Fifth Annual Red Bandana Run Honors 9/11 Hero

Boston College 9/11 commemoration pin.

On Saturday, September 19, the Welles Remy Crowther Red Bandana Run drew hundreds to the Chestnut Hill campus in order to honor the 1999 Boston College graduate and September 11th hero.

Welles Remy Crowther graduated from Boston College in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and began working at the World Trade Center with Sandler O’Neill and Partners, LP. However, on September 11, 2001, he became a firefighter.

Climbing up and down stairs, he rescued countless lives before the building collapsed and buried him under 110 stories of rubble. Crowther’s body was not recovered until March 19, 2002, but during that time eyewitness accounts revealed much about his final hours.

Crowther, notoriously known for carrying a red bandana in his pocket, brought people to the safe-haven staircases, found fire extinguishers and even carried injured victims down multiple flights of stairs. His professionalism and courage caused people to speak with awe about the mysterious “man in the red bandana.”

As a tribute to his heroism, the Boston College Volunteer and Service Learning Center partners with the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust in order to host the annual 5K race around the Boston College campus. Runners and walkers alike started at Gasson Hall, continued down Commonwealth Avenue and around the Reservoir, finally making a full loop up to Gasson Hall, the finish line.

Eric Johnson, a senior at Boston College, finished in first place with a time of 17:14. Michael Frank, of Brighton, was close behind Johnson with a time of 17:49. Although Johnson has been running for years, this was his first time running the Red Bandana Race.

“I had seen the flyers, and couldn’t remember why I had never done it before. It’s for a great cause, and I knew about Welles’ story, so I really wanted to help this year,” Johnson explained.

On the women’s side, Caroline McGuire, assistant lacrosse coach at BC, finished in first place with a time of 20:01, and Amanda Sato, of Boston, finished in second place.

The Red Bandana Run at Boston College was inspired by friends of Crowther who ran the New York City Marathon after September 11th in his memory, as the “Red Bandana Runners.”

Welles’ love for Boston College made choosing the location for the race very easy.

“He loved BC. He played lacrosse for four years, and really just loved the whole community,” says Kate Daly, Assistant Director of the Volunteer and Service Learning Center.

Originally from Nyack, New York, Welles grew up with family and service at the center of his life. While in high school, he joined Empire Hook and Ladder Co., No. 1, based in Upper Nyack.

After graduating from Boston College, he moved to Hoboken, NJ with friends from college and began a career in the financial industry, working on the 104th floor of World Trade Center Two in New York City.

While the World Trade Center was under attack on September 11, 2001, Welles used his red bandana to cover his nose and mouth from the debris and smoke in order to aid those in need. When found, over six months later, he was among incident command center personnel of the Fire Department of New York.

Survivors remembered seeing Crowther working amongst these heroes in order to save those in distress. When faced with danger, Welles returned to the skills he gained as a teenage firefighter in order to serve strangers.

This year’s race was especially significant due to the date it was held on – September 19th. In a speech after the race, Allison Crowther, Welles’ mother, explained the significance of the number 19.

Welles wore that number while playing for the Boston College lacrosse team, because it was always his lucky number. In fact, he was finally recovered from Ground Zero on the 19th (of March, 2002). “Every time we see the number 19, we know it’s a special message from Welles,” Mrs. Crowther added.

This year’s race had the largest number of participants ever, with over 300 runners and walkers. The funds raised from the race benefit several youth scholarships, including the Welles Remy Crowther Service Award.

Welles Crowther spent his final moments serving strangers in trouble. His courage and determination saved countless lives. On December 15, 2006, Welles was made, posthumously, an honorary member of the FDNY.

“The FDNY lost three hundred forty-three firefighters that day,” Jeff Crowther, Welles’ father, explained. “But, they now call it three hundred forty-three plus one, because of Welles Remy Crowther.”

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