Welles Remy Crowther

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

—John 15:13

Welles Remy Crowther

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

—John 15:13

Welles Remy Crowther

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

—John 15:13

Welles Remy Crowther

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

—John 15:13

Welles Remy Crowther

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

—John 15:13

The Man in the Red Bandanna

Welles Remy Crowther, 24 years old, Boston College, Class of 1999, was an equities trader with Sandler O’Neill and Partners, 2 WTC, 104th floor.
At the age of 16, Welles became a volunteer firefighter and a fully trained member of Empire Hook & Ladder Co., No. 1, Upper Nyack, NY. He always carried a red bandanna in his pants pocket, a habit he learned from his father as a child. It was this signature that ultimately led to his identification as “The Man in the Red Bandanna,” who had been known to save many lives on September 11th. Talk of his actions had begun only a few days after September 11th among workers at Ground Zero who mounted rescue and recovery operations.

Nearly nine months later, two references in a New York Times article to a “mysterious man in a red kerchief”caught the eye of Welles’ mother. She was able to contact eyewitnesses, Judy Wein and Ling Young, who, through photographs, confirmed that Welles was indeed the man with the red bandanna who had saved their lives and many others that day. Making multiple trips between the South Tower’s 78th floor Sky Lobby and clear air at the 61st floor, Welles found, carried and escorted victims down the only stairwell that remained passable after a hijacked Boeing 767, United Airlines Flight #175, struck the South Tower at 9:03 am. When he finally reached the ground floor lobby he remained with members of the FDNY at the Command Center. They lost their lives when the tower collapsed.

Welles was recovered on the 19th of March, 2002 with the incident command center personnel of the FDNY. The Crowther family learned nearly three years later, that the men were on their way back up the South Tower with a Hurst “jaws of life” tool, to free victims trapped under debris, when the building collapsed. On December 15, 2006, Welles was made, posthumously, an honorary member of the FDNY.

The Crowther family established The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust to honor Welles’ memory through scholarships and support of organizations that assist young people in their pursuit of excellence. The work of the trust is made possible through the generosity of others; donations and participation in very special fund-raising events. We hope that you will help us carry on Welles’ legacy.