Claude served as the mayor of Gander for 21 years, from 1996 – 2017. As the town’s leader in 2001, he was responsible for facilitating all the necessary provisions for the 6,500 passengers sheltered in Gander for the 5 days following 9/11.

Mayor of Gander

CLAUDE ELLIOTT

Beulah's effort went beyond the  sandwiches she made for the stranded passengers. She put her life on hold staying up for over 28 hours straight while caregiving for those who were at the Canadian Legion Hall in Gander.

​

Gander Resident

BEULAH COOPER

Derm the former mayor of Appleton, and his wife Diane took in stranded passengers from Gander during 9/11. The community of Appleton hosted about 100 people at the town hall and 300 people at Lakeview Academy, the school shared with the community of nearby Glenwood.

Mayor/Resident of Appleton

DERM & DIANE FLYNN

Reg was an air traffic controller handling trans-Atlantic flights at NAV Canada in Gander, on 9/11.

He juggled all 38 flights into landing paths at Gander. 

Air Traffic Control, Gander

REG BATSON

Don was in the arrivals section at Nav Canada’s area control centre in Gander. The facility is responsible for aircraft in the western half of North Atlantic airspace and also shares control of Atlantic Canada’s domestic airspace.

Air Traffic Control, Gander

DON O’BRIEN

Lisa volunteered her time during 9/11 wherever help was needed. She is best known for entertaining the 'Come From Away' as 'Commander Gander' the towns mascot.

Gander Resident

LISA FUDGE

Brian Mosher, teacher/volunteer television reporter, and Janice Goudie, a newbie newspaper reporter were the only local media in Gander during the 5 days following 9/11.

Local Media, Gander

BRIAN MOSHER & 

JANICE GOUDIE

Oz was a police officer in Gander for 29 years, with a police force totalling only two Constables.  Oz was on duty during the entire 5 days surrounding 9/11.

​

​

Gander Police Officer

OZ FUDGE

Bonnie, her small staff of 3 and 25 volunteers took on the enormous task of locating the animal passengers on the 38 planes. In all 9 dogs, 10 cats (one with epilepsy) and 2 rare Bonobo monkeys (travelling with their handler) were rescued from the airplanes.

SPCA, Gander

BONNIE HARRIS

Diane was a teacher at Gander Academy on 9/11.  She and her fellow colleagues stayed up for close to 72 hours to helped organize and facilitate the school in which became a shelter for over 700 of stranded passengers.

​

Teacher, Gander Academy

DIANE DAVIS

Gary headed to the baptist church in Gander as soon as he found out about the need for help.  He helped organize and take care of a plane load of Moldavian passengers, using his bible to help break the language barrier.

Baptist Church, Gander

W. GARY HOUSE

Glenn and Dean were working in the Tower at Gander International Airport on 9/11.  They quickly ran out of room to park all the 38 planes that landed in minutes that day.

Gander Tower Control

GLENN BLANDFORD & DEAN KING

Major Ron, played an integral role in the Salvation Army's response to the stranded passengers, organizing Shelters, Food from abroad and clothing for the stranded passengers.

Salvation Army, Gander

MAJOR RON STUCKLESS

Beverley, was in route from Charles de Gaulle airport to the Dallas/Fort Worth airport on 9/11. Due to the closure of American airspace, her flight was ordered to land at Gander International airport. Her plane was the 36th of the 38 that landed in Gander that day. 

Stranded Pilot

BEVERLEY BASS

Tom was in his Dallas, Texas office on 9/11 when he found out about a plane hitting the World Trade Center.  It was then he panicked and thought of his wife Beverley (Bass) who was flying for American Airlines that day.

​

US Family Member

TOM STAWICKI

Hannah's plane was diverted to Gander on 9/11. Her mind was solely on her son who was a New York City fire fighter/first responder who's squad was one of the first on the scene at the World Trade Centre.

​

Stranded Passenger

HANNAH O'ROURKE

Paul is a detective with the Brooklyn South Narcotics division of the NYPD. He took a ferry to Lower Manhattan with his fellow officers to get to the World Trade Center on 9/11. He then spent months working on the recovery effort.

NYC 9/11 First Responder

PAUL IANELLI

Sonia's husband Joe was a first responder on 9/11 for the NYPD.  It took over a day for her to hear from her husband to know if he was still alive.  She now volunteers one day each week as a museum docent for the 9/11 Memorial/Museum tour

NYC Resident

SONIA AGRON

Diane (Texas) and Nick (UK) planes were diverted to Gander on 9/11.  They met at a shelter in nearby Gambo,  Nick approached Diane and asked if he could “bed down” on an army cot beside her. Their chance encounter set the foundation for a love story for the ages.

Stranded Passengers

DIANE & NICK MARSON

Kevin was returning to the US from after a two week holiday in Europe with his partner, when their plane was diverted to Gander on 9/11.  Luckily Kevin had his camcorder ready to record what would become a life altering five days in Gander.

Stranded Passenger

KEVIN TUERFF

Kevin was returning to the US from after a holiday in Europe with his partner, when their plane was diverted to Gander on 9/11.  Luckily Kevin had a bottle of Vodka stored in his 'carry on' to get through the 24 hours stuck on the Gander Tarmac.

Stranded Passenger

KEVIN JUNG

Joe is a New York City Police officer who was heading towards the World Trade Center as it collapsed on 9/11. He worked at Ground Zero and at the emergency command and family assistance centers during the months of the recovery effort.

NYC 9/11 First Responder

JOE AGRON

David and Irene are the Canadian couple who are the writers of the heartwarming Broadway musical hit "Come From Away".

​

​

​

Writers of "Come From Away"

IRENE SANKOFF & DAVID HEIN