In the chaos of September 11, 2001, a man trapped in the collapsing World Trade Center discovered his life’s calling in the most unlikely of circumstances. Sujo John, an immigrant from India working on the 81st floor of Tower One, would emerge from the rubble with a renewed sense of purpose that continues to impact lives today.
That fateful morning began with an email that would prove eerily prophetic. At 8:05 AM, just minutes before the first plane struck, Sujo wrote to a friend: “something’s happening to me i know there’s a call I’ve got upon my life but I’m not finding any opportunity for ministry.”
Escaping Tower One
When American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower, Sujo heard a deafening explosion and watched as walls around him caved in. He joined thousands of frightened people descending 81 flights of stairs, all while worrying about his pregnant wife Mary, who worked on the 71st floor of the South Tower.
After successfully exiting Tower One, Sujo immediately headed toward the South Tower to search for his wife. Moments later, the ground beneath him shook violently as the South Tower collapsed before his eyes. Believing Mary was inside, he thought he had lost everything.
Finding faith in the dust and debris
As dust and debris rained down, Sujo pressed himself against a wall alongside a group of strangers. Confronting what he believed were his final moments, he thought “Where are these people going without Jesus Christ” and urged them to call out to Jesus.
The strangers joined him in prayer, finding peace together as they faced death. Though they did not survive, Sujo later questioned God about their fate. He felt God’s response: “So they made their peace with me in their dying moments and they’re resting with me in my glory.”
A miraculous rescue
Against all odds, Sujo survived the collapse. Struggling to breathe in the darkness and ash, he encountered another survivor who identified himself as a Christian FBI agent. The two men prayed together and began moving toward the flashing red lights of an ambulance.
Just as they neared safety, the agent released Sujo’s hand and turned back. His final words were “Dude you run ahead i got to go back and get more people.” According to CBN News and Fox News Radio reports, the courageous agent perished while attempting to rescue others.
A wife’s miraculous survival
Later that day, with help from a kind stranger, Sujo was able to access a phone. Mary called him that afternoon, having been convinced he had died. She had thought “This is why he did this life insurance policy he was supposed to go” because Sujo had just signed a life insurance policy the previous Friday. Mary had been running late that morning and never entered her building, sparing her life as well.
A life transformed by tragedy
Sujo now dedicates his life to sharing the gospel and founded YouCanFreeUs, an organization committed to rescuing victims of human trafficking. Having been pulled from the rubble of one of America’s darkest days, he now works to free people from what he calls “the rubble of modern slavery.”
His experience on September 11 revealed that even in humanity’s darkest moments, faith can provide comfort and purpose. The ministry opportunity he sought just minutes before the attack materialized in the most unexpected way, transforming his life’s trajectory forever.
“Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.”
