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00:00:01,235 --> 00:00:02,634
Here we are in gander,
newfoundland and labrador!

2
00:00:02,703 --> 00:00:06,171
[cheering & applauding]

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00:00:06,306 --> 00:00:08,107
On the central
part of the island,

4
00:00:08,109 --> 00:00:10,175
This newfoundland
town's history has

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00:00:10,177 --> 00:00:13,645
Little to do with fish,
but was more built with

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00:00:13,714 --> 00:00:16,715
A bird's eye view
to transatlantic flight.

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00:00:16,784 --> 00:00:19,184
It was considered the perfect
destination to fuel up

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00:00:19,186 --> 00:00:21,587
Before the long
and perilous flight

9
00:00:21,722 --> 00:00:24,123
Across the pond to europe.

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00:00:24,125 --> 00:00:25,791
The big hop.

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00:00:25,793 --> 00:00:27,826
Gander soon became
known as the

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00:00:27,862 --> 00:00:29,762
'crossroads
of the world',

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With celebrities and
heads of state

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Coming through
on the regular.

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It's a story that dips
and dives with defections

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00:00:37,304 --> 00:00:39,003
Throughout the cold war,

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00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,808
And makes a miraculous
landing on broadway.

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00:00:42,810 --> 00:00:46,078
It's a wild ride with lots
to cover, so make sure

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00:00:46,147 --> 00:00:48,179
Your seats and tray tables
are upright in the

20
00:00:48,215 --> 00:00:51,216
Locked position, and maybe
even get your barf bags out

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00:00:51,351 --> 00:00:53,919
Because from grounded
planes to broadway plays,

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You might experience
some emotion sickness.

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00:00:56,123 --> 00:00:57,823
[laughing]

24
00:00:57,892 --> 00:01:00,225
T minus two to take off!
Gander, here we go!

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00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,628
[cheering & applauding]

26
00:01:03,664 --> 00:01:05,831
When you grow up in a
small town in newfoundland,

27
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You see that people have a
sense of humour

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About hard times.

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Check, check.

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I turned that into a
career and hit the road.

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[mc] mr. Jonny harris!

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Now I'm on a mission to find
the funny in the places

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You'd least expect it,

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Canada's struggling
small towns,

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Towns that are against the
ropes, but hanging in there,

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Still laughing in the
face of adversity.

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This is gander,
newfoundland and labrador.

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♪

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♪

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[laughing]

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♪

42
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[cheering & applauding]

43
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The airport in gander
was built in 1938,

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A few years before
the town of gander.

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Building the world's
largest airport in

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The middle of nowhere
became known as

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The greatest gamble
in aviation history.

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Now, you might be
thinking, at the time,

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Aviation history's
only like 12 years old,

50
00:02:03,090 --> 00:02:06,691
But still, early aviation
was all a gamble.

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00:02:06,727 --> 00:02:08,693
It was all risky
business back then.

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Things have changed a lot.

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Now, the biggest risk in
aviation is probably vaping

54
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In the bathroom and
blowing it down your shirt.

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[laughing]

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Gander's reign as the
'crossroads of the world'

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Lasted for decades.

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[car honking]

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To find out why, I got
a first class seat

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Next to a second
generation

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Gander airport employee,
now the vice president

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Of allied aviation,
dion faulkner.

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[cheering & applauding]

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Most newfoundlanders
are tied to the water,

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To the ocean,
boats and fishing.

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For me, it's aircraft and
the smell of jet fuel.

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Yeah?

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Gander airport was a
window to the world.

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You know, at one point,
every plane that crossed the

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Atlantic had to land
in gander to get fuel.

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So, you had movie stars.

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You had frank sinatra,
marilyn monroe,

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You had the beatles.

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00:03:01,681 --> 00:03:05,017
This airport has
hosted marilyn monroe,

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00:03:05,019 --> 00:03:07,686
Frank sinatra,
all the sexiest-

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Gorbachev,
mikhail gorbachev.

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[laughing]

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The queen, I could
go on and on.

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But maybe the beatles
is the coolest one.

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I saw the pope one time.

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I saw pope john paul ii
in flat rock.

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But seeing john
and paul in gander...

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[laughing]

84
00:03:25,839 --> 00:03:27,171
So, what happened?

85
00:03:27,208 --> 00:03:30,042
Well, dion explained
to me, basically,

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It was the jet engine.

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The airplanes became
lighter, the engines

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Became stronger
and bigger,

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And then they used
less fuel and,

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We quickly seen a
decline in aircraft that

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Were using gander.

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00:03:41,255 --> 00:03:44,189
He said things did pick up
for gander in the 1980s

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When the u.S. Closed
their airspace to

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Airlines from
the soviet bloc.

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00:03:49,196 --> 00:03:51,997
In the late 70s, early 80s,
we had all the

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Communist traffic
using gander.

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We had aeroflot,
cubana, interflug.

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They couldn't
go into the u.S.

