George Harris' day started in panic. When he heard of the terrorist attacks in New York he quickly started dialing his daughter, Kate and brother, Roy, both of whom live in New York City. His daughter, who was at work, finally got through to let him know she was OK.

George Harris' day started in panic.

When he heard of the terrorist attacks in New York he quickly started dialing his daughter, Kate and brother, Roy, both of whom live in New York City. His daughter, who was at work, finally got through to let him know she was OK.

But an hour later, Harris was still glued to the TV screen while he ordered lunch at Hooligan's in downtown Tuscaloosa.

"I've had a hundred phone calls this morning. I just wanted to know she was OK," he said. "I'm just numb."

Similarly, around town and in local businesses, people were riveted to TVs and radios.

At Universal Travel downtown, travel agent Donna Lake, who cried when she first heard the news of the attacks, took a frantic phone call from someone who wanted to be sure their family wasn't on one of the planes that had crashed.

The first thing Lake did this morning was to search computers, but none of her clients were on those planes.

"Thank goodness," she said. "They are in Salt Lake City," Lake told the caller.

At the University of Alabama, students huddled in hushed clusters around TV sets. Freshman Nicholas Thomas watched the World Trade Center collapse as he shook his head in disbelief. Thomas sported a T-shirt that read, "Celebration, gratitude, courage, good times, unity, strength, fellowship, spirit."

And while some classes were cancelled at UA, the school remained open, said Cheree Causey, UA assistant dean of students as students camped outside her door, some watching TV, others waiting to speak to counselors.

Coach Dennis Franchione did cancel his weekly press conference, and the UA women's volleyball team canceled its match.

Sophomore William Warner watched the events unfold on a TV at the Ferguson Center at UA, alongside other students brought together by the tragedy.

"To see planes just falling out of the sky, and the fact that the Pentagon is under attack is crazy," Warner said. "As Americans we're supposed to be strong, but obviously anything can happen."

Reach Meredith Cummings at meredith.cummings@tuscaloosanews.com or 345-0505, Ext. 360.