The Man in the Red Bandana: A Hero Who Ran Toward the Fire

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Welles Crowther was a 24-year-old equities trader working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Like thousands of others, he arrived at his office expecting an ordinary Tuesday. Within hours, history would demand an extraordinary choice from him.

At 9:03 a.m., Flight 175 struck the South Tower between floors 77 and 85. Crowther was on the 104th floor when the building shuddered violently. Smoke filled the air, flames spread rapidly, and escape seemed uncertain for anyone above the impact zone.

Minutes later, Crowther called his mother to tell her he was okay. It was the last time she would hear his voice.

Crowther was not just a financial professional. He was also a volunteer firefighter, trained from a young age to move toward danger when others fled. That training guided his actions as chaos engulfed the tower.

He retrieved a red bandana his father had given him years earlier, tied it over his face to filter smoke, and made his way to the devastated 78th-floor sky lobby. There, survivors described a calm and commanding presence who organized evacuations, administered first aid, and located a viable stairwell.

Crowther carried a wounded woman down 17 floors to safety. Instead of escaping, he returned upward again and again, leading groups of injured people out of the building. Survivors would later say they did not know his name—only the man in the red bandana who saved their lives.

Estimates credit Crowther with rescuing between 12 and 18 people. He was last seen heading back upstairs with firefighters to continue the rescue effort.

At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed. Crowther did not survive.

Months later, survivor testimonies revealed the truth of his final hours. Welles Crowther did not run from danger. He ran toward it, so others could live.

His legacy endures as a reminder of courage, selflessness, and the quiet heroism that emerges in humanity’s darkest moments.