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So, gander was a very ideal
location for them to fuel.

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They were servicing something
like 100 flights a week.

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This was a huge
economic boom.

102
00:04:06,380 --> 00:04:08,980
The fuel stop here
also made gander

103
00:04:09,016 --> 00:04:11,616
The ideal opportunity

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For people from communist
countries to defect.

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00:04:16,023 --> 00:04:18,156
When the plane landed,
and the passengers

106
00:04:18,192 --> 00:04:20,692
Had an opportunity
to disembark,

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They would come to an rcmp
officer or someone that

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Worked at the
cafeteria or snack bar,

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The duty free, and they
would say, "I want to defect."

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All you had to do, legally,
to be given a hearing was

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Communicate your intent to
defect to somebody,

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Anybody,
at gander airport.

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You could run up
to the snack bar.

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You could say, "I want
to start a new life."

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00:04:44,885 --> 00:04:46,985
And she'd say, "yes,
all right, my lover.

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Do you want gravy on that?"

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00:04:48,455 --> 00:04:51,222
[laughing]

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Word of mouth spread
across the soviet union

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That gander was...

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A hole in the wall,
a hole in the iron curtain.

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We had situations where...

122
00:05:02,002 --> 00:05:04,136
The captain or first
officer defected.

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00:05:04,271 --> 00:05:05,336
No!

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00:05:05,472 --> 00:05:07,739
He said one time there was
a russian plane where

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The captain and
first officer defected,

126
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Left a plane load of
russians on the runway.

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00:05:12,813 --> 00:05:14,746
[laughing]

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"boys, why's that russian
plane still there?"

129
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"oh, didn't you hear?
The pilot took off."

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00:05:19,086 --> 00:05:21,686
[laughing]

131
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It was too much.

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00:05:22,823 --> 00:05:26,825
After 2,000 defectors came
through in 1990 alone,

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The canadian government
implemented new

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Visa regulations,
making it much

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Harder for communist bloc
airlines to refuel here.

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It virtually eliminated all
that business overnight.

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00:05:38,105 --> 00:05:40,539
And you can imagine what
impact that would have

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On the economy
of gander.

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If there was a
hole in the wall,

140
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Ottawa plugged it
with red tape.

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00:05:45,912 --> 00:05:47,979
[laughing]

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00:05:48,048 --> 00:05:50,182
And now today,
two or three airplanes,

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It's considered a good day,
and that's sporadic.

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00:05:52,619 --> 00:05:55,053
But dion says the
airport in gander

145
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Will always remain here.

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00:05:57,358 --> 00:06:00,992
With big runways and capable
staff, and lots of space,

147
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Gander is perfect for dealing
with aviation emergencies.

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00:06:05,365 --> 00:06:07,666
We'll always have a
beacon for aircraft

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00:06:07,668 --> 00:06:09,000
That need our services,

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00:06:09,069 --> 00:06:10,869
And we'll keep
that light shining.

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He said this airport
is the lifeboat

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Of the north atlantic.

153
00:06:15,342 --> 00:06:19,144
And in 2001, the
lifeboat became legendary.

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00:06:19,146 --> 00:06:21,679
[applauding]

155
00:06:32,526 --> 00:06:35,159
On September 11th,
2001,

156
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There were almost 7,000
'come from away's'

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Stranded in gander
when the u.S.

158
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Closed their airspace.

159
00:06:42,403 --> 00:06:46,171
What happened here is a
story told around the world,

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Helped largely
by a musical...

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00:06:48,442 --> 00:06:51,176
That has taken the
world by storm.

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And a few characters in
that musical were

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Inspired by real
life locals-

164
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Oz fudge, beulah cooper,
and brian mosher.

165
00:07:00,421 --> 00:07:02,954
[cheering & applauding]

166
00:07:03,089 --> 00:07:05,523
I met up with these
three over at the legion,

167
00:07:05,592 --> 00:07:09,794
Which sheltered and fed some
of the 'come from away's'

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Stranded in gander
at the time.

169
00:07:12,599 --> 00:07:15,066
On September 11th,
beulah got a call

170
00:07:15,068 --> 00:07:17,935
From her daughter-in-law.
She said, "turn on the tv."

171
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She said, "turn it on."
I said, "what station?"

172
00:07:19,940 --> 00:07:22,073
"doesn't matter."
I thought it was a movie.

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She said, "no,
that's the real thing."

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Next thing you know,
she gets a call

175
00:07:25,579 --> 00:07:27,411
Saying that they want
her to bring a

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Tray of sandwiches
down to the legion.

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I never questioned it.

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They wanted a tray of
sandwiches, beulah made 'em.

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And when I got down,
I asked what was going on.

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They said there was a plane
load of people coming in,

181
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And they're
staying the night.

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Now beulah, at this point,
has no idea that

183
00:07:42,296 --> 00:07:44,429
You're going to end up
with 38 planes,

184
00:07:44,498 --> 00:07:46,364
Nose to tail,
on your runway.

