Book ~ "The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland" (2021) Jim DeFede

From Goodreads ~ When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17, 000. 

The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill. As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. 

Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news. 

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill.

This book tells the story of what happened in Gander, Newfoundland, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. When U.S. airspace was closed, 38 international flights were diverted to Gander, bringing nearly 7,000 passengers to a community of only a few thousand people. 

The book follows the passengers and the people of Gander during the five days the travellers were stranded. Local residents, schools, churches, businesses and community organizations provided food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical assistance and places for people to communicate with their families. 

The passengers came from many different countries and backgrounds and many were dealing with uncertainty about their families, their safety and when they would be able to continue their journeys. During their stay, they formed connections with local residents and with other passengers. Once flights were able to resume, the passengers continued their journeys, with many remaining in contact with the people they had met in Gander. 

I liked the writing style. It's told through the experiences of individual passengers, airline employees and Gander residents. The book also describes the practical challenges of accommodating thousands of unexpected visitors, including finding places for everyone to sleep, preparing meals, arranging transportation and meeting medical and communication needs. It's an updated version of the original book that was written about 20 years earlier so there's an update chapter. It was especially interesting to read as Gord and I recently saw Come From Away in Charlottetown.