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

8:46 a.m. on Tuesday, 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...