185
00:07:46,433 --> 00:07:48,900
And then the plane
people started coming in.

186
00:07:49,035 --> 00:07:50,836
And the legion filled up.

187
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We had 64 people
that slept here.

188
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It was wee hours
in the morning.

189
00:07:55,175 --> 00:07:57,509
-Yeah?
-And...

190
00:07:57,644 --> 00:07:59,177
-[laughing]
-what?

191
00:07:59,246 --> 00:08:01,313
I took some men
over to the hotel.

192
00:08:01,448 --> 00:08:03,348
She was asked to take a
carload of fellows

193
00:08:03,417 --> 00:08:05,450
Over to the hotel...

194
00:08:05,452 --> 00:08:07,051
Which she was happy to do.

195
00:08:07,087 --> 00:08:09,221
[laughing]

196
00:08:09,356 --> 00:08:10,455
And at this point
of the story,

197
00:08:10,590 --> 00:08:14,159
This is when oz and brian
start giving her a hard time.

198
00:08:14,161 --> 00:08:15,927
How many fellas did you
bring over the hotel?

199
00:08:15,963 --> 00:08:18,263
-Four.
-[laughing]

200
00:08:18,265 --> 00:08:19,931
Unload your mind,
beulah.

201
00:08:20,066 --> 00:08:21,933
I took them over to
make phone calls.

202
00:08:22,002 --> 00:08:24,269
And then he says, "beulah
went took the men

203
00:08:24,404 --> 00:08:25,870
Over to the hotel."

204
00:08:25,872 --> 00:08:27,405
Poor beulah's-
this act of kindness,

205
00:08:27,474 --> 00:08:29,006
They're trying to make it
sound like she's giving out

206
00:08:29,042 --> 00:08:30,474
More than sandwiches.

207
00:08:30,511 --> 00:08:33,545
[laughing]

208
00:08:33,614 --> 00:08:37,282
Brian was the host of
the local tv station and,

209
00:08:37,351 --> 00:08:39,884
His role was to keep
people informed

210
00:08:39,953 --> 00:08:41,285
On what was going on.

211
00:08:41,321 --> 00:08:44,088
All air traffic was
suspended in north america,

212
00:08:44,157 --> 00:08:46,558
And this brought a massive
influx of world class

213
00:08:46,693 --> 00:08:48,893
Airliners to the
gander airport.

214
00:08:48,896 --> 00:08:51,896
I went up to do one show at
rogers community channel

215
00:08:51,899 --> 00:08:53,164
Here in gander.

216
00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,033
One show ended up
being 11.

217
00:08:56,069 --> 00:08:58,970
And one hour ended
up being 4 days.

218
00:08:59,039 --> 00:09:00,772
And not just what's
going on in new york,

219
00:09:00,841 --> 00:09:03,708
But more so locally,
what was needed and

220
00:09:03,843 --> 00:09:05,410
Where it was needed.

221
00:09:05,479 --> 00:09:08,813
And at one point, a
local police officer, oz,

222
00:09:08,949 --> 00:09:10,315
Gives him a
handwritten note.

223
00:09:10,384 --> 00:09:12,350
He comes in and,
on the top of his pile,

224
00:09:12,352 --> 00:09:13,517
With this grin
on his face,

225
00:09:13,554 --> 00:09:15,353
He's got this piece of
paper typewritten

226
00:09:15,355 --> 00:09:17,188
From gander academy,
just up fraser road

227
00:09:17,224 --> 00:09:19,391
That says they're running
low on toilet paper.

228
00:09:19,526 --> 00:09:21,993
Gander academy,
which was housing

229
00:09:22,029 --> 00:09:24,296
I think almost 1000 of
the plane people,

230
00:09:24,431 --> 00:09:27,332
Gander academy is running
out of toilet paper.

231
00:09:27,401 --> 00:09:29,467
And this gives you an
idea of how eager

232
00:09:29,503 --> 00:09:31,535
Ganderites were
to help out.

233
00:09:31,572 --> 00:09:34,873
In his next broadcast-
only 90 minutes later....

234
00:09:34,875 --> 00:09:37,742
In he comes, and he's got
another grin on his face-

235
00:09:37,877 --> 00:09:39,077
And he's got the
typewritten note,

236
00:09:39,079 --> 00:09:40,378
But he's got,
"for the love of god,"

237
00:09:40,447 --> 00:09:41,579
Written on the top of it.

238
00:09:41,582 --> 00:09:44,015
The note that oz
gave him said,

239
00:09:44,017 --> 00:09:45,817
"for the love of god,
stop bringing

240
00:09:45,886 --> 00:09:48,186
Toilet paper to
gander academy."

241
00:09:48,321 --> 00:09:50,888
[laughing]

242
00:09:51,024 --> 00:09:52,556
Wall to wall,
floor to ceiling.

