The 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the New York World Trade Center once again brought to light the heroic tales that unfolded on the consequential day of September 11, 2001.
One story that continues to inspire everyone to this day is that of Welles Crowther, famously known as “The Man in the Red Bandana.” Welles, who had previously worked as a volunteer firefighter in New York, was a professional equities trader working on the 104th floor of the South Tower on the day of the attacks.
When a hijacked plane hit the South Tower, most people rushed to save themselves, but Welles chose to save others while putting his own life on the line.
After the attack, a large number of people were stuck in the sky lobby of the 78th floor of the South Tower and unable to find their way back to the ground. During such a critical moment, Welles appeared on the scene and guided the stranded people towards the stairway. After helping one group to safety, Welles returned to the sky lobby to save more lives. He made three trips to the lobby before the South Tower collapsed, and Welles disappeared in the wreckage.
His body was found alongside other firefighters and rescue workers nearly six months after the tragic event.
As the dust of the Twin Towers settled, survivors of the terror attacks shared stories from that fateful day, with some recalling a mysterious man in a red bandana who saved their lives.
When Welles’ mother, Alison Crowther, heard these stories, she immediately knew the mysterious man was her son, as he had carried a red bandana with him since childhood.
The bandana that was found with his body in March 2002 is currently on display in the 9/11 museum.
Welles’ father, Jeff Crowther, recalled his son’s heroism in an interview. According to Jeff, Welles became a firefighter when his workplace came under attack and left behind his job as an equity trader.
Although Welles’ parents are proud of their son, his father noted that he would trade all of this pride to get his son back.
In 2019, ESPN made a documentary on Welles’ life, SC Featured, in which his father revealed that Welles once called him to say that he wanted to change his profession from trader to firefighter. His father recalled that Welles once called him and said that he would “go crazy” if he spent the rest of his life sitting in front of a computer to trade stocks.
Welles’ heroic actions that day may have cost him his life, but history will remember him as the epitome of selflessness and a pure-hearted soul who sacrificed himself to protect others.
