Darin Kinder was in New York City during the September 11, 2001, attack, and by the end of that morning, the former U.S. Secret Service agent says he had escaped death three separate times. Twenty-five years later, Kinder is sharing his survival story publicly, describing a day that reshaped the rest of his life.
Kinder was a Secret Service agent in New York City at the time of the September 11 attack, according to FOX 13 Seattle. The Secret Service's New York Field Office occupied floors 9 and 10 of 7 World Trade Center, a building that was severely damaged by falling debris and collapsed later that same afternoon, according to the U.S. Secret Service. The agency identifies Master Special Officer Craig J. Miller as a fallen employee.
Kinder went on to serve 25 years in federal law enforcement, protecting five U.S. presidents across 43 countries, according to LIFE Today. For his actions at Ground Zero, he was awarded the Secret Service Medal of Valor, as detailed on the Combat Story Podcast.
The Human Toll at the World Trade Center
The scale of what Kinder survived becomes clearer against the North Tower's grim numbers. The attack killed people in 1 World Trade Center, including people above the impact zone, while people below the impact zone also made it out alive.
Kinder's account describes the dangers he faced that morning.
Law Enforcement's Heavy Toll in Lower Manhattan
Kinder was one of many law-enforcement officers working amid the chaos that day, and not all of them made it out. Those losses came alongside 344 members of the New York City Fire Department and New York Fire Patrol, as multiple agencies worked together under chaotic conditions to evacuate the area.
From Ground Zero to the Speaking Circuit
After leaving federal service, Kinder authored the memoir “Bury Me in a Dirty Suit: Discovering Man's Valiant Purpose in the Aftermath of 9/11” and founded Fierce Faith, an organization focused on faith and Valiant Purpose, according to his personal website. The memoir addresses courage, purpose, and stepping into difficult situations, themes that now anchor his talks about that day.
A Health Crisis Still Unfolding 25 Years Later
For survivors like Kinder, September 11 didn't end when the dust settled.
The aftermath of Ground Zero remains part of survivors' stories decades later.
That ongoing aftermath continues to be part of the stories of Ground Zero responders and survivors.
For Kinder, telling his story now, a quarter-century after the towers fell, is part of his effort to share what happened that day.
