‘Welcome to the Rock’ - Gander Resident and Come From Away ‘original’; Oz Fudge
In September 2001, Oz Fudge was one of two town constables in Gander. While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the so-called “Mounties”) handled major criminal investigations, Fudge handled community-oriented enforcement, including traffic tickets, public disorderliness and the like.
He was on duty monitoring speedsters in the school zone when he was alerted to the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. Seemingly another country away, the trauma of the event was soon to arrive on his doorstep, as the air space was to ordered to clear immediately and all planes were instructed to land as soon as possible. This directive saw the town of Gander welcome 37 passenger aircraft, carrying 7000 passengers; world citizens who required a ‘home base’ until safety could be guaranteed. These passengers had ‘come from away’.
The response, care and generosity that ensued over the following week has come to illustrate the tremendous resilience and kindness of humanity.
The community of Gander and the visitors in that week have become celebrated in the musical Come From Away. A joyous celebration of community and the human spirit to overcome any challenging event. It is immensely relatable and has never failed to elicit joy and confirm faith in the goodness of humanity.
Oz Fudge has now joined the ranks of Harold Hill, Tevye and Danny Zuko, in becoming a character in a Broadway musical. But it is as a result of being a fascinating part, of a story that changed the world.
Oz was recently in Sydney where we caught up and he keenly shared his experience of that week whilst heralding the brilliance of the musical Come From Away, which is now on tour around Australia and New Zealand.
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