Welles Remy Crowther
| Welles Crowther | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Welles Remy Crowther May 17, 1977 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 11, 2001 (aged 24) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Other names | The Man in the Red Bandana |
| Alma mater | Boston College |
| Occupation | Equities Trader |
| Employer | Sandler O'Neill and Partners |
| Known for | Acts of heroism during the September 11 attacks |
Welles Remy Crowther (May 17, 1977 – September 11, 2001) was an American equities trader known for saving at least a dozen lives during the September 11 attacks in New York City, during which he lost his own life.
Welles Remy Crowther was born the first of three children. His parents, Jefferson and Allison, raised him and his two sisters, Honor and Paige, in the New York City suburb of Nyack, New York. Through his father, he was a grandson of Bosley Crowther, film critic of The New York Times from 1940 to 1967. As a child, Crowther saw his father getting dressed for church and wrapping a small comb in a blue or red bandana he kept it in his right hip pocket. When Welles was 6 years old, his father gave him a red bandana that would become Crowther's trademark which he wore under all of his sports uniforms in high school.
At 16, Crowther joined his father as a volunteer firefighter, becoming a junior member of the Empire Hook and Ladder Company. He later attended Boston College, where he played lacrosse, In 1999, Crowther graduated with honors with a degree in economics. He subsequently moved to New York City, taking a job as an equities trader for Sandler O'Neill and Partners, settling into an office on the 104th floor of South Tower of the World Trade Center. He later entertained dreams of joining the FDNY or the FBI or CIA.
On September 11, 2001, minutes after United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower between floors 78 and 85 at 9:03 a.m., Crowther called his mother from his office at 9:12 a.m., leaving the message, "Mom, this is Welles. I wanted you to know that I'm OK." Crowther made his way to the 78th floor sky lobby, where he encountered a group of survivors, including a badly burned Ling Young, who worked on the 86th floor in New York's Department of Taxation and Finance. Young had been one of approximately 200 people waiting at a bank of elevators to evacuate when the plane hit the tower, and one of the few survivors. Crowther, carrying a young woman on his back, directed them to the one working stairway. The survivors followed him 17 floors down, where he dropped off the woman he was carrying before heading back upstairs to assist others. By the time he returned to the 78th floor, he had a bandana around his nose and mouth to protect him from smoke and haze. He found another group of survivors, which included AON Corp. Employee Judy Wein, who worked on the 103rd floor and was in pain from a broken arm, cracked ribs and a punctured lung. According to Wein, Crowther assisted in putting out fires and administering first aid. He then announced to that group, "Everyone who can stand, stand now. If you can help others, do so." He directed this group downstairs as well. As occupants of the Tower headed for the street, Crowther returned up the stairs to help others. He was last seen doing so with members of the FDNY before the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m.
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