By Mike Matzinger
Welles Remy Crowther was born on May 17, 1977, in Nyack, New York. From a young age, he was known for his quiet confidence, strong character, and desire to help others, qualities shaped by his family, his community, and his years in Scouting.
Growing up in Upper Nyack, Welles joined Cub Scouts before becoming a member of Boy Scout Troop 2 of Nyack. He loved sports, especially hockey and lacrosse, and at just 16 years old became a junior volunteer firefighter with Empire Hook & Ladder Company No. 1. Service was simply part of who he was.
As a boy, Welles’s father gave him a red bandanna to carry, much like the white handkerchief his father always kept with him. Over time, the bandanna became part of Welles’s identity. He carried it everywhere, whether on the athletic field, at the firehouse, or in everyday life. Years later, that red bandanna would become known around the world.
Welles attended Boston College, where he studied economics and played varsity lacrosse. After graduating in 1999, he accepted a position as an equities trader with Sandler O’Neill on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Even while building a successful career, he never lost his passion for firefighting and public service. His long-term dream was to join the FDNY.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Welles was at work when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. Shortly after the impact, he called his mother and left a calm voicemail telling her he was okay.
Then he went to help others.
Survivors later described a young man wearing a red bandanna moving through smoke and chaos on the damaged 78th-floor sky lobby. He organized survivors, carried injured people to safety, extinguished fires, and repeatedly guided groups toward the only open stairwell. One woman recalled that he carried her down nearly 20 flights of stairs on his back before turning around and heading back up to help more people escape.
Witnesses last saw Welles climbing back upward alongside FDNY firefighters before the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. He was just 24 years old. It is believed he helped save as many as 18 lives that morning.
In the years since, Welles’s story has become a lasting symbol of courage, humility, and selfless service. In 2006, the FDNY named him an Honorary Firefighter, one of the department’s highest recognitions. His red bandanna is displayed at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and Boston College honors him annually through the Red Bandanna Run. The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust and the Red Bandanna Project continue to inspire young people through leadership and service initiatives rooted in the values he lived every day.
Though his life was far too short, Welles Crowther left behind an example that continues to resonate with Scouts, firefighters, students, and Americans across the country. His actions on September 11 reflected the values he learned early in life: to be brave, helpful, loyal, and ready to serve others when it mattered most.
On May 22, 2026, President Donald Trump announced that Welles Crowther would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his heroism during the September 11 attacks. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honor in the United States, a fitting tribute to a young man whose courage and selflessness continue to inspire generations.