To Be Given By The Author

Unknown Realities of Gander

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Channel of Peace stranded in gander on 9/11 is an autobiography of Kevin Tuerff. In which he tells how he face event of 9/11. The author was travelling from France to New York at 11 September. He was not known that everything will be going to change in next few hours. Kevin along with a many other passengers from different regions need to spend time at Ganders at small town. This book narrates a story about the residents of Gander ,who show hospitality and generosity with those unexpected guests. It is a story of good will, hope and of high spirit. The culture, language and customs of Newfoundlandis very different. Kevin Tuerff hopes his new book helps to heal current political divide.

While air traffic was closed in the United States for fear of further attacks, 38 aircraft had been ordered to land at Gander Airport that day. Immediately, residents organized themselves to best accommodate these people "come from outside" ("come from away", as the islanders of the province call those who do not live there) and completely lost. (Tuerff, & Sankoff, 2018).

The authorities, overwhelmed by the situation, asked for help on the radio . And as there is God who received thousands of people from Gander and all the surrounding villages left everything they were doing and rushed to help. The emotional impact of the images of the Twin Towers falling had been so devastating that when the population received the news that there were collateral victims of the attacks waiting to be helped, they had no doubt of what to do.

On the planes the situation was dramatic. Not only had they landed in a town in the middle of nowhere on the island of Newfoundland but in many cases they didn't even know why . And even worse: they could not get off the aircraft, nor could they do so for more than 24 hours. When they went down, physically and mentally exhausted, they also received the news that they would have to stay at least 48 more hours in that place, until the airspace opened again. The panorama was very dark. Until the people of Gander arrived.

The residents of Gander distributed sandwiches, "loaned" their shower and especially offered words of comfort. Questioned by AFP, the mayor of the city Claude Elliott, in office since 1996, has not forgotten these moments out of the ordinary. While fraternization and mutual help occupy the greatest place in this work, the creators also wanted to show the hardest moments. There are some tensions, such as those around a Muslim passenger, stigmatized because of his religion.

A thousand families opened their homes to accommodate more than three thousand people, who also supplied everything they needed. Several thousand more people donated clothing, personal hygiene products, food or diapers after a radio request. The telephone company installed two dozen free call centers so desperate passengers could talk to their families. The schools closed to enable their facilities as dormitories. Hundreds of people arrived from all the villages in the region loaded with snacks prepared by themselves, precooked food, bottles of water and everything that occurred to them that could be missing from the people on the planes. The basic needs of the plane's refugees were covered by local citizens and merchants.

When the passengers returned to their planes once the airspace was open they told each other their experiences as if they were talking about a cruise. Some had actually gone on a cruise invited by their hosts. Eternal friendships were forged in those days when a city overturned with thousands of strangers. In gratitude, one of the passengers opened a fund to pay for the university of Gander students. He hoped to raise thousands of dollars. He raised a million and a half .

Gander won a place in history, but above all in the hearts of all those displaced who were trapped by unreasonableness in a town thousands of kilometers from their homes. Gander is a symbol of good .

References

Tuerff, K., & Sankoff, I. (2018). Channel of peace: stranded in Gander on 9/11. Canada: House

of Anansi Press Inc.