On my way to work on September 11, 2001, the radio program I was listening to was interrupted by the news that a plane had hit one of the twin towers. As I walked into the clinic; everyone was in the lobby, all eyes on the TV watching smoke billow from the tower. By the time the second plane hit, most of us had gotten to work taking care of patients in our family practice clinic.
As I was walking my first patient of the day out of the exam room, everyone was back in the lobby – the second plane had hit. This was not going to be just any other day. Several of our patients canceled their routine visits that day and for the days to follow. Other patients made urgent appointments suffering exacerbations of their depression and anxiety. Across the street from our small rural clinic a man fell from a roof. We ran over to help – he had an unstable heart rhythm. We wanted to fly him by helicopter to the nearest major hospital many miles away from our clinic in the hills of northwest Arkansas, but the airspace was closed.
Many of us remember where we were when we first learned of the attack; we remember what we did and how we felt during those first few days. Anger is an expected feeling that many of us still experience.
It is difficult to find anything good about the violent deaths of thousands and the suffering of countless others. But there are ways we can look back and find comfort and inspiration from what occurred following the attacks.
We came together as a country more fully than I can remember ever happening. In the immediate aftermath we watched the brave souls trying to rescue people from the wreckage. Political parties were irrelevant. We were all on the same team. I felt that for at least a brief moment we understood that our fates are all connected.
What struck me at the time as completely astonishing was how much support we got from the rest of the world. Millions of people in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia gathered in public squares to light candles, pray, and leave floral tributes outside U.S. embassies. Public transport and routine activities paused across several European countries as citizens observed moments of silence for the victims.
We got support from places I would not have expected. For example the Iranian leadership fully condemned the attacks and the terrorist. Huge crowds attended candlelit vigils in Iran, and 60,000 spectators observed a minute’s silence at Tehran’s soccer stadium a couple days after the attacks.
The front page headline of a prominent French newspaper Le Monde declared “Nous sommes tous Américains,” (We Are All Americans). “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played during the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. This is the only time the national anthem of another country has been played there.
NATO quickly met and committed military support to the US. The United Nations condemned the attacks and took action to counter the terrorists.
At 10:45 a.m. CST on September 11, 2001; we closed our airspace. There were hundreds of planes heading to the US at that time. Some of the planes were able to turn back around but many could not and had to land in Mexico and Canada.
The Canadian version of the FAA responded quickly to the news of the airspace closing finding places to land for tens of thousands of passengers. 38 planes were routed to Gander. A town of several thousand almost doubled within hours as jumbo jet after jumbo jet rumbled in.
Gander is a small town on the Canadian island province of Newfoundland. The airport in Gander has the distinction of being able to handle large jets as it’s runways had once been used in World War II and later as a refueling stop for transatlantic flights.
The people stranded there were not just on an extended layaway, it was several days for many. Gander took care of these people. The people of Gander made casaroles, assembled sandwiches and opened their homes. One stranded passenger relates how when they went to the store – the store clerk offered to take them to her house so that they could take a shower. Gander gave shelter to thousands of passengers, some passengers were even welcomed into the actual homes of these generous Canadians.
We will not forget the tragedy of September 11. Please remember how the country and the rest of the world came together. Let’s move towards a place where we can find unity without tragedy.
Take care – find the silver linings in the dark clouds – you will be more healthy.
Thanks for listing. Share with me your thoughts. Please share with others this article.
Russ Coash, PA-C
Enjoy this telling of what happened in the small Canadian town of Gander. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rteLASCbUrM