Keeping the Faith: Delta Flight #5
| 10 March 2010
TSI Religion Editor,
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“Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
During the winter Olympics held in Canada, bits of info were given in between the sounds of crunching ice and snow as athletes performed. One such account was about the people of Gander, Newfoundland and the human kindness that merits retelling.
When the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on our country occurred, all planes flying over or near the continental US were ordered to land at the nearest airport.
Gander Airport's air traffic controller expected to land eight planes on that fateful day, but upon hearing of the attack, they approved fifty-three planes onto their airfield. Twenty-seven were flying the American Flag.
Canada had set up a decisive plan to get each plane unloaded, but to get all information and then prepare as to where to put them, it would be the morning of the twelfth before passengers could leave the plane. Then only their carry-ons could be taken with them.
On Delta flight #15, passengers were not told the truth of why they rerouted to Gander until they had landed. As the pilot reported what had occurred in New York and at the Pentagon, loud gasps and stares of disbelief came from the crowd. They were told they could leave the plane the next morning. Gander offered medical attention, food water or lavatory services if needed. The morning of the twelfth, a convoy of school buses paraded onto the landing field. Steps were lowered and passengers were loaded onto a bus and taken to the terminal for processing.
The passengers of flight #53 were taken to the small town of Lewisporte as Gander could not accommodate the thousands of people from all the planes. Small communities and towns around Gander opened their doors and their hearts. They closed all high schools, meeting hall, lodges and other large gathering places and converted them into mass lodging areas. Cots were set up, and mats, sleeping bags and pillows were furnished. The high school students had to volunteer to take care of the guests. Families were kept together and the elderly were taken into private homes. There were doctors and nurses available that stayed with the “plane people” as they were called by the locals.
For the first time that evening, they saw on television the horrible pictures of the towers going down. During their stay passengers were awed by the hospitality of Lewisporte. They offered them sight-seeing trips, fed them at eateries of their choice, given tokens to wash clothes at local laundromats and drug stores supplied their medicinal needs. In other words, every need was met – at no cost to the passengers
There were many personal stories. One kind local, Beulah Cooper befriended the O’Roarkes’, a couple worried over their son, a New York firefighter. Beulah went with them to the church every day to pray for their son. Mrs. O’Roarke said, “She was like a mother to us.”
When the call came for flight #53 to leave, they were sad to leave their new friends. Bonding has taken place that has lasted till today. They tried once more to offer reimbursement, but the “Newfies” said, “No way!” While in flight, a Delta #15 passenger, a doctor from Virginia proposed an idea to the passengers. He wanted them to help in setting up a trust fund for the high school kids of Lewisporte Response was amazing as their donations and pledges amounted to $14.5 thousand dollars. The doctor agreed to do the administration work on the scholarship fund. Finally, those on flight #15 felt like they could show Lewisporte their gratitude. The fund has grown and many have benefited from it over the years.
Why all this? Because some very special folks in a faraway place opened their homes, pocketbooks and hearts to some strangers who happened to “drop” in on them.
