all Americans are New Yorkers...

where were you when it happened?

what were you doing when the world came crumbling around?

I was a junior at Purdue. I just gotten back from my 7:30am class (we got out a little early). I was getting ready to hop in the shower when I got an AOL instant message from my buddy Jack. All it said was "turn on your TV." I replied, "what channel?" Jack said, "It doesn't matter."

he was right.

I turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane hit.

I felt like I was watching a movie.

This can't be happening. This can't be real.

This is America. Who would do this?

I called my sister. I couldn't get a hold of her. She had broken her leg the week before (on my 20th birthday) and I knew she was hobbling around campus somewhere.

I called my mom. I couldn't get a hold of her. She worked in the Federal Building at that time. I was instantly worried. No one knew what was happening. The media was just as confused as anyone. I knew Federal Buildings were a target (think Oklahoma City). I couldn't reach my mom. Panic was sinking in.

I called my dad. I couldn't get a hold of him. Dad had left the week before (also on my 20th birthday) for a job in Canada. He's also a Fed. He was doing government work. I couldn't reach him. Where the heck was my family?

I remember not wanting to leave my TV. At this point, people from my hall had gathered in my room. We were completely mesmorized. It felt like a bad dream. I remember writing down the date in my planner...I didn't want to forget what had happened....like I could.

Finally got a hold of Burgess. I went to pick her up. We decided to get our gas tanks filled up, just in case the worst happened. We beat the crowds and got both cars topped off.

We felt completely helpless. We wanted to help. I remember us driving around campus. American flags were flying everywhere. Everyone walked around in a complete daze.

Mobile blood banks had been set up. We tried to give blood.

We wanted to help. We wanted to do what we could do.

Finally heard from Mom. Her building went on lock-down as soon as the first plane hit the towers. She went home and was watching TV too, waiting to hear from Dad. She told us to get gas. She told us to get a couple hundred dollars in cash out. She told us that home was home base. If anything happened, do whatever we could to get home.

Finally heard from Dad. They went on lock-down too. Planes were being diverted to Canada. They closed the borders. Dad couldn't get home if he wanted to. Contingency plans were being made just in case. In case the worst happened.

The night, Burgess and I went to a prayer service at church. We felt so helpless, but we knew the one thing we could do was pray. Pray. Pray and fly our flags high.

I've never been prouder to be an American than I was on September 11, 2001 and the days and weeks that followed.

I've never been as thankful for my freedom as I was on September 11, 2001 and the days and weeks that followed.

where were you when it happened?

"The planes were hijacked, the buildings fell, and thousands of lives were lost nearly a thousand miles from here. But the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were an attack on the heart of America. And standing here in the heartland of America, we say in one voice:

We will not give in to terrorists.

We will not rest until they are found and defeated.

We will this struggle: not for glory, nor wealth, nor power, but for justice, for freedom and for peace.

So help us God."

-Tom Harkin


God. Bless. America!