A young Broadway fan stood at a booth at BroadwayCon’s Marketplace, looking over information about the Pay It Forward 9/11 initiative.
Kevin Tuerff asks her if she’s familiar with the musical “Come From Away.”
She said yes.
He then asked if she’s familiar with the character Kevin T., one of the many “plane people” depicted in the musical who were stranded when the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, diverted flights bound for America to the small airport in Gander, Newfoundland, in Canada.
Again, she says yes.
“That’s me,” he said. “I’m the real Kevin T.”
Tuerff has had this conversation hundreds of times since the musical debuted in 2017.
But long before that, on Sept. 11, 2002, he launched what would become Pay It Forward Sept. 11, giving his employees in Texas $100 to go out into the community and do good deeds for others.
It was his way of repaying the kindness shown to him by the folks in Gander, and honor the lives lost in the terrorist attacks. He’s also written a book, “Channel of Peace,” and speaks around the globe.
An oasis of kindness on 9/11:This town welcomed 6,700 strangers amid terror attacks
Since its small beginnings, the initiative has grown, now spanning the world — largely tied to “Come From Away” and its casts and creative teams adopting the traditions of giving back.
And now, as the projects marks its 20th anniversary, Tuerff has set the goal of 21,000 good deeds done for strangers.
Tuerff wears a bracelet with the word “Unity” on it.
“I like to say in a time before hashtags, and back in 2002 when we started, the words ‘United We Stand’ were, in fact, prevalent across the world,” he said. “And now we’re in a country, in a world, which is the complete opposite of that. And so our belief is that one way we can try to break through the silos, whether they be political or racial or ethnic or religious, is through doing random acts of kindness to strangers, and that we can begin to move back in that direction.”
Tuerff stressed that doing good deeds doesn’t need to cost a lot.
“For example, writing a letter to thank people who are first responders or members of the military. Simple gestures like letting someone cut in front of you in traffic, or opening a door for a stranger,” he said.
With the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 marked last year, Tuerff said there now are “drastically declining” remembrances and acts of service, and perhaps a decreasing amount of attention paid to the events and the aftermath.
“We would argue that that’s not a reason to forget that this is a National Day of Service in America,” Tuerff said.
Partnering with “Come From Away” and inspiring good deeds on a larger scale has been “mind-blowing,” he added.
“Without the musical, this effort probably would have just faded away,” Tuerff said. “They continue to have sponsored us. They promote it to the fans, and then they actually continue the tradition as well. They give out $100 bills to the cast and crew and band, and they go do good deeds. And they talk about it at the theaters around the world (where ‘Come From Away’ plays).”
He hopes the impacts are as far-reaching.
“It’s been wonderful to see people kind of have the same impact I had when I was stranded,” Tuerff said. When I came back to Texas (in 2001), I wondered ‘Would we do the same? Would a small town of 9,000 people take in 7,000 people from 90 countries and give them food, clothing, shelter and information?’ “
By spreading kindness across the globe, he hopes that answer is “yes.”
To participate in this year’s project, visit payitforward911.org, and pledge to do three good deeds. You can see a map of where other deeds have been pledged, find ideas, and learn more about the organization and its efforts.
“Come From Away” plays its final Broadway performance on Sunday, Oct. 2. For tickets and more information, visit comefromaway.com.
Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. She highlights arts advocacy and education, theater fundraisers and more through her column, “Sightlines.” Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com
