Kindness After 911 | San Antonio News

0:00It's September 11th. This is San Antonio News today, your AI-powered local news. On September 11th, 9-year-old Matt Bochi was at his New Jersey Elementary School when news broke about the World Trade Center attacks. He and his younger brother were sent to a separate room, a strange move that hinted at the gravity of the situation. Their father worked on the 105th floor of the North Tower, and while initially told he was okay, the reality of the unfolding tragedy would soon become clear. As Matt watched classmates being picked up early, he began to question why his own mother wasn't there. He later understood that she was trying to shield him and his brothers from a harsh truth for as long as possible. Arriving home that afternoon, the horrific images of the towers collapsing and people falling, played out on television, solidifying the devastating reality. Meanwhile, on a flight from Dublin to New York, four and a half-year-old Connor Ferry and his grandparents were informed of an incident in New York. According to an emergency landing in Gander, Newfoundland, stranded, they were met with

1:04incredible kindness from the local community, who provided shelter, food, and even entertainment, like motorcycle rides, to sea moose. This outpouring of generosity in Gander directly inspired the Broadway musical Come From Away. For Connor Ferry, it was a life-changing experience that led him to co-found Paid Forward 9-11, an organization dedicated to performing acts of kindness on each anniversary of the attacks. He and others recently returned to Gander to commemorate the victims. Ferry emphasizes the importance of remembering 9-11 not just for its historical significance, but also to highlight how communities came together in the aftermath. He urges everyone to keep the memory of the victims alive through compassion and generosity, a lesson he learned first-hand from the people of Gander.