The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

by Jim DeFede

Ballybunion and Waterville and Galway. Once they decided to stay in Newfoundland, they created their own style of speech that lives to this day, especially in

be a fisherman.” The contractions are often a product of the speed with which they

Flight 105 and cried as she hugged brothers and sisters good-bye. The sixty-six-year-old O’Rourke was born in Ireland’s County Monaghan, about forty miles north of

at the airport in Dublin was her husband, Lenny. Lenny O’Driscoll wasn’t “the

and top of the head and then swoops back down to meet with Edinburgh Street to create

kid,” he said. “The apartment building I lived in,

she expected, when she was finally able to call the command center, her staff was already coordinating efforts with local officials in each country. The second priority was obviously to

assigned to Gander, Murray Osmond. Help was on the way from St. John’s, but in the beginning at least, Osmond was on his own. From there the passengers were turned over to the Canadian Red Cross and Des Dillon. A retired government employee, Dillon had been involved with the relief agency for thirty years and was specially trained as a disaster coordinator. In 1994, he was sent to Los Angeles following the devastating Northridge earthquake,

the area’s school-bus drivers. Amazingly, as soon as the drivers

plane for what seemed like an eternity. Two hours after being diverted to Newfoundland, she still didn’t know why airspace over the United States had been closed. The pilot had offered no additional information and none of the phones

and added more staff. Before long, they would be able to process a plane every forty-five minutes. For now, though, it was

tornadoes and floods. It’s for victims of tragedy. That wasn’t her. Was it? She wondered if this meant she and her family were

get on the bus.” There was an entire fleet of yellow school buses waiting for passengers. Once one was filled, the next one pulled up. It

Kazakhstan—were already inside with Diana. There were air mattresses and

Finally she watched as each

soon after landing. When Vitale told McKeon he was positive the towers had collapsed, McKeon was just as certain Vitale must be mistaken. Vitale lent McKeon his phone so he could call his father. McKeon’s father was

knew there was food and water available. Although her English is only fair, Mayor Roth introduced herself to various people at the school and thanked them for everything they were doing. The school was still waiting for a

Appleton, a beautiful town of seven hundred people on the eastern banks

regularly attend services, and they share the guidance of a full-time pastor with a town that is more than an hour away.

contingency and need, from toothpaste to sanitary napkins, but no one had counted

matter how far you travel or how long you stay away,

they are still hopeful of finding them alive.” “That’s right, that’s right,” Hannah said firmly. “We’re going to pray everything is all right.” Hannah handed the phone to her husband,

nicest people in the world, Roxanne thought. The woman lived only a hundred yards from the Lions Club, so Roxanne, Clark, and Alexandria walked over. Both Roxanne and Clark were amazed at how much

five-year-old Bowen wasn’t there. He left her a note, cryptically saying he had a message for her. He also left her a present,

front desk, and assumed they must have been some

the details of the day’s

Africa. She had grow up in what was then known as

princess, and a globe-trotting mom. By the time Wednesday morning rolled around, the plane had been wrung dry of alcohol and most of the passengers had managed only a couple

children, Lana joined him. Whether it was conscious

shocked them. It was still a good two miles away. Gambo may not have had many people in it, but it is long and narrow

themselves from the terror, but as soon as they saw news reports and

unexpected guests. Fast thought this was a mistake, as the organization could probably have made a fortune selling bingo cards

himself as a volunteer in Gander. Mostly he had been providing rides around town to any of the passengers who needed one. In two days

first class. And next to their tent they parked their Wal-Mart shopping cart. Some of their fellow passengers thought they were crazy until they

home. Rose told him he had been living in the United States too long and needed to get back to Newfoundland more often. Lenny couldn’t have agreed more. This unexpected trip had conjured up old feelings about the country he left so long

States. During World War II there were more than 100,000 Americans—mostly military—living

turns going to the different schools,

They had picked up a whole stack of trashy magazines during their excursions about town the day before. Then it was down to the community center. The center doubles as an ice rink where hockey games are held,

walking. When they started lining their tent with the additional

genetically to humans than they are to gorillas. Thanks to Doc Tweedie’s efforts, the Bonobos were allowed off their plane and settled into the same hangar with the

come home with him for dinner. Two hours later Harry was back at the airport

blue vest and a row of shopping carts, past a display of beer coolers and lawn furniture, and around several racks of T-shirts bearing the likenesses of professional wrestlers

Mark Cohen, and Greg Curtis went

concerts the group played in Lubbock. The birthplace of Buddy Holly was crazy for the faux Fab Four.

principal and her staff to decide how best

out. After a couple of minutes the woman came

to leave. They needed to

the duration of the flight.

myself until two hours ago,”

a talk with her in private. Now that he felt lied to by the pilot, there was