Inspired by His Experience on 9/11, Man Launches Kindness Initiative to Give Others a 'Helper's High'

Chris So/Toronto Star via Getty

Kevin Tuerff was flying back to the United States from Europe after a vacation on Sept. 11, 2001. His plane was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, as aircraft bound for America were diverted amid fears of more terrorist attacks

"It took me seven days to get home, finally, and after that, I continued to be blown away thinking of the kindness and compassion of the people on that island," Tuerff tells PEOPLE, recalling that at the time he was a principal of his own Austin, Texas-based environmental communications firm.

More than 7,000 air travelers landed that fateful day in Gander, a town of about 9,000 residents in the Canadian province. They quickly mobilized to help feed, house and even clothe stranded flyers, opening their community to people they didn't even know. Tuerff later wondered if a similar town in Texas would do the same.

"I wasn't sure," he posits. "I like to tell people, if the population of your town nearly doubled in an instant, would you bring people into your home and let them take showers? Total strangers? These people really demonstrated compassion."

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Moved by the kindness he received, Tuerff began a pay-it-forward initiative at his firm, giving his employees money and time away from work to go out and complete random act of goodwill in their community to honor the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. That effort grew and within two years, more businesses, companies and people wanted to join in as participants, receiving the blessing that Tuerff likes to describe as the "helper's high."

Two decades later, Tuerff leads a global initiative, PayItForward911.org, which he says has sprouted kindness efforts — that he knows of to date — in 46 different states and six countries.

This year, on the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks, his group's efforts are expected to exceed even that with hundreds of thousands of people, including Dell Technology employees in 22 countries around the world.

In the U.S., starting on the morning of Sept. 1, volunteers from St. Francis Xavier Catholic parish, Xavier Mission, employees of Gallin & Son and Starbucks will distribute free coffee to random strangers in Manhattan's Union Square. That kickoff will mark an 11-day kindness spree with schools, teachers, students, communities all responding to this year's theme of not only kindness, but creating unity. Tuerff says the current climate of discord across the nation makes the unity message timely.

"We are at the point where we can't argue our way with facts and we need to get people to come back together," he tells PEOPLE. "This is one person at a time, and it isn't going to solve everything, but I have seen the ripple effect in action, how people feel when they do something good for someone else, and I think we need that right now."

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Matthew Murphy

Tuerff, who now lives in the New York City area, has traveled back to Gander to speak about his kindness platform.

It got a giant boost in 2017 with the opening of the Broadway play, Come From Away. The musical tells the stories of the stranded passengers on a plane in Gander. The character of Kevin T is even based on Tuerff himself.

As the show has evolved over the years and spawned productions around the world — including Australia, London and Toronto (it closes on Broadway Oct. 2) — the cast and crews have gotten involved after Tueff asked the producers to continue his tradition. "The growth of our effort can be tied to the expansion of this story," Tuerff says, amazed by the movement that it has become. "I'm so proud and grateful for all of the people I've never met who do this."

Some will donate blood. Others will register as organ donors. Some will buy coffee or food for the person in line at a coffee shop or restaurant. Or even pay for someone's tank of gas.

One woman in Massachusetts, Tuerff says, has pledged to knit 100 winter caps for children with cancer. A Tennessee school plans to create a large American flag using red, white and blue stars that carry messages penned by students about the good deeds they will do on Sept. 11.

"We're teaching a young generation about the importance of kindness and showing that to strangers," says Tuerff, adding that these young people were not born when the terrorist attacks occurred and may not fully understand the day's significance.

Chris So/Toronto Star via Getty

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Tuerff, who remains an ambassador for small acts of good, plans to return to Gander later this year. Come From Away will be performed there again for residents, staged at a hockey rink.

"I'm thrilled to go back and say 'See what you all did!' You've inspired people across the world to be like Gander" – a place that paused in a terrible moment of tragedy to show that kindness could never be taken away. And whose ripple continues in the world.

For more information, visit PayItForward911.org.