. >> reporter: lazzaro got to shake his hand. do you remember that moment? >> yes, i do very vivid. i remember sticking my hand out and he looked at me and shook my hand briefly. >> reporter: the press was there, too. ann compton was in the room for abc news. >> everything was so relaxed. this was not a big pressure event. the kids were kind of bewildered by all the fuss around them. >> reporter: what few people in the room knew was that a plane had crashed into the world trade center. for now, the event at the school continued. >> and we were following our normal pattern of reading and the pettoat just happened to be the next story. >> reporter: the pet goat. it was while they were picking their books up that someone came in the room. >> yeah, it was like a transition time. >> the minute i saw andy card walk into that classroom, leaea over and whisper to the president, i knew something was direly wrong. nobody interrupted the president. not even in front of a classroom of second graders. >> reporter: what did you see on the president's face? >> he looked anxious. he was looking at