243
00:09:52,593 --> 00:09:55,093
More toilet paper
than you'd ever need,

244
00:09:55,095 --> 00:09:57,195
Especially after you give
people a feed of

245
00:09:57,197 --> 00:09:58,562
Salt beef and toutons.

246
00:09:58,599 --> 00:10:00,198
[laughing]

247
00:10:00,267 --> 00:10:02,166
People bonded,
people binded.

248
00:10:02,235 --> 00:10:04,302
[laughing]

249
00:10:04,304 --> 00:10:06,304
It was more backed up
than planes on the runway.

250
00:10:06,373 --> 00:10:08,506
[laughing]

251
00:10:08,642 --> 00:10:10,241
It's a response that you
can't even dream of...

252
00:10:10,310 --> 00:10:13,178
You know, to see that level
of response that quick.

253
00:10:13,313 --> 00:10:15,847
No sooner would they
put a bulletin out

254
00:10:15,916 --> 00:10:17,348
In the community station,

255
00:10:17,384 --> 00:10:19,917
There'd be a pickup truck in
front of every other house.

256
00:10:20,053 --> 00:10:23,120
People just bringing
everything that was asked for.

257
00:10:23,156 --> 00:10:25,190
Coolers,
sleeves of water,

258
00:10:25,325 --> 00:10:27,124
Boxes of granola bars.

259
00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:28,193
People were bringing
everything from

260
00:10:28,328 --> 00:10:29,594
Stuff out of their campers,

261
00:10:29,596 --> 00:10:32,497
To beds out of their houses,
in the back of pickup trucks.

262
00:10:32,499 --> 00:10:35,199
But the effort that people
made here for the

263
00:10:35,268 --> 00:10:37,469
'come from away's',
beulah said...

264
00:10:37,604 --> 00:10:39,504
They came as strangers.

265
00:10:39,573 --> 00:10:41,473
In the middle of the week,
they were friends.

266
00:10:41,475 --> 00:10:43,874
And by the time they left,
they were family.

267
00:10:43,910 --> 00:10:46,411
And years later,
"come from away",

268
00:10:46,413 --> 00:10:48,813
Which would take
the world by storm,

269
00:10:48,948 --> 00:10:51,549
Premiered right here in
gander, newfoundland.

270
00:10:51,618 --> 00:10:53,451
Beulah said because
of this show,

271
00:10:53,453 --> 00:10:56,988
She's traveled around the
world to various premieres.

272
00:10:56,990 --> 00:10:59,290
I've been in
london, England.

273
00:10:59,326 --> 00:11:01,092
I've been to
dublin, australia.

274
00:11:01,227 --> 00:11:02,260
All over the world.

275
00:11:02,395 --> 00:11:04,829
She's been to
london, dublin,

276
00:11:04,831 --> 00:11:07,766
Australia, new york.

277
00:11:07,901 --> 00:11:09,300
That's a lot of hotels.

278
00:11:09,302 --> 00:11:11,469
[laughing & applauding]

279
00:11:18,779 --> 00:11:21,212
♪

280
00:11:21,347 --> 00:11:24,649
So, how did gander get so
good at welcoming people

281
00:11:24,718 --> 00:11:26,351
And getting them
to feel at home?

282
00:11:26,353 --> 00:11:28,319
Well, experience.

283
00:11:28,388 --> 00:11:30,788
I met with a woman
who came here

284
00:11:30,924 --> 00:11:33,725
When her family
escaped communism.

285
00:11:33,727 --> 00:11:35,293
Mimie carroll.

286
00:11:35,295 --> 00:11:37,995
[cheering & applauding]

287
00:11:38,065 --> 00:11:40,965
Mimie has a wild story,
incredible story.

288
00:11:40,967 --> 00:11:44,602
Her parents are escaping
communism in laos.

289
00:11:44,671 --> 00:11:46,070
When the communist
government took over,

290
00:11:46,139 --> 00:11:48,940
My parents wanted my brother
and I to have a future.

291
00:11:49,009 --> 00:11:51,208
So, they planned
an escape.

292
00:11:51,210 --> 00:11:53,978
They sold everything to hire
a guide to lead them

293
00:11:53,980 --> 00:11:55,880
Through the
jungle to safety.

294
00:11:55,882 --> 00:11:58,283
She told me about this
harrowing journey

295
00:11:58,418 --> 00:12:01,085
Of her family
trying to evade

296
00:12:01,154 --> 00:12:03,087
Soldiers in the jungle.

297
00:12:03,090 --> 00:12:04,889
And her parents had to keep
her and her brother quiet.

298
00:12:05,024 --> 00:12:06,758
She was two years old
at the time.

299
00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:08,993
So, my parents gave us
special candy-

300
00:12:09,129 --> 00:12:10,161
[laughing]

301
00:12:10,163 --> 00:12:12,163
So we would stay quiet
throughout the, ah,

302
00:12:12,298 --> 00:12:13,898
The trek through
the jungle.

