11/09/2026
Today, the world remembers September 11th, 2001, the day that changed so much, for so many.
But Come From Away taught me to think about September 12th too.
The day after.
The day when the shock was still raw, the skies were silent and thousands of people found themselves stranded far from home, frightened and unsure of what would happen next.
And in a small corner of Newfoundland, ordinary people simply opened their doors.
They offered beds.
Food.
Clothes.
Phones to call home.
A cup of tea.
A listening ear.
A hand to hold.
They didn’t know the people arriving on their doorstep. They didn’t know their religion, politics, nationality or story.
They just knew that they needed help.
A year ago, I had the privilege of photographing St Agnes’ production of Come From Away at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Through my lens I watched this remarkable story unfold, a story born from one of the darkest days in modern history, but one that somehow manages to be about light.
As a photographer, I’m always looking for moments, the small gestures and expressions that tell the bigger story. Photographing Come From Away reminded me that sometimes the biggest stories are actually made up of thousands of very small acts of kindness.
September 11th showed us how quickly the world can change.
September 12th showed us how people can respond.
Twenty-five years later, in a world that can still feel frighteningly divided, perhaps that part of the story is worth remembering more than ever.
When people were afraid, strangers became neighbours.
When the world felt dark, people chose kindness.
And when thousands of people suddenly had nowhere to go, someone simply said: You’re welcome here.
Remembering all those whose lives were lost and forever changed and remembering the extraordinary humanity that followed. ❤️
