President Donald Trump announced that Welles Remy Crowther, the 9/11 hero remembered as the “Man in the Red Bandana,” will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Trump made the announcement during a rally in Rockland County, New York, alongside Rep. Mike Lawler. The honor comes as the country approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader and volunteer firefighter, became a symbol of courage after survivors said he helped lead people to safety from the South Tower of the World Trade Center while wearing a red bandana over his face.
Trump said Crowther’s bravery made him a legend and praised his mother, Alison Crowther, for raising him. The crowd applauded as Trump announced that Crowther would receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
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Alison Crowther later spoke at the event and called the award a huge honor. She said her son’s light continues to shine nearly 25 years after the attacks and that his story continues to inspire people around the world.
Welles Crowther worked on the 104th floor of the South Tower. After the first plane struck the North Tower, he left a voicemail for his mother to let her know he was safe. He then began helping others escape as smoke and chaos filled the building.
According to accounts from survivors and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Crowther made multiple trips to help people reach safety before the South Tower collapsed. Some reports say he saved as many as 18 lives.
The red bandana became central to his story because survivors remembered the man who guided them through the smoke by the cloth covering his face. Crowther had kept the bandana with him for years, and it later became a symbol of his courage and sacrifice.
His red bandana is now displayed at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City.
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation has also helped preserve Crowther’s story, noting that he carried the red bandana as a personal item and that his father had encouraged him to keep one for difficult or “messy” jobs.
Crowther’s story has become one of the most widely remembered acts of heroism from Sept. 11. His actions continue to be shared with younger generations as an example of bravery, service and selflessness.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognition places Crowther among Americans honored for extraordinary contributions to the nation.
Trump announced the posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom for Welles Crowther during a rally in Rockland County, New York.
President Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to volunteer firefighter Welles Crowther, who sacrificed his life to save others during the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center.
Crowther, the 24-year-old hero known from the documentary “Man in Red… pic.twitter.com/k9mTvPE2Ob
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 22, 2026
