Darin Kinder: Discovering God’s Purpose in the Aftermath of 9/11

By Dr. Tim Smith, Director of Adult Ministries

September 11, 2001, is a day that changed everything. All of us can remember where we were when we heard the news. At 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower with a horrific explosion, causing debris to fall to the ground. In shock and disbelief, we were then informed that United Airlines Flight 175 had crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. It was a day that stunned America, who once considered herself invulnerable. It was unthinkable that we would be attacked. Now the war on terror, previously limited to overseas, had come home.

Under the intense heat of the burning jet fuel, the South Tower’s steel girders started to fail and soon began to snap, sounding like a machine gun firing round after round. The South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. As grey ash descended and permeated every crevice of the streets, it became like nighttime. The North Tower soon followed and collapsed at 10:25 a.m. and again followed by more ash and darkness as evil enveloped everything.

We were frightened, almost paralyzed by fear, as our country was sent into disbelief and mourning. Two thousand nine hundred seventy-seven people died in the Twin Towers. In addition, another 184 people lost their lives at the Pentagon.

On that day, Secret Service Agent Darin Kinder, who was 27 years old at the time, had just finished his workout in the World Trade Center Building 7 and was changing clothes when he heard the news. He hurriedly threw everything on and ran out of the building and into the chaos and confusion of the disaster. He was in such a rush, he forgot his gun. Darin was near the base of the South Tower when it collapsed. What followed was a harrowing fight for survival and helping others survive as well—one filled with courage, sacrifice, and purpose.

Without a doubt, Darin knows God saved him on 9/11. But as a result of his experience that day, a different kind of war began in his soul: a war of purpose lost. Over the next 10 years, Darin wrestled with his experience on 9/11 and even more so with God’s calling on his life. He knew God saved him that terrible day. But why? Darin begged God for his “marching orders,” but for years he only heard silence in return. Kinder’s journey wasn’t easy. For years, he grappled with the trauma of 9/11, hesitant to share his story due to the weight of his memories. “I struggled mightily,” he admitted. “It haunted me.” Throughout this period, he searched the scriptures and found himself clinging to Psalm 27:1,

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" and John 16:33, “I have said this to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution, but take courage: I have conquered the world!”

It wasn’t until the 10th anniversary, encouraged by trusted confidants, that Darin began sharing his story, and in doing so, he started to find healing in sharing. It was then that the real restorative work of God began in his life as he channeled his pain into purpose. After years of prayer, study, and revelation from God, Darin is finally fulfilling his God-given mission, one small step at a time. His mission? To boldly speak about the love of Christ and His saving grace. To share his story and inspire and equip men and women to live godly lives of integrity, courage, and compassion. From the darkness of 9/11, Darin experienced and now proclaims the light of Christ.

As our nation remembers the 25th anniversary of 9/11, all are invited, men and women, to hear Darin Kinder in the new Saint Michael North Parish Hall on Wednesday, September 16 at 7:30 a.m.. Breakfast will be served. The cost is $20. Darin will share his eyewitness account of 9/11, his journey after and his heartfelt exploration of what it means to discover God’s purpose for your life. He will share how to live with unwavering resolve, no matter what you have experienced. You will be challenged to consider your own purpose, your own “why,” and to rise up, stand firm, and live for something bigger than yourself. Please join us!

**This article was written by Dr. Tim Smith and was featured in the 2026 Fall Archangel.