For Keith, the horrific events of 9/11 awoke something within. The faith in action of the people of Gander had renewed his own spirituality. When he returned to the United States, he shut is marketing company out of Austin, Texas down for a day and sent his employees out to do good. It was Keith’s way of giving back, and it has become an annual tradition on 9/11.

The experience in Gander strengthen Keith’s spirituality and fueled his own compassion, which has empowered hundreds of overs to give. For me, it was a gift to read from the perspective of one who is not used to being served, be transformed by the power of hospitality. A lesson for all of us, especially those who claim to be followers of Jesus.

This is a great book. So great that Kevin’s story has been included in the Broadway musical, Come From Away. Once I started, I knew I had to finish.

Read more at http://jasoncstanley.com/book-review-channel-peace/

Kevin Tuerff suddenly looked at the map showing the airline route on his plane which was going to New York from Paris. He was shocked to see that the plane was seemingly headed to the North Pole!
The passengers on his Air France plane eventually landed in a little town called Gander in Newfoundland, Canada along with many others because of the terrorist attack of 9/11, 2001. Frightened and hungry, the passengers were treated like hotel guests by the town - almost everyone in this small place volunteered to help. One meal that Tuerff had there was better than any food that he ate in France, he writes.

Although rather simply written, this is a fascinating tale about how one small town stepped up to the mark, the people who Tuerff met in Gander, and how it inspired him to start doing random acts of kindness on the basis of the book Pay It Forward. He also writes about the musical based on his experiences in Gander.

I was also glad to see that he has remained a member of the Catholic Church in spite of his differences with it.

I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review.

This book is a very important piece of our history. I found the book to be well written and full of reasons why we don't give up. Well done

Where did they go? All the rest of airplanes or some of them flying for return to the USA from Europe the day of 9/11?

9/11, the world is too focus on the immense tragedy of NYC where more than 3000 people lost their life.
USA was under attack. The Twin Towers collapsed, the Pentagon under attack, and thanks to the patriotism of some passengers of the fourth airplane, the fourth plane landed distant from the White House in Pennsylvania.

Slowly slowly we learned who these heroes were, firefighters, we listened the last conversation between a husband and a wife. A man, the vice-chief of the Carlton-Fitzgerald. His end close. "You'll be fine" he said to his spouse before to seeing just darkness and death when the Twin Tower collapsed.
We have seen wagons of people losing their life in a way or in another.


But...The rest of people back to the USA from their trip of vacation or business where were re-directed considering that NYC was in chaos and the entire USA in alarm?

In this book Channel of Peace Stranded in Gander on 9/11 by Kevin Tuerff there is the rest of the story looked through the eyes of Kevin Tuerff and his companion Evan. Back from a trip to Europe they ended up in the city of Gander in an island called Newfoundland, Canada.
No one told to them what happened while they were flying back to the USA. Mr Tuerff went later from the economical class to the first class and asked to do an international call.
He understood that it was a real big tragedy and yes the Twin Towers were collapsed and yes the country sounded under attack.

At the same time the place where they arrived just 10.000 souls gave hospitality at more than 6.500 people. 38 airplanes landed in Gander in the while in fact and the mayor of that time Claude Elliott asked for help because there were 6.500 people who needed extra-help and comfort.

People where busy for giving food and water and warm beverages to all these people till late.

Generosity passed also through supermarkets and restaurants. They all donated food. It was a refugee shelter the one created for the American guests per days.

People were also cured. Diabetic ones, pharmacists, everyone tried all their best for keeping like at home everyone, and for giving them all the necessary medications.

But not only: mr Tuerff wants to remark the solidarity of everyone. Who donated their own beds, someone offered free passages to people by car, act of kindness to them maybe unknown because the people of this little town strangers.

Once returned home after a real big adventure but consider the strict measures adopted by the US government that days mr Tuerff didn't never forget what happened.

Active also in other humanitarian situations and fields like the Katrina Hurricane and for environment, Mr. Tuerff returned for the 10th anniversary of the Terrorist attack to Gander.
Great connection with the administration of the city, the foreword of this book written by the old mayor of the city.

This book wants to help people to understand the hidden part of this big sad story, and at the same time wants to remember how big c generosity and kindness from people is.

The 25% of the royalties of this book donated at the association Gander Refugee Outreach, an organization that brings refugee from Syria to Canada.

What done by this little town ended up also in a Broadway musical called Come From Away.


I thank NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for this book.


Anna Maria Polidori