O’FALLON, Mo. - Emil Hector, owner of Resilient Boxing in O’Fallon, Missouri, was bullied as a kid. 

His dad taught him boxing.

“It gave me a huge boost of confidence,” said Hector.

He also credits his faith for turning his life around. Hector now holds a regular boxing class called “Faith Over Fear.”

“We use boxing and faith to help kids and adults find the best version of who they are,” he said.

On Thursday, the class stopped to read from the Bible, pray for unity, and reflect on the recent assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

“This is a great place to learn about the love Jesus has for them and how to be empowered by boxing,” said Hector.

“We have to come together as a country,” said Lubna Hector, Emil’s mother and a trainer at Resilient Boxing.

On the 24th anniversary of 9/11, Hector recalls how united the country was in the days following the deadliest attack on U.S. soil.

“We were human, and we came together,” Hector said. “Where is that right now?”