Retired air traffic controller Patrick Woodford stood behind a metal gate and eagerly scanned the arrivals hall of the Gander International Airport.
asserted
Woodford → retire → Airport
He noticed how much busier it was this week than usual.
asserted
it → notice → ?
Dozens of people were milling around the airport’s one baggage carousel and waiting near its two car rental counters.
asserted
Dozens → mill → counters
Finally, he spotted the passenger he was waiting for and raised an arm.
asserted
he → spot → arm
Beverley Bass, a petite woman with a short platinum haircut, strode headlong into his arms.
asserted
Bass → stride → arms
“How’s everything?” he said, squeezing his friend in a tight embrace.
asserted
he → ’ → embrace
“How’s everything?”
asserted
everything → ’ → ?
The two had first forged a connection 25 years ago, here at the same airport, under horrifying circumstances.
asserted
two → forge → circumstances
Mr. Woodford was the one who helped guide Ms. Bass, the pilot of an American Airlines flight that had been en route from Paris to Dallas, to land on a Gander runway on Sept. 11, 2001.
asserted
that → guide → Sept.
That day, hijackers affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorism network crashed planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and into the Pentagon in Virginia.
asserted
hijackers → affiliate → Virginia
A fourth plane went down in a field in Pennsylvania.
asserted
plane → go → Pennsylvania
Nearly 3,000 people were killed, including 24 Canadians.
asserted
people → kill → Canadians
After officials closed U.S. airspace, this tiny airport was the landing spot for 38 passenger planes carrying more than 6,600 travellers and crew – part of an operation that diverted up to 250 flights to airports across Canada.
asserted
that → close → Canada
And the town, with its population of less than 10,000 people at the time, became their temporary home.
asserted
town → become → time
Thousands have made that airport busy again this week, and returned to that home for a gathering on Friday to remember the extraordinary generosity and kindness shown by their found families in Gander, as well as nearby communities throughout central Newfoundland.
asserted
airport → make → Newfoundland
Residents co-ordinated airport logistics, invited stranded passengers into their homes, prepared mass meals and transformed schools, churches and community halls into shelters.
asserted
co → co → shelters
They took their hospitality to what some still consider an extreme.
asserted
some → take → what
In what Ms. Bass recalled as a bewildering act of kind-heartedness from Mr. Woodford, he handed her the keys to his truck when they struck up a conversation at the airport while he was on a break.
asserted
he → recall → break
“Here’s this guy who I don’t even know.
asserted
I → ’ → who
He said, ‘You can have the keys to my truck.’
asserted
You → say → truck
I’m looking at him like he’s crazy,” she said, still in disbelief all these years later.
asserted
she → look → disbelief
When she asked if he was afraid she might steal his truck, he told her: “Well, you’re on an island.
uncertain
you → ask → island
Where are you going to go?”
asserted
you → go → ?
To Mr. Woodford, it was just a small act of humanity – of faith in a complete stranger – at a time when the world seemed like it was ending.
asserted
it → seem → time
It was moments like these that, for many people in town, paved the way to lifelong friendships.
asserted
that → pave → friendships
Like many others, Mr. Woodford and Ms. Bass stayed in touch, visiting back and forth in Gander and Denton, Tex., over the years, celebrating milestones and bonding with each others’ family members.
asserted
Woodford → stay → members
The emotions of those trying days and the bonds that resulted are depicted in the Tony award-winning musical Come From Away, which debuted in 2015 and has been produced in countries around the world.
asserted
which → result → world
This year, it returned to Gander for its fourth season.
asserted
it → return → season
Gander’s kindness, which became a symbol of co-operation between Canada and the U.S., has also been immortalized in a new Heritage Minute.
asserted
which → become → Minute
It is circulating at a time of intense political and economic strife between the two countries.
asserted
It → circulate → countries
On Friday, the friendship and connection between Americans and Canadians is nonetheless being venerated at a commemoration service that will honour the victims of the attacks as well as the first responders.
asserted
that → venerate → attacks
Hundreds of “plane people” are expected to attend an afternoon ceremony at the local arena, as well as dignitaries including Governor-General Louise Arbour; Jean Chrétien, who was prime minister during the attacks; and U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra.
asserted
who → expect → Canada
Last week, the Town of Gander defended its decision to host Mr. Hoekstra, who has amplified the rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump in the escalating trade war instigated by his administration.
asserted
who → defend → administration
Mayor Percy Farwell, who was deputy mayor 25 years ago, encouraged Newfoundlanders to rise above the disrespect and stay true to their welcoming hearts.
asserted
who → encourage → hearts
“We’re remembering the great tragedy and the great loss, and we’re trying to reflect on those who lost their lives and support those that lost loved ones and that were permanently impacted by those events,” he said during an interview last week.
asserted
he → remember → interview
“We reflect on how we, as a twist of fate, became involved in a specific way – in being able to provide support to impacted people – and how much we value that.
asserted
we → reflect → that
Those sorts of things transcend any emotions we might have around the latest Truth Social post or the latest version of trade talks.”
uncertain
we → transcend → talks
It was a message heard repeatedly about town this week as locals reunited with their “plane people” friends and attended storytelling events, tours of the airport, performances of Come From Away and screech-in ceremonies to welcome visitors at the local Royal Canadian Legion.
asserted
locals → hear → Legion
Monica Burke, who now lives in the state of Georgia, was on her way home to Seattle on 9/11 when her flight was diverted to Gander.
asserted
flight → live → Gander
Returning to that legion hall on Wednesday evening caused a flood of memories to come back.
asserted
flood → return → memories
…and 57 more, not listed.
The Aporia
