Valparaiso's Nathan James Felton was part of history Sunday night.

"I came to D.C. from Valparaiso because I wanted to experience important things happening, and things like this are why I came here," Felton, 19, said Monday of taking part in the spontaneous gathering outside the White House to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden.

"A lot of people come to D.C. to study political science or history, but this was a chance to be part of history," the George Washington University public health student said. "I live four blocks from the White House, and some pretty neat things happen and you can't afford to miss those opportunities."

After hearing the news -- he thinks it was from Twitter -- of bin Laden's death, Felton said he and about 10 other classmates headed to the White House because "it seemed the most natural place to go." About 20 people were there when they arrived, and a policeman asked how many they expected.

"We didn't have an answer. I think I arrived about 10:45 p.m., and I didn't leave until around 1 a.m., and there were still crowds running to the White House. I was holding onto the fence and I could see thousands of people. It was one of the greatest moments of my life so far."

Many in the crowd were students from George Washington and other universities, and Felton said they chanted "Cancel finals" in honor of this being the week of final exams for many. He said people of all ages were there, and he saw someone with a "Bush/Cheney" sign next to someone wearing a "Jesus was a Democrat" T-shirt.

"We were all united for the time we were out there," he said. "Somebody dressed as Spider-Man was climbing the trees and the light poles. I saw Geraldo Rivera. There was general flag-waving and lots of chants of 'USA!' and singing the 'Star-Spangled Banner.' It was really interesting to be a part of that."

Felton and his cadre of classmates had their picture taken holding flags, and it was featured on several major news outlets, but he said he parents were asleep and didn't see it. One classmate called his mother to tell her what was going on, and she asked him why he wasn't studying for finals, he said.

Felton, a freshman, is finished with his finals and was expected home Tuesday. He was in fourth grade when the terrorist attacks occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, and said he has grown up knowing about it.

"Now the generation that experienced when they were younger all the terrible things on Sept. 11, I think this closes that chapter," he said.