303
00:12:13,900 --> 00:12:15,900
Candies with an
ingredient that would

304
00:12:15,902 --> 00:12:17,836
Somewhat sedate them,

305
00:12:17,971 --> 00:12:20,238
A traditional southeast
asian ingredient.

306
00:12:20,373 --> 00:12:21,773
What's the name of it?

307
00:12:21,908 --> 00:12:23,241
What's the name of
it again- opium!

308
00:12:23,376 --> 00:12:25,777
[laughing]

309
00:12:25,779 --> 00:12:28,579
Opium candies!

310
00:12:28,615 --> 00:12:30,615
Harrowing journey
or hell of a trip?

311
00:12:30,750 --> 00:12:33,351
[laughing]

312
00:12:33,353 --> 00:12:35,286
Her mom gave her
opium in the jungle.

313
00:12:35,288 --> 00:12:37,321
My mom wouldn't let me
smoke in the shed!

314
00:12:37,357 --> 00:12:39,924
[laughing]

315
00:12:40,059 --> 00:12:41,793
[applauding]

316
00:12:41,862 --> 00:12:43,327
Mimie said when
her family arrived,

317
00:12:43,363 --> 00:12:45,864
A church group that had
sponsored her family was

318
00:12:45,866 --> 00:12:47,832
There waiting for them,
and they had signs done up,

319
00:12:47,901 --> 00:12:49,200
Welcome signs
and everything.

320
00:12:49,236 --> 00:12:51,135
But, her parents didn't
read english,

321
00:12:51,204 --> 00:12:52,804
So they didn't know.
Finally,

322
00:12:52,873 --> 00:12:54,606
They get to the house
that's been set up for them.

323
00:12:54,741 --> 00:12:56,841
And in good, old
newfoundland fashion,

324
00:12:56,877 --> 00:13:00,411
We love potluck, right?
So, everybody brings a dish.

325
00:13:00,413 --> 00:13:01,846
They got all
this food there.

326
00:13:01,981 --> 00:13:04,148
But it's food that her
family's never seen before.

327
00:13:04,217 --> 00:13:05,683
Fish and brews,

328
00:13:05,719 --> 00:13:07,952
And jiggs' dinner,
and root vegetables.

329
00:13:07,954 --> 00:13:11,021
And then, when they had
their first bite, it's like...

330
00:13:11,057 --> 00:13:14,025
"oh my god, really?
Is it really food?"

331
00:13:14,094 --> 00:13:15,126
-Yeah.
-[laughing]

332
00:13:15,261 --> 00:13:16,828
So my mother said,
"do not eat.

333
00:13:16,897 --> 00:13:18,763
They're trying
to poison us."

334
00:13:18,832 --> 00:13:20,364
It's not fair to say
they were paranoid

335
00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:22,934
'cause a few days earlier,
they're crossing the

336
00:13:23,003 --> 00:13:25,837
Mekong river in a boat
and getting shot at.

337
00:13:25,906 --> 00:13:28,639
Her mom, she thought this
food was gonna kill them...

338
00:13:28,675 --> 00:13:31,108
Which, depending on how
much salt you're used to

339
00:13:31,144 --> 00:13:32,911
In your diet,
I suppose...

340
00:13:32,913 --> 00:13:34,245
[laughing]

341
00:13:34,281 --> 00:13:36,313
...Maybe could have.
I mean, jiggs' dinner,

342
00:13:36,349 --> 00:13:38,116
Like... I don't know if
I'd call it poison.

343
00:13:38,118 --> 00:13:39,184
Meet me halfway,

344
00:13:39,319 --> 00:13:41,051
It definitely is
considered a sedative.

345
00:13:41,087 --> 00:13:44,755
[laughing]

346
00:13:44,825 --> 00:13:46,390
♪

347
00:13:46,426 --> 00:13:48,560
Mimie told me that the
airport international lounge

348
00:13:48,695 --> 00:13:51,395
Was fully restored
to its former glory.

349
00:13:51,431 --> 00:13:54,966
They created like a
historical museum upstairs.

350
00:13:55,101 --> 00:13:57,869
There's an exhibit in the
museum that has a piece of

351
00:13:57,871 --> 00:14:00,705
The twin towers that new york
city gifted to gander

352
00:14:00,774 --> 00:14:01,873
As a thank you.

353
00:14:01,875 --> 00:14:04,876
There's also a
display with refugees.

354
00:14:04,945 --> 00:14:06,711
In fact, there's a picture
of mimie's family

355
00:14:06,713 --> 00:14:08,546
Right next to...

356
00:14:08,615 --> 00:14:12,317
Pictures of syrian refugees
that came in 2016.

357
00:14:12,319 --> 00:14:13,351
So it tugs at
my heart, right,

358
00:14:13,353 --> 00:14:15,720
Every time I see these
stories of refugees,

359
00:14:15,722 --> 00:14:17,755
I'm like, you know, it's
almost like, "you can do it!"

