probably not. Even back then sad to say.
Buses from the little city of Gander...aint a city, Kevin. :)
So did you really put on a plaid shirt to try and blend in with the natives?
Actually I went to Walmart and bought white t-shirts, but if they'd offered me a gay lumberjack shirt, I'd have been grateful!
@@kevintuerff5125 This is pretty cool that you have video footage. I passed through Gander in 1993 but it wasnt as famous then.
i wonder, what hapend? thats a lot plane from Europe,Asia and more parking on there
9/11 attacks forced all transatlantic flights to be diverted to Canada.
911 happened and America closed its borders.
38 planes in Gander, according to "Come From Away".
🇺🇸🤝🇨🇦
20 years later and America is worse off because of political strife.
Malév Boeing 767 at 4:37
Good ole Northwest airlines =)
anyway 16 day? 9month 2021년 어제
16 ^ 9^ 2021
금천구구립독산도서관
앞에서 어떤남자아저씨와 여자가
경찰차 4대정도와 난리였슴
Great video. Iv never actually thought about the people who got grounded but I bet you all the businesses in gander got paid by airlines for their great assistance
No sir, the airlines did NOT reimburse all the businesses. The Canadian government did somewhat. I remember writing to Air France back in 2001 encouraging the to do something generous for the college where I was sheltered. They hardly did anything. Virgin Airlines sent a big check and then invited some of the volunteers, teachers from Gander Academy to visit their London HQ and meet Richard Branson. Classy.
As a gift we need to make this town part of the US 😂, or would that be like getting sh*t wrapped up in a box. I mean they did owe us for burning down our White House lol.
All joking aside these are good people, as I’m sure many places in Canada, Europe and some parts in the US would did the same thing but probably not as prepared. To over doubling your population in hours and have to care for them all is amazing feat. Didn’t some even stay at people’s homes,
Some of them even had birthday parties while there, you are special Canadian people. I
Love Canada, just not their treasonous snake leader they have that is trying to replace these people with cheap labor immigrants.
I can't do your voice.
@@GWNHomestead 🙂
Girlfriend looks Rosie Odonell.