Who Was Welles Crowther? Trump To Award Top Civilian Honour To 9/11 Hero Who Died Saving 18 People

Last Updated:May 25, 2026, 13:00 IST

Donald Trump announces Welles Remy Crowther, the Man in the Red Bandana who died rescuing people on 9 11, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Nearly 25 years after the September 11 attacks, US President Donald Trump has announced that Welles Remy Crowther will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his bravery during the attacks.

The announcement was made during a rally in Rockland County alongside Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, who had advocated for Crowther to receive the honour ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Who Was Welles Remy Crowther?

Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, became widely known as the “Man in the Red Bandana" after survivors recalled how he repeatedly guided people through smoke-filled stairwells following the attacks.

Instead of fleeing after the first hijacked plane struck the North Tower, Crowther reportedly made multiple rescue trips inside the building, helping trapped office workers reach safety before the South Tower collapsed.

“At the request of Bruce, and Mike, and some of the great political people we have, and we are approaching the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001, a dark day that will live in infamy. We are posthumously awarding Welles the Presidential Medal of Freedom," Trump said during the rally.

“It’s the highest award outside of the Congressional Medal of Honour; those are the two biggies, and Welles has one of them. I just want to congratulate his great mother in doing a phenomenal job in raising that young man," he added.

Praising Crowther’s actions during the attacks, Trump further said, “Boy, what bravery, saved those people and became a legend in a sense, nobody else would have done what he did. So he’s going to be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

The president later invited Crowther’s mother, Alison Crowther, to speak at the gathering. Calling the recognition a “huge honour", she reflected on the lasting impact of her son’s story.

“It’s such a beautiful thing that even 25 years later, Welles’ light still shines brightly," she said, adding that she has shared his story with audiences around the world, including in