The Inspiration Option of Flight Delta 15 on 9/11

September 11th, 2001 was a day that forever changed America and the World.  In a matter of minutes, airplanes became weapons and the Twin Towers of New York became graves of more than 2996 innocent people.

Each year, in the few weeks surrounding September 11, new and old stories and documentaries are shared to remind us of the events of that fateful day.  The stories of the people whose lives were changed forever and the lives of those who were lost bring me to tears even 18 years later.  Each year around September 11, I make time to watch at least one documentary and read a couple of stories about 9/11, for two reasons.  One, I don’t want to ever forget the lives of our innocent brothers and sisters who were so unjustly taken that day.  Two, I am inspired by the astonishing acts of camaraderie, courage, survival, heroism and love that transpired that day and the days to follow.

Did you ever wonder about how many “other” airplanes (and people) who weren’t hijacked were in the air on September 11, 2001?

The fact is hundreds of airplanes filled with people suddenly were not allowed to land ANYWHERE in the U.S. because our airspace had been closed.  I had not thought about the other people around the world who were in the air that day until one of my mentors, Kelli Watson, shared this story written by a flight attendant on Delta Flight 15 arriving to LaGuardia, New York from Frankford, Germany September, 11, 2001.

When Delta Flight 15 received the news that U.S. airspace had been closed, they were told to report to the nearest airport.  There are actually very few airports along the North Atlantic and the closest airport was in Gander, Newfoundland, a tiny Canadian town of 10,400 people.  By the end of the day on 9/11/2001, 52 airplanes had been diverted to the Gander, Newfoundland Airport.  In a matter of hours, this little town of 10,400 people found themselves with 10,500 passengers from all over the world to take care of.

The people of Gander and the local communities stepped up to the job.   The passengers of Delta Flight 15 were shuttled to a nearby town called Lewisporte in which all of the large meeting halls and schools were opened for people to stay.  Without reservation, the town provided warm meals for ALL 10,500 displaced passengers.  The people of Gander even took the passengers on excursions and hikes to see the local communities.  All of the passengers from the 52 flights ended up staying in Lewisporte, and other surrounding towns, for at least two days unable to get back to the U.S.

September 13, 2001, two days later, Delta Flight 15 passengers were brought back to their airplane and re-boarded.  Flight attendants and passengers had bonded in a way that usually doesn’t happen during everyday flights.  On that day nobody complained about what they had “missed” while being “stuck” in Canada for two days.

Nobody blamed the airline for time lost at work or vacation time.  In fact, they were so grateful that they had been “stuck” for two days (and not on a hijacked airplane) that as flight attendants and passengers re-boarded their airplane on September 13, there was laughter, camaraderie and lots of sharing of stories from the previous two days.

One of the passengers asked to use the airplane’s microphone and without a second thought the flight attended handed it over.  He announced that he was going to start a trust fund to give back to the town of Lewisporte for their goodwill, and by the end of his announcement he had received $14,000 in donations from other passengers on Delta Flight 15.  Another passenger, a doctor, said he would match all donations.  Today that trust fund started on one of the worst days in American history holds over $1.5 million and has helped 134 students go to college.

There are also countless stories of people lining up outside of Red Cross agencies, (and I mean) 500 people and more lining up at each agency to help. The Red Cross had never experienced anything like this until September 11, 2001.  People filled the streets at Ground Zero, despite the danger to their own lives, not to watch, but to help.  Rescue workers and volunteers didn’t sleep for days to search through the rubble desperately for survivors who they had never met.  I could go on, but the acts of love and camaraderie are too many.

It is easy to get caught up in feeling hate for the 19 hijackers and the other monsters who planned and carried out the attacks on 9/11. However, hate only fuels the evil that those people attempted to add into our world.  Instead, lets chose to focus on the stories of shear courage, camaraderie, love and heroism of 9/11.

The stories and pictures of people helping one another during 9/11, even 18 years later, still brings tears to my eyes.  Triumphant stories of survival and collaboration from people who would have otherwise never known each other, during this horrible event are some of the most powerful stories we can share.  Why? Because these triumphant, courageous stories are bigger than hate.   In fact, stories of hope help to overpower and eliminate hate.  Stories that give us HOPE also remind us that we are on this Earth for bigger reasons than the little problems in our lives that agitate us daily.

Even in the worst times there are always countless opportunities for INSPIRATION and “good.” Inspiration is simply a choice.  So for the month of September we are going to focus on INSPIRATION.

What inspires you?

Who inspires you?

Who can you inspire?

Inspiration can come from huge events like 9/11 or from something as simple as a giggling child or a friendly hug.  Team Mo and I have come up with a GREAT IDEA to honor all of you and for you to inspire the people here who have inspired you by filling out our INSPIRE card and leaving it with us.  We will hang all of the Inspire cards up around the gym to motivate all of us to keep our focus on what we want to create in and attract to our lives.

I am so excited to see all of the inspirations and so proud to post them ALL OVER MO-MENTUM.

Visit Paige today to pick up as many INSPIRE cards as you need, or fill one out every day that you feel inspired by someone this month.

Mo-Tribe, thank you for inspiring me everyday!  I feel so fortunate to get to work with people I love and who inspire me to be better everyday!

Let’s INSPIRE each other like crazy this month!

Xoxo Amanda

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Mittleman

Amanda Mittleman

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