The Man in the Red Bandana
25 Years of Courage and Legacy
Photo Courtesy of Nightscream- Wikimedia Commons
The story of Welles Crowther, the Man in the Red Bandana, is one that all athletes and sports fans know—not necessarily because it has a direct connection to sports, but because of what it means. It is a story about preparation meeting purpose, composure under pressure, and the kind of leadership that cannot be taught on a field but is often revealed there.
As someone who grew up in New York and has played sports all my life, Welles Crowther’s story and sacrifice have been integral to who I am. Even though it has been 25 years since that fateful day on Sept. 11, 2001, his mark is still left on the world.
Welles Crowther grew up in Upper Nyack, NY, where he served as a volunteer firefighter for the Nyack Fire Department, Empire Hook and Ladder Company #1. Alongside serving his community, Crowther also played ice hockey and lacrosse; he eventually took his athletic career to Boston College, where he played Division I lacrosse.
Through all of his endeavors, Welles always had one thing with him: his red bandana. Even as he was working in the South Tower as an equities trader when the world stopped, Crowther put his bandana around his nose and mouth, and started to put out fires and administer first aid. He led as many as 18 people to safety by guiding them to a functional staircase from the 78th Sky Lobby, carrying the injured on his back.
Judy Wein, one of the survivors whom Crowther led to safety, later recalled the calm authority in his voice. He said, “Everyone who can stand, stand now. If you can help others, do so.”
In total, he made three arduous trips before the tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. In March 2002, Crowther’s body was recovered alongside emergency workers and firefighters in a makeshift command post in the lobby of the South Tower.
Wein’s survivor story helped the Crowther family find closure and a legacy that extended far beyond the walls of the South Tower. In the months that followed, more survivors came forward with similar accounts—a man with a red bandana who appeared out of the smoke, who carried the injured, who refused to leave anyone behind. Their stories pieced together the final hours of Crowther’s life and revealed the full measure of his courage.
The symbol of the red bandana found a home in the sports world, especially at Boston College. Today, his memory is honored in two of the University’s proudest annual traditions: the Welles Crowther Red Bandana 5K and the Red Bandana Game. Each fall, thousands of participants and volunteers gather on campus for the 5K. That same spirit carries onto the very same field Crowther once played on for the Red Bandana Game. Football players wear bandana-patterned gear, fans fill the stands in red, and the game becomes more than just a tradition; it carries forward the values Crowther lived by.
Welles Crowther’s story was given even more attention after ESPN released a video recounting his final hours, bringing visibility to the man behind the red bandana. The feature introduced Crowther’s courage to a new generation of athletes and sports fans, many of whom were and are learning his name for the first time. The video became a powerful reminder for young athletes across the country that the qualities they work to build on the field can matter far beyond the game.
Since the story of the Man in the Red Bandana and his courageous sacrifice in the face of destruction, Welles Crowther remains a name that is etched in history. Even 25 years later, Crowther’s story continues to remind us that true leadership is measured not by moments of glory, but by moments of service and by the courage to act when others cannot.