WHITE HOUSE, D.C.- Welles Crowther, a Boston College alumnus remembered as the “Man in the Red Bandana” for his actions during the September 11, 2001, attacks, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Donald Trump on September 8.
Crowther was 24 years old and working as an equities trader when the South Tower was struck. The White House said people trapped on the 78th floor were injured and surrounded by smoke when a rescuer appeared, later remembered as the “Man in the Red Bandana.”
Crowther was a member of the Boston College Class of 1999. Boston College said he was working in the South Tower and became known by the nickname because of the red handkerchief he wore as a protective mask while helping survivors down the building’s stairwells.
At the September 8 White House ceremony, Crowther’s mother, Alison, and sister, Paige, accepted the medal on his behalf.
“This means the world to me, my daughters, Paige and Honor, and our entire family. This will be treasured for generations to come,” Alison Crowther said, according to the White House.
The White House ceremony was held as part of an event honoring Americans who responded to the September 11 attacks. A 21-foot steel beam from the South Tower wreckage was also present at the event as part of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Steel Across America tour, according to the White House.
Boston College continues to honor Crowther through its Red Bandanna tradition. The school’s annual Red Bandanna Football Game is scheduled for September 11, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, with Boston College facing Rutgers.
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