360
00:14:17,891 --> 00:14:20,558
In fact, during the
syrian refugee crisis,

361
00:14:20,627 --> 00:14:22,226
Who of course was one
of the first people to

362
00:14:22,295 --> 00:14:24,629
Volunteer to
help out? Mimie.

363
00:14:24,631 --> 00:14:27,031
And she got her kids
involved this time so that

364
00:14:27,166 --> 00:14:29,968
They would know exactly
what their grandparents

365
00:14:29,970 --> 00:14:31,903
Went through
to get here.

366
00:14:31,972 --> 00:14:34,705
And when the syrians arrived,
just like when mimie arrived,

367
00:14:34,741 --> 00:14:36,774
People were there
holding the signs.

368
00:14:36,843 --> 00:14:38,943
"welcome to canada.
Welcome to gander."

369
00:14:38,979 --> 00:14:41,312
Even her kids had signs
done up that said,

370
00:14:41,314 --> 00:14:43,047
"the jiggs' dinner
is not poisoned."

371
00:14:43,049 --> 00:14:45,182
[laughing]

372
00:14:45,252 --> 00:14:48,819
[applauding]

373
00:14:48,889 --> 00:14:50,755
♪

374
00:14:50,757 --> 00:14:52,256
Here in a town that

375
00:14:52,325 --> 00:14:54,826
Mohammed ali once
passed through,

376
00:14:54,961 --> 00:14:58,863
I met a local athlete who
tried to teach me

377
00:14:58,865 --> 00:15:00,865
How to float
like a butterfly.

378
00:15:00,934 --> 00:15:03,768
Canada's 2015
special olympics

379
00:15:03,770 --> 00:15:06,870
Female athlete of the year,
sarah brown.

380
00:15:06,907 --> 00:15:11,342
[cheering & applauding]

381
00:15:11,344 --> 00:15:13,144
I know you're well-known
around gander

382
00:15:13,213 --> 00:15:14,779
As an accomplished
athlete.

383
00:15:14,848 --> 00:15:17,681
Sarah is more decorated
than gander airport's

384
00:15:17,717 --> 00:15:18,950
International lounge.

385
00:15:19,085 --> 00:15:20,518
[laughing]

386
00:15:20,653 --> 00:15:22,853
She's won over
200 medals.

387
00:15:22,923 --> 00:15:25,690
But you've also done a
lot of fundraising for

388
00:15:25,692 --> 00:15:27,025
The special olympics.

389
00:15:27,027 --> 00:15:30,294
I've went around
every single house,

390
00:15:30,363 --> 00:15:31,963
Knocking on doors,

391
00:15:32,032 --> 00:15:35,233
And I have collected
up to $7000...

392
00:15:35,235 --> 00:15:36,834
-Really?
-On my own.

393
00:15:36,870 --> 00:15:38,970
She is a dedicated
performer.

394
00:15:39,039 --> 00:15:42,206
She gets up every morning,
early enough so that

395
00:15:42,208 --> 00:15:45,677
She can do weights or
cardio before she goes

396
00:15:45,812 --> 00:15:49,079
To the pool, before she
goes to her full-time job.

397
00:15:49,115 --> 00:15:50,982
I'm training
six days a week.

398
00:15:50,984 --> 00:15:52,116
Really?

399
00:15:52,152 --> 00:15:54,285
-I get up, 2am.
-What?

400
00:15:54,420 --> 00:15:56,054
She said to me,
she said, "jonny,

401
00:15:56,189 --> 00:15:58,255
Today I got up at 2am."

402
00:15:58,291 --> 00:16:00,091
I don't know if
I accept that.

403
00:16:00,093 --> 00:16:02,226
[laughing]

404
00:16:02,262 --> 00:16:04,829
Like, I wouldn't even
say 2am is this morning.

405
00:16:04,964 --> 00:16:06,898
I would say 2am is
still last night.

406
00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:08,065
[laughing]

407
00:16:08,101 --> 00:16:09,566
But for me,
it's morning.

408
00:16:09,602 --> 00:16:11,635
Have I ever
gotten up at 2am?

409
00:16:11,671 --> 00:16:13,537
Yes, to pee.

410
00:16:13,573 --> 00:16:15,573
[laughing]

411
00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:18,076
Sarah tried to teach me
her favourite

412
00:16:18,078 --> 00:16:20,845
Stroke in swimming,
the butterfly.

413
00:16:20,980 --> 00:16:23,213
But I think the trouble is
you need a lot of

414
00:16:23,249 --> 00:16:24,749
Upper body strength.

415
00:16:24,751 --> 00:16:27,818
Like, when I was watching
sarah do it, the arms,

416
00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:30,921
Every other stroke is
enough to like lift her

417
00:16:30,957 --> 00:16:33,190
Out of the water enough
to get a breath.

418
00:16:33,259 --> 00:16:34,958
So, when I was
doing it...

419
00:16:38,665 --> 00:16:40,364
I couldn't breathe, and
I had to stop every

420
00:16:40,367 --> 00:16:42,033
Now and then so I
could take a breath.

