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Welles Crowther news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
President Trump posthumously awarded Welles Crowther the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Sep 8, 2026. The 9/11 hero saved 18 people before dying in the South Tower collapse.
Background
Welles Crowther, a Boston College graduate and equities trader, was a volunteer firefighter who saved as many as 18 people during the September 11, 2001 attacks before being killed when the South Tower collapsed. He was identified by the red bandana he wore over his face, leading to his nickname. The award comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
How it unfolded
- Sep 11, 2001Crowther saved as many as 18 people in the South Tower before it collapsed, killing him.
- May 2026President Trump announced he would give the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Crowther's family.
- Sep 8, 2026President Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Crowther at a White House ceremony, with his mother and sister accepting.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- President Trump praised Crowther's heroism, saying 'He just did things that people said were not even imaginable.'
- Family
- Alison Crowther credited her son's volunteer firefighter training, saying 'He was no longer an equities trader on 9/11; he was a firefighter.'
- Public
- Crowther's legacy is embraced worldwide, with thousands of students participating in the Red Bandanna Project.