I was in Long Island, New York at the time, just 1 hour away from New York City. I was 8 years old then, in my gym class. As soon as class started at 8:40, 5 minutes later we were asked to evacuate the school. That’s when the principal announced the news. But as confused I was as a child, I thought it was a fire at a nearby building. But as soon as I arrived home, I saw that every channel was showing the recordings of the plane crashing into the towers repeatedly. I was shocked and at the same time surprised of what I saw… And ever since then I will never forget that day, and I am very loyal and patriotic towards the fellow citizens that died on that day.