The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede

The subtitle for this book is "9/11 Gander, Newfoundland". When the skies over the United States were closed following the attack on 9/11, planes on their way from Europe were forced to land in Canada. The town of Gander, population about 10,000, was called upon to play host to almost 7,000 rerouted airline passengers. The crews of the planes took up all the available hotel space and everyone else, without the luggage that was required to remain in the plane, found themselves in schools, churches, and civic buildings. When it became obvious that this was not a 12 hour delay, the community of Gander and the surrounding small towns swung into action. Food and clothing was delivered. Homes were open for showers and a few private moments away from the crowded shelters. Businesses supplied toys and other necessities for free. The best example of human caring responded to one of the worst examples of human tragedy. It is a welcome reminder of our capacity to do right in a world that seems to so often behave badly.