The Man in the Red Bandana: The Heroism of Welles Remy Crowther
His mother thought his final words were simply, “I’m okay”.
Welles Crowther was never preparing to become a world-renowned hero. He was simply preparing to build a normal, fulfilling life. Yet when terror struck on September 11, 2001, his instinctive courage transformed him into one of the most unforgettable symbols of selflessness in human history.
Early Life and the Origin of the Red Bandana
Born on May 17, 1977, in Nyack, New York, Welles Remy Crowther was the eldest of three children born to Jefferson and Alison Crowther.
When Welles was just six years old, he watched his father get ready for church.
That red handkerchief quickly became Welles’s signature motif. He tucked it into his pockets, wore it beneath his sports helmets, and carried it through childhood into young adulthood. Nobody could have imagined that this humble piece of cloth—a father’s simple gift to his young boy—would one day shine as a beacon of hope amid the ash and chaos of America’s darkest day.
WELLES REMY CROWTHER (1977–2001)
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Childhood Gift Volunteer Service Wall Street & Beyond
Age 6: Receives Age 16: Joins FDNY Graduates BC (1999);
Red Bandana from Empire Hook & Ladder Equities Trader at
Jefferson Crowther Co. in Nyack, NY Sandler O'Neill (104th Fl.)
A Dual Identity: Stockbroker and Firefighter
At sixteen, Welles joined the Empire Hook and Ladder Company in Nyack, becoming a junior volunteer firefighter.
As he grew older, academic and career aspirations directed him toward business. He attended Boston College, played Division I varsity lacrosse, and graduated with honors in economics in 1999. Shortly after, he secured a position as an equities trader for Sandler O’Neill & Partners, working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
Every morning, Welles dressed in tailored business clothes and took his place high above the Manhattan skyline. Yet, beneath the suit of a Wall Street trader, the soul of a volunteer firefighter remained unchanged.
The Morning of September 11, 2001
On the clear Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175 sliced through the South Tower of the World Trade Center between the 77th and 85th floors at 9:03 a.m..