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Gander 9/11 Survivors Return as U.S.-Canada Tensions Rise
The returning passengers will carry a Canada-U.S. flag to thank Gander hosts and protest tariffs and annexation threats, they said.
Americans Sue Riccardelli and Maureen Murray are among survivors returning to Gander next week for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, marking a return to the community that sheltered them after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Following the 2001 attacks, Gander residents opened homes and schools to more than 6,500 stranded passengers, including Kerry Derringer-Cashin, who recalls the town's overwhelming kindness during that period of uncertainty.
Prime Minister Mark Carney walked out of negotiations last month, prompting President Donald Trump to introduce 50 per cent levies on Canadian exports, escalating bilateral trade tensions.
Displaying a flag combining Canada's Maple Leaf and America's Stars and Stripes at "Come From Away" performances, Riccardelli and Murray signal love for Canada and emphasize that many Americans oppose the administration's trade policies.
Riccardelli stated "Americans are not this government" and described current frictions as merely "a blip in time," expressing hope the 25th anniversary will remind both nations of their shared capacity for unity and compassion.