The Man in the Red Bandana: The Untold Story of Welles Crowther

  SOUTH TOWER (2 WTC) - DISASTER CHRONOLOGY (SEPTEMBER 11, 2001)
  ========================================================================
03 AM ── Flight 175 strikes floors 77–85
12 AM ── Welles leaves voicemail for his mother: "Mom, I'm okay"
15 AM ── Reaches 78th Floor Sky Lobby; locates Stairwell A
25 AM ── Trip 1: Carries Ling Young & leads group down 17 floors
40 AM ── Trip 2: Returns upstairs, rescues Judy Wein & others
50 AM ── Trip 3: Ascends back up with FDNY first responders
59 AM ── South Tower collapses; Welles perishes in lobby area

At 9:12 a.m., nine minutes after the strike, Welles reached his mother’s voicemail and left a brief message:

“Mom, this is Welles. I wanted you to know that I’m okay.”

Those were the final recorded words Alison Crowther would ever hear in her son’s voice. But Welles was far from safe. Instead of using his remaining time solely to escape, he turned his attention to those trapped around him.

The 78th Floor Sky Lobby Rescue

Welles navigated down through smoke and devastation to the 78th-floor sky lobby—a key elevator transfer hub crowded with people waiting to evacuate when the plane struck. The area was decimated, filled with jet fuel flames, severe injuries, and dense black smoke.

Out of the chaos stepped a young man wearing a white shirt, his face covered by a red bandana tied across his mouth and nose to filter the heavy smoke.

                                SKY LOBBY RECOVERY 
                                 (78th Floor WTC 2)
                                         │
                    ┌────────────────────┴────────────────────┐
                    ▼                                         ▼
         First Descent (Trip 1)                    Second Descent (Trip 2)
  • Discovered open Stairwell A             • Administered CPR / First Aid
  • Carried injured woman on back           • Directed: "Everyone who can
  • Guided Ling Young & survivors             stand, stand now!"
  • Navigated 17 floors down to safety      • Led Judy Wein & others down

Welles discovered an intact stairwell (Stairwell A) and immediately took command of the room. He called out in a calm, authoritative voice, instructing everyone who could stand to get up and help those who were injured.

Among the survivors was Ling Young, an employee of New York's Department of Taxation and Finance who had suffered severe burns. Welles lifted another severely burned woman onto his back and carried her down 17 flights of stairs, leading Young and a group of walking wounded to relative safety on the 61st floor.

Upon reaching safety, Welles did not keep descending toward the street. He put the woman down, turned around, and ran back up into the burning structure.

Returning to the 78th floor, Welles encountered a second cluster of survivors, including Judy Wein, an employee of AON Corporation who was suffering from a broken arm, cracked ribs, and a punctured lung. Welles put out small fires, administered basic first aid, and delivered his rallying call:

“Everyone who can stand, stand now. If you can help others, do so.”

He guided this second group down to safety, then turned around to make a third ascent. He was last seen heading back up the stairs alongside FDNY firefighters.

The Man in the Red Bandana: The Untold Story of Welles Crowther

The 78th Floor Sky Lobby Rescue

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