One hundred days detained

It's been 100 days of silence. One hundred days of absence. One hundred days since three American tourists have been detained in Iran.

Shane Bauer, 27, Josh Fattal, 27, and Sarah Shourd, 31, were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan when they accidentally crossed an unmarked border into Iran; there, they were picked up by the Iranian government.

"They just wanted to see the beautiful waterfalls and mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan," Gallatin senior Samantha Feld said. Feld is a friend of Fattal's and organized the vigil in the park to commemorate the 100th day anniversary of her friend's disappearance.

More than 100 people were present at the vigil, which started with a moment of silence for the hikers, followed by a public reading of a letter from the hikers to their families and friends that was sent through the Swiss consulate.

"For the people who gather at the vigils, we can feel it," Bauer wrote in the letter.

According to Samantha Topping, a spokeswoman for the detainees' families, the Swiss consulate visited the detainees twice and reported that they are in good health.

Although this was good news, families and friends are still anxious for their return.

"It's not even about health concerns. It's that they are imprisoned for an indefinite amount of time," said Kristina Lim, 28, who knows Bauer and Shourd.

Lim said that Bauer and Shourd, who are a couple, are very passionate about other cultures and had been spending a lot of time traveling in the Middle East.

According to Fattal's cousin Margerie Applebaum, 56, Fattal is a photojournalist who comes from a family that raised him to travel.

Applebaum said that the families of the detainees are unified in their fight for the hikers' return. They have talked to Congress and met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"The president of Iran has even promised to encourage the judiciary for maximum leniency," Topping said.

Lisa Ling, former host of "The View," spoke last. Her sister, Laura Ling, and journalist Euna Lee were detained last March when they crossed the North Korean border. They were released this past August.

"I know deeply what the families are going through," Ling said. "Let's keep at it. We're going to get them home soon."

Jenny Tai is a staff writer.