Gander’s Response to 9/11 and Its Legacy in ‘Come From Away’

Gander, a small town on Newfoundland, Canada, was thrust into an unexpected role on September 11, 2001. Its position in the northeast made it an essential landing spot for grounded flights. On that day, 38 planes landed at Gander International Airport, creating a scenario with no prepared plan. Claude Elliott, former mayor, noted, “We have an emergency plan, but there’s nothing to tell you what to do with 7,000 people if they decide to drop in for four or five days.”

The shutdown of U.S. airspace necessitated urgent measures. A state of emergency was declared, with calls for supplies to handle the influx of passengers from various countries. Shelters were set up in schools, churches, and homes. Even the local hockey rink was transformed into a refrigerator for food supplies.

Among the volunteers was Beulah Cooper, who assisted at the Royal Canadian Legion, housing passengers and offering her home for showering and sleeping. She expressed the personal value in aiding others, stating, “It does so good in here to know that you’re doing something to help somebody.”

Cooper’s service inspired the characters in the musical Come From Away, which debuted on Broadway in 2017. Elliott initially doubted its potential, questioning, “How are you gonna make a musical out of sandwiches, soup, blankets, boxes, pillows?” Yet, the musical gained significant acclaim, winning a Tony Award and touring globally. Elliott, who became an avid fan, has viewed it 139 times globally.

Authenticity and Community Spirit

The musical recently returned to Gander for a local staging at the arts center. Actor Peter Halley, from nearby St. John’s, highlighted the authenticity provided by a local cast. The play’s title relates to a Newfoundland term for visitors. Halley explained, “You’re just coming to see us and to experience the province, and you are from away.”

Newfoundlands’s aviation museum exhibits memories from 9/11, including thank-you notes and metal beams from the Twin Towers. The Legion often hosts “screech-ins,” enabling visitors to become honorary Newfoundlanders. Cooper regularly participates, graciously accepting her new-found fame.

Underlying the musical and the town’s legacy is the principle of treating others kindly. Cooper summarized, “You talk to people like you like to be spoken to, and you treat people like you like to be treated. If you see somebody that needs help, if you can help them, you better do that.”