Opinion

I witnessed the horror of 9/11 firsthand. Here's what I learned about God, courage and life

I saw the horror unfold up close while working at Merrill Lynch on the top floor of the World Financial Center, adjacent to the World Trade Center

By Nicole Parker Fox News

Published September 11, 2026 9:00am EDT

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Father Brian Jordan reflects on 9/11 anniversary 25 years later

Father Brian Jordan joins Dana Perino to reflect on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He discusses his experience as a chaplain at Ground Zero and the importance of teaching younger generations about that day.

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Tuesday, 8:46 a.m., September 11, 2001, changed my life — and the lives of millions of others — forever. Nineteen hijackers from the terrorist organization al Qaeda carried out the devil’s work, resulting in the murder of 2,977 innocent souls who were never able to fulfill the measure of their creation. I witnessed the horror unfold up close while working at Merrill Lynch on the top floor of the World Financial Center, adjacent to the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City.

When I heard the loudest explosion, I rushed to the window and saw a gaping hole, chunks of the silver metallic building falling like confetti, massive flames and black smoke billowing from the North Tower (1 WTC). I could not process what I was seeing. I had walked through 1 WTC only an hour earlier. My first thought was: "People are dying up there." My heart was crushed as the terror continued.

After I watched the second plane slam into the South Tower (2 WTC), I knew we were under attack. I frantically escaped my building. Amid the pandemonium, a sobering question came to mind. For a moment, time stood still, and I asked myself: If I were to die today, am I prepared to meet my Maker? Am I ready to die?

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