For the most part, I enjoyed the movie. It had a real "Newfoundland feel" to it, some spectacular scenery shots and tried valiantly (and successfully to a large extent) to portray both the bewilderment and sometimes anger of the passengers who found themselves trapped in this insanity, as well as the struggle of the city and its officials to come to terms with the role they had been given. The performances weren't great, but they were decent enough, and it was nice to see a Canadian- made movie that was unapologetically Canadian. The movie did have two major flaws, though. First was the decision to introduce two potential romances to the mix (one between passengers, and one between a passenger and a resident.) Frankly, that just didn't fit. I can't think of a better way to put it. The other mistake was to focus so heavily on the passengers, when the real story was the absolute logistical miracle as this small city came together to meet a herculean challenge. There was little sense of what the city was up against, and of how incredible their efforts were. The people of Gander came across here as nice, but not valiant. That was a real weakness.

Book Review

a b Mark Bennett (8 September 2019). "Mark Bennett: Remembering 'The Day the World Came to Town' ". Terre Haute Tribune Star . Retrieved 25 January 2021. The True Story Behind the Events on 9/11 that Inspired Broadway’s Smash Hit Musical Come from Away, Featuring All New Material from the Author The general mentions later in the book that she counted several friends among the dead at the Pentagon, including Lt Gen Timothy Maude, the highest ranking officer killed on 9/11. General Maude was my husband's commanding general at US EUCOM while we were stationed in Germany. He truly cared for the men and women under his command and his marker at Arlington reads "He took care of soldiers". I am sure he would think there was no higher praise.But what I want to focus on here is the idea that The emotional impact of these and other stories are undeniable. It is difficult to not feel the anxiety of Hannah and Dennis O’Rourke, parents awaiting word about their son, a New York City firefighter. Or the hope and commitment expressed by Beulah Cooper, a local “Newfie,” who made it her mission to comfort the O’Rourkes in any way possible. That has never left me, the feeling of love by perfect strangers that looked after us. You know, I’ve never experienced anyting like that in my life.” A volunteer had taped a large map of the world to the wall and with a crude red marker drew an arrow pointing to Gander. YOU ARE HERE , the volunteer wrote on the map. Exhausted passengers would stop and stare at the map for several minutes, trying to regain their bearings.

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

I was moved to tears several times, especially in the beginning. I think they did a great job trying to capture the various tales people had to go through at that time - the personal stories. I had looked forward to this, having read the book "The Day the World Came to Town", which is a gripping account of what happened in Gander, Newfoundland when all those diverted planes came in to land on 9/11 with their nearly 7,000 passengers and how all were made to feel welcome and accommodated. Where in the world is Gander, Newfoundland? Thirty-eight planes landed there on September 11, depositing 6, 595 passengers and crew members in a town whose poplation is barely 10,000. Catholic church parishioners lead by Beulah Cooper and Tom Mercer opening their doors and homes to stranded Aer Lingus passengers, showing compassion to Dennis and Hannah O’Donohue, whose son Kevin was among the NY firefighters assigned to cover the Twin Towers. Every time the narrative turned to Hannah I needed to have tissues near by.All these lives converge unexpected and with consequences. The consequences are lives that are forever entangled! The technical and organizational aspect They always ask why we did it. They can’t figure it out. And I tell them that for us, it’s normal. I’m still not sure what all the fuss is about.” The people of Gander did so much: They cared for the animals that were being transported on the planes, including two rare Bonobo monkeys bound for the Columbus, Ohio zoo. They arranged for new toys to be given to all the children. They found kosher meals for a handful of orthodox Jews and creatively figured out how to break the language barrier with the hundreds of international guests who spoke no English. They stripped their own beds of sheets and emptied their linen closets of towels to take to the community centers and churches hosting the plane people overnight. They even shared their showers, guest rooms, and living room couches with total strangers. Just feeding all these people for up to six days was a Herculean effort, and one they did with good cheer and homemade cooking. And then . . . as I am finding audiobooks for my vacation a couple of weeks ago, I run across The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland. Well, you know I had to get it! Seems I am destined to revisit this story this year. What we don’t get to find out is whether any of the friendships made during that extraordinary period continued once the crisis was over. That omission doesn’t detract from what is otherwise a fine piece of journalism, but would have made a fitting ending. The Day The World Came To Town by Jim Defede: Footnotes

The Day the World Came to Town - Wikipedia

You might be interested in the musical: Come From Away (based on the events in Gander) currently streaming on AppleTV+. Meet the Author, Jim DeFedeWhat if one definition of a hero is simply one who treats a stranger as a member of the family or one who provides towels or toiletries, or offers a shower, or sits to talk, or provides a board game, or prays with or for you, or gives you a ride to town, or takes you to the local pub or shopping? Their actions were more than just taking in passengers whose flight had been delayed. The Newfoundlanders had provided a caring haven for humdreds of people at a moment when they were scared and far from home. They were made to feel safe and secure when the world around them seemed anything but.” On 9/11/01, after four commercial planes were used as weapons by terrorists and were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, the airspace over the US was shut down. Planes already in the air had to find the nearest airport and land. Immediately. Planes coming in from other countries were redirected to Canadian airports. 38 planes landed at a small airport in Gander, Newfoundland, depositing 6,597 people in a town that had barely 10,000 people.