421
00:16:42,168 --> 00:16:43,835
In the whole
lesson she gave me,

422
00:16:43,970 --> 00:16:45,770
I don't think anything
I ever did resembled

423
00:16:45,772 --> 00:16:46,904
The butterfly stroke.

424
00:16:46,906 --> 00:16:48,840
Probably looked like a
butterfly having a stroke.

425
00:16:48,975 --> 00:16:50,240
[laughing]

426
00:16:50,276 --> 00:16:53,777
But sarah said that she lives
by this special olympics oath.

427
00:16:53,813 --> 00:16:55,780
"let me win, but
if I cannot win,

428
00:16:55,849 --> 00:16:57,582
Let me be brave
in the attempt."

429
00:16:57,717 --> 00:17:00,618
And I've also lived
by a similar oath.

430
00:17:00,753 --> 00:17:03,654
Let me win, but
if I cannot win,

431
00:17:03,656 --> 00:17:05,990
Let the editors fix it
to look like I did.

432
00:17:06,059 --> 00:17:08,792
[laughing &
applauding]

433
00:17:15,668 --> 00:17:18,069
♪

434
00:17:18,204 --> 00:17:19,771
With everything
going on in gander,

435
00:17:19,906 --> 00:17:23,073
To end my trip on a Tuesday
night at legends lounge

436
00:17:23,075 --> 00:17:24,709
Seems almost trivial.

437
00:17:24,844 --> 00:17:26,177
But who's
keeping score?

438
00:17:26,246 --> 00:17:29,447
The host of Tuesday night
trivia, sophie evans.

439
00:17:29,582 --> 00:17:32,816
[cheering & applauding]

440
00:17:32,852 --> 00:17:34,619
Sophie moved to gander
10 years ago

441
00:17:34,754 --> 00:17:37,054
With her husband,
jason evans.

442
00:17:37,057 --> 00:17:39,857
And she said for years
she was just known as

443
00:17:39,893 --> 00:17:41,993
"evans' mrs".
-[laughing]

444
00:17:41,995 --> 00:17:44,095
We moved here in 2013.

445
00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:46,063
I think I was just shy.

446
00:17:46,066 --> 00:17:48,565
To get out and meet
people and break the ice,

447
00:17:48,601 --> 00:17:51,802
She got involved with the
trivia night at legends.

448
00:17:51,937 --> 00:17:54,204
All right, if I can get
your attention, please.

449
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,507
Everyone's familiar
with me, I'm sophie.

450
00:17:56,642 --> 00:17:58,642
10 years later,
jason says that

451
00:17:58,678 --> 00:18:01,712
Sophie knows more people
in town than he does.

452
00:18:01,714 --> 00:18:03,881
[laughing]

453
00:18:04,017 --> 00:18:05,917
We're gonna do a little
bit of a twist here.

454
00:18:05,919 --> 00:18:08,119
We're gonna do
international airport codes.

455
00:18:08,121 --> 00:18:10,188
On my team was

456
00:18:10,190 --> 00:18:12,924
Jason evans' mrs' fella,
jason evans.

457
00:18:12,926 --> 00:18:13,925
[laughing]

458
00:18:14,060 --> 00:18:17,861
And I also had beulah and
brian and oz on my team.

459
00:18:17,897 --> 00:18:20,364
Now these three, they're
just who you want by

460
00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:23,000
Your side in a time of
crisis, but in trivia...

461
00:18:23,069 --> 00:18:26,403
[laughing]

462
00:18:26,539 --> 00:18:29,173
Akl, home to the largest
polynesian population in

463
00:18:29,242 --> 00:18:32,042
The world and also
nicknamed 'city of sails'

464
00:18:32,078 --> 00:18:36,047
Due to its waterside location
and high density of boats.

465
00:18:36,182 --> 00:18:38,149
I don't want to say we
completely ---- the bed,

466
00:18:38,218 --> 00:18:40,551
But they needed more
toilet paper at legends.

467
00:18:40,587 --> 00:18:42,653
[laughing]

468
00:18:42,655 --> 00:18:45,690
Did anyone- stop putting up
multiple hands, you little...

469
00:18:45,825 --> 00:18:47,291
[laughing]

470
00:18:47,293 --> 00:18:50,460
But it's shocking to think
that sophie was ever shy

471
00:18:50,497 --> 00:18:52,763
When she first got to
gander because now,

472
00:18:52,765 --> 00:18:54,699
She's known for being
a little bit saucy.

473
00:18:54,834 --> 00:18:56,567
[laughing]

474
00:18:56,636 --> 00:18:58,302
Mr. Mosher,
no shouting.

475
00:18:58,304 --> 00:19:00,071
[laughing]

476
00:19:00,073 --> 00:19:01,572
But that's just the
way it is here, right?

477
00:19:01,707 --> 00:19:03,908
Like, people are always
joshing each other and...

