How Did Welles Crowther Die? 9/11 Hero AKA ‘Man in the Red Bandana’ Was Last Seen Returning Into the Burning South Tower

Welles Crowther, the 24-year-old equities trader who became known as the “Man in the Red Bandana,” died while helping people escape the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Crowther was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower when the attacks began. Instead of simply trying to escape, he repeatedly returned to areas filled with smoke and debris to help other survivors reach safety.

The former Boston College lacrosse player’s story has received renewed attention on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, including after President Donald Trump posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Boston College has also continued its annual Red Bandanna Game in his honor.

How Did Welles Crowther Die?

Welles Crowther died when the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. on September 11, 2001.

The precise circumstances of his final moments are not fully known. What is known from survivor accounts is that Crowther had repeatedly returned to the 78th-floor sky lobby to help people trapped inside the tower.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum says Crowther made three trips to the sky lobby, helping as many people as he could before the burning building collapsed.

Crowther’s remains were eventually recovered from the wreckage in March 2002.

The 9/11 Memorial’s collection records that he was found in the South Tower wreckage months after the attack. His remains were identified after survivor accounts helped his family understand that the mysterious man in the red bandana was their son.

“A young man come out of nowhere. This man’s voice said, ‘I found the stairs, follow me and only help the ones you can help.’ It was the way he said it, we just got up and we followed,” one of the survivors, identified as Ling Young, recalled, accordung to PEOPLE.

Crowther is credited with helping save numerous people, although the precise number varies among accounts.

Several reports claim Crowther may have saved as many as 18 people. However, the exact number remains unknown.

Welles Crowther’s Red Bandana Story

The red bandana had been part of Crowther’s life since childhood. His father gave him a red bandana when he was six years old, and he continued carrying or wearing it as he grew older.

On September 11, Crowther used one to cover his mouth and nose as he moved through smoke inside the South Tower.

That distinctive piece of clothing eventually became the clue that allowed survivors to identify the unknown man who had helped them.

Months after the attacks, Crowther’s mother, Alison, read accounts of a mysterious man wearing a red bandana who had helped survivors escape. She eventually realized that the unidentified hero was her son.