'I'll never forget': Gander remembers 9/11, 15 years later

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have a special connection to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, as approximately17,000 people were displaced across the province that day, including 27 planes in St. John's and eight inStephenville.

• 9/11 event planned for Gander 'a completely different commemoration'
• Steel beam from World Trade Center en route to Gander

The town of Gander held twospecial events Sunday in commemoration of the anniversary.

Gander welcomednearly 7,000 stranded passengers, offering food, accommodations and assistance over the course of three days whileall commercial flights were grounded.

9/11 Gander gift

8 years ago

Duration 1:44

A piece of steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center's twin towers was given to the town as a token of gratitude.

Maria Jaffe, a9/11 Memorial Museum docent,spoke at Sunday'secumenical serviceat theSteele Community Centre.

You the wonderful people of Gander and your neighbours stood out as the best of humanity.- Maria Jaffe

"On that day 9/11 2001, amidst the horror and the fear and the brutality of the attacks, you the wonderful people of Gander and your neighbours stood out as the best of humanity," she said.

The service raised funds and awareness forWounded Warriors Canada,agroup dedicated to honouring and supportinginjured soldiers, veterans, first responders and their families.

Gander resident BeulahCooper was one of hundreds who offered a helping hand to those stranded following theattacks.

She said she stays in touch with the women who stayed in her home, and has evenhostedthem during trips back to the island.

Cooper said the people visiting Gander to honour Sunday's15th anniversary areso appreciativeand can't believe how well they were treated.

"I've never felt more proud to call Gander home ... than I do today."

Memories from the day

Kelly Sceviour, one of Sunday's organizers, was working in the town's community centre 15 years ago when a plane carrying a group from theChildren'sWish Foundation was diverted to Gander while en route to Disney World.

The children, she said,were held at St. Paul's Intermediate School and local volunteers did their best to make it a memorable time.

"We got some clowns dressed up andI'll never forget the faces of the kids when we walked in there with [our mascot] Commander Gander," she said.

"There were girls there dressed as fairies and princesses and the smile on the kids' faces really stuck in my memory for always."

A message from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also read during Gander'secumenical service.

"And to all of you who showed generosity and kindness to the stranded passengers 15 years ago, please accept my best wishes on this occasion and this commemoration," the statement read.

A token of gratitude

Sunday also saw the arrival of a piece ofsteel beam recovered from the World Trade Center's (WTC) twintowers.

The steel, which isroughly one metre by one metre in size,was given to the town as a token of gratitudebythe Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named after a New York firefighter killed while helping rescue people from the towers.

Aconvoy accompanied the steel, along with many motorcyclists from across Atlantic Canada and New York.

Firefighters in Steady Brook andPasadena greeted the convoyupon its arrival.

This is the second time a piece of the WTChas been brought to Gander from New York. The first was to mark the 10th anniversary in 2011.