Tom Brokaw, shown April 13 in Austin, Tex., was doing interviews in Gander, N.L. on Thursday. (Associated Press)

NBC newsman Tom Brokaw was in Gander on Thursday, investigating a story that's now old news — the role residents of the Newfoundland town played during the Sept. 11 attacks.

When air traffic was shut down on Sept. 11, 2001, dozens of planes landed in the town — so many that there were too few hotel rooms for the passengers. The people of Gander readily opened their doors.

"Every passenger that we've talked to will remember this experience for the rest of their lives, and they feel like Gander's a second home," said Brokaw, who is making an NBC special on the 2001 story.

"They had people come up and say 'That's my house, it's open and there's lots of towels in the bathroom, you can go take a shower, I won't be home, but it's fine. And by the way, the fridge is full.' People who live in Atlanta or live in New York or in Houston, they're not used to that kind of trust, and they carried that away with them as well."

Pre-Olympics special

Brokaw has interviewed dozens of passengers about the impact of that day on their lives for the special, to air just ahead of the 2010 Olympic Games. Brokaw said NBC likes to tell an uplifting story about the relations between the U.S. and the host country of each Olympics.

"Well you know, we've got the Olympics coming up in Vancouver next year, and we always look for a story that reflects the country we're in, and when we were scouting around this seemed to be the best story about the ties between the U.S. and Canada," he said.

"I knew it was a good story before I got here, but once I got here I realized just how rich it really is. It's a great tribute to the people of this area, and I think it had a lasting impact on all the passengers."

NBC crews have been shooting in Gambo and Gander this summer, and Brokaw interviewed Gander Mayor Claude Elliott on Thursday.

Elliott has told the story to dozens of reporters, but meeting Brokaw was special, he said.

"It's just that he's an icon, and it's always a pleasure to meet him, but I'm hoping he's considering it a pleasure to meet me too, you know, so we'll both probably be a little bit nervous." Elliott said.

Brokaw was impressed with Elliott's take on the events.

"What I love to hear from a politician in this day and age is 'We don't take extra credit for this — this is what we are and this is what we would do again,'" Brokaw said.