Gander, Newfoundland Welcomed Thousands in the Aftermath of 9/11

In this installment of ‘Forgotten History Matters,’ we learn about a small Canadian town that took in people stranded when their flights were diverted.

On the day of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack, the residents of Gander, Newfoundland opened up their hearts and homes to stranded air passsengers. Megan Frost Photography/Shutterstock

The attacks that struck New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001 are now remembered as “The Day America Cried.” For the residents in one small town in Newfoundland, Canada, the day will always be remembered as one when the community dropped what they were doing and came together to help those in need.

The collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York City on Sept. 11 directly impacted air travel. For the first and only time in history, the U.S. government shut down the airspace across the entire country.

Diverted Flights

Passengers on overseas flights headed to the United States that morning suddenly had their trips interrupted; pilots came over the intercom and told the passengers that there were problems with U.S. air space. Their flights were being diverted. No further details were given to the passengers and flight crews.