The Day the World Came to Town tells the remarkable story of passengers and crews who were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11 when the US closed its airspace following the terrorist attacks. They were greeted with warmth, generosity, and friendship by the town’s citizens. This story of overwhelming human decency was perfect to read during the holiday season and a timely reminder that there’s a lot of good in the world.

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I read The Day the World Came to Town as part of the 2025 Thoughtful Reading Challenge. December’s challenge was to read a book with an airplane on the cover to commemorate the Wright Brothers’ first successful flight, which happened on December 17, 1903. Who could imagine their glorious invention would be perverted by terrorists nearly a century later?

Let’s begin with a summary of The Day the World Came to Town.

In an unprecedented move, the US quickly shut down its airspace following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. This was to protect themselves from further attacks by weaponized aircraft. The terrorists turned airplanes into effective missiles and authorities were concerned there might be more to come. Between 225 and 255 US-bound flights were diverted to Canada, 38 of them to Gander.

Gander is well-suited to handle unexpected plane traffic. Perched on the very eastern edge of North America, the Gander airport became a well-used refueling point for Europe-bound aircraft during World War II. During the war, hundreds of aircraft passed through Gander and they made numerous improvements to the airport, including lengthening the runways – runways that became parking lots for stranded planes on 9/11.

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The 38 planes that were diverted to Gander included 6,600 to 7,000 passengers and crew, nearly doubling the town’s population. Passengers were from all over the world and included a couple who were bringing back an orphan they had adopted from Kazakhstan, parents of a New York City firefighter who went missing upon the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, and the CEO of men’s clothing company Hugo Boss.

The local hotel rooms were reserved for crew members, who had to be well-rested for whenever the US opened back up for air travel. The thousands of passengers were divided among spaces like churches, schools, and Knights of Columbus halls. Because they weren’t allowed to retrieve their luggage from the holds of the planes, many of the passengers didn’t have clean clothing, toiletries, or prescription medications. This is where the people of Gander and surrounding areas stepped up with amazing compassion and generosity.

The passengers were greeted at the shelters with home cooked meals, some even served restaurant style as a way for the Canadians to provide additional comfort for the stranded passengers. Toiletries were donated by residents and area businesses. Used clothing was also donated, as were towels, blankets, and sheets. The “Newfies” took the air refugees to their homes to shower or even stay overnight, and some even offered total strangers temporary use of their cars.

As a whole, the town graciously rallied behind the passengers to provide comfort in a devastating time and demonstrated that human nature wasn’t defined by a handful of heinous terrorists.

The Day the World Came to Town wrung out so many emotions from me; the disbelief I felt as the events of 9/11 were unfolding, renewed hatred for the terrorists who killed so many innocent people, and sorrow for the victims of the attack as well as their families and friends. (The firefighter son of the two passengers didn’t survive the collapse of the towers).

I was emotional throughout the book, but the strongest emotion I felt was awe at the generosity of townspeople and the resilience of the passengers and crew. The overriding tone of The Day the World Came to Town is positive, and for that reason, I’m glad I read it.

Did you read a book with an airplane on the cover in December? Please share!

**Reminder – January’s challenge is to read a self-help book to start the new year off on the right foot.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and prosperous 2026!

Xo
Michelle