The gift shop in the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander, Newfoundland, sells a T-shirt emblazoned with the numbers nine and 11. The ones evoke the twin towers of the World Trade Center and are shaded in with flags: one American, one Canadian. Below is written 'Beyond Words,' and below that 'Gander - Canada.'

When the airspace over the United States was shut down on 9/11, 38 passenger planes landed in Gander, nearly doubling the town's population. Residents rallied to house and feed close to 7,000 stranded passengers over the following days in an inspiring show of unconditional generosity. The tale was turned into a Tony Award-winning musical, 'Come From Away.'

Today, tensions have shifted. Prime Minister Mark Carney pulled out of tariff negotiations with the United States, calling it a 'war' after being attacked. President Trump's trade war has produced headlines of Canadian rage, contrasting with Canada's reputation for being nice. In Gander, locals report encountering 'apologizing Americans' instead of the welcomed visitors of 21 years ago.

Gander sits some 1,100 miles northeast of New York City in the northeastern part of Newfoundland, which occupies its own time zone. Once the largest airport in the world, it now has only about five daily flights. The town commemorates Sept. 11 annually, with this year marking the 25th anniversary and featuring local schoolchildren in the 'Come From Away' production.