Additional Coverage:
- Heartbreaking final call of 9/11 hero Man in Red Bandana to his mom before tower fell (themirror.com)
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump announced that Welles Remy Crowther would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his heroic actions during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Crowther, who was 24 at the time, saved 18 people in the South Tower of the World Trade Center after United Airlines Flight 175 struck the building.
Crowther worked as an equities trader on the 104th floor of the South Tower. Just 17 minutes after American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower, Flight 175 impacted Crowther’s building.
At 9:12 a.m., he called his mother to let her know he was okay. Tragically, he perished in the tower’s collapse less than an hour later, and his remains were recovered in March 2002.
His family was initially unaware of the full extent of his bravery.
In 2015, Matthew Weiss, a traffic lawyer, learned about Crowther’s story through a chance meeting with Jefferson Crowther, Welles’ father. Inspired by the story, Weiss, who had no prior filmmaking experience, was determined to share Welles’ heroism with the world. With permission from the Crowther family, Weiss produced the 2017 documentary Man in Red Bandana, which chronicles Crowther’s actions on 9/11 and features interviews with survivors and family members.
Welles had been known for carrying a red bandana since childhood-a gift from his father. Survivors identified him by this distinctive bandana, which he used as a mask to protect himself from smoke and debris. His courageous selflessness became closely associated with this simple piece of fabric, providing his family some comfort amid their grief.
Through survivor accounts and investigative reporting, it was revealed that after his last call home, Welles encountered injured people on the 78th-floor sky lobby. He carried a woman on his back, guided survivors to the only usable stairway, and led them down 17 floors.
He then returned upstairs multiple times to assist others, offering first aid and extinguishing small fires. He was last seen aiding firefighters before the tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m.
President Trump’s announcement of the Medal of Freedom came just days after what would have been Welles’ 49th birthday. Trump praised Crowther’s bravery and the exemplary way he saved lives, calling him a legend. Over the years, Welles has been honored in numerous ways, including the annual Welles Remy Crowther Red Bandana Run and a posthumous honorary firefighter title awarded by New York City in 2006.
Alison Crowther, Welles’ mother, reflected on her son’s enduring legacy at a rally with the President, emphasizing how his courage and humanity continue to inspire even 25 years later. The Presidential Medal of Freedom stands as the highest civilian honor in the United States, recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation and the world-an honor richly deserved by Welles Remy Crowther.