When Kevin Tuerff and his partner flew from France to New York City on September 11th in 2001, they had no idea that the world—and their lives—would change forever.

When US airspace closed after the terrorist attacks, Kevin, who was experiencing doubts about organized religion, found himself in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada with thousands of other refugees or “come from aways.”

Yet, when all seemed dark, the people of Gander rallied and the “plane people” experienced boundless acts of generosity. Channel of Peace tells the story of how Gander’s compassion, then and now, has ignited a spirit of kindness that renewed Kevin’s spirituality and has inspired an annual and growing “giving back” day.

Kevin Tuerff is social entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in marketing communications. He has founded a college radio station, a national recycling awareness day, an international kindness initiative, and a certified B Corporation environmental marketing company. He is passionate about finding solutions for climate change and refugees. Tuerff was also honored when his story was included in the Broadway musical, Come From Away.