478
00:19:04,043 --> 00:19:06,443
She said that's newfoundland's
love language.

479
00:19:06,479 --> 00:19:08,045
It's a culture
of sauciness.

480
00:19:08,114 --> 00:19:10,047
[laughing & applauding]

481
00:19:10,183 --> 00:19:11,716
-Congratulations!
-Woo!

482
00:19:11,851 --> 00:19:12,950
[laughing]

483
00:19:12,952 --> 00:19:15,118
But I had a great time
playing trivia.

484
00:19:15,155 --> 00:19:16,754
It was great hanging
out with these guys,

485
00:19:16,823 --> 00:19:18,789
Having a few beers,
but eventually,

486
00:19:18,791 --> 00:19:21,592
It was time for beulah to
take me back to the hotel.

487
00:19:21,727 --> 00:19:24,461
[laughing]

488
00:19:24,497 --> 00:19:26,497
[applauding]

489
00:19:26,499 --> 00:19:28,465
♪

490
00:19:28,501 --> 00:19:30,167
Jonny,
nice to meet you.

491
00:19:30,203 --> 00:19:32,937
You know, growing up here
you hear a lot about

492
00:19:33,006 --> 00:19:36,574
Newfoundland hospitality
and, and generosity.

493
00:19:36,643 --> 00:19:39,977
But you also think that
the worst in times

494
00:19:40,013 --> 00:19:41,745
Can bring out the
best in people.

495
00:19:41,814 --> 00:19:45,016
So, is it really
different here?

496
00:19:45,018 --> 00:19:49,486
Is it something next level?
Is it something special?

497
00:19:49,522 --> 00:19:51,622
Absolutely, 100%.

498
00:19:51,757 --> 00:19:53,490
Gander,
during 9/11,

499
00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:55,226
Proved that to the world.

500
00:19:55,228 --> 00:19:59,530
What happened here
is modern legend.

501
00:19:59,532 --> 00:20:02,132
Should you get to look down
from the sky from a plane,

502
00:20:02,202 --> 00:20:04,001
It's plain to see why...

503
00:20:04,003 --> 00:20:07,571
The place is worth and
named after a gander.

504
00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,442
From the early days of
aviation to a musical that

505
00:20:11,577 --> 00:20:13,844
Swept the nation,
makes a person proud

506
00:20:13,846 --> 00:20:15,646
To say they're a
newfoundlander.

507
00:20:15,781 --> 00:20:17,648
I've a few things
in common, I'll say,

508
00:20:17,717 --> 00:20:19,984
With your people who
came from away.

509
00:20:19,986 --> 00:20:22,586
I think I slept on
a legion floor once,

510
00:20:22,655 --> 00:20:25,289
It's a bit of a haze...
But more,

511
00:20:25,425 --> 00:20:28,525
I've come to understand
how people came to

512
00:20:28,561 --> 00:20:30,595
Gander, newfoundland,
and went from

513
00:20:30,730 --> 00:20:34,531
Stranger to friend to family
in just five days.

514
00:20:34,567 --> 00:20:35,866
Thanks for coming out,
everybody!

515
00:20:35,902 --> 00:20:37,168
You've been great!
Amazing!

516
00:20:37,303 --> 00:20:40,237
[cheering & applauding]

517
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,340
My parents thought it
was absolutely amazing.

518
00:20:42,342 --> 00:20:45,542
Ah, I think they felt like
a local celebrity here.

519
00:20:45,578 --> 00:20:46,610
They were quite honoured.

520
00:20:46,613 --> 00:20:48,212
Nothing says newfoundland
like a good laugh.

521
00:20:48,281 --> 00:20:49,480
That's right.

522
00:20:49,549 --> 00:20:50,547
Buddy stopped me in the lobby
of the hotel this morning.

523
00:20:50,617 --> 00:20:53,017
He goes, "hey, you!
Are you on 'cash cab'?"

524
00:20:53,019 --> 00:20:55,686
[laughing]

525
00:20:55,821 --> 00:20:58,089
So you want to do one
lap down and then...?

526
00:20:58,224 --> 00:21:00,223
I'm gonna have a heart
attack if I try to do that.

527
00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:01,558
There's a lifeguard here.

528
00:21:01,594 --> 00:21:03,127
Is there a
defibrillator here?

529
00:21:03,196 --> 00:21:04,829
[laughing]

530
00:21:04,964 --> 00:21:06,998
Jonny, if you ever retire,
we can use another man

531
00:21:07,133 --> 00:21:09,733
At the airport to
park some planes.

532
00:21:09,769 --> 00:21:12,035
Okay, so how do I get
'em to go over there?

533
00:21:12,071 --> 00:21:16,707
♪

534
00:21:16,743 --> 00:21:20,878
♪

535
00:21:21,013 --> 00:21:23,047
I think he wants me to
take him to the hotel.

536
00:21:23,049 --> 00:21:24,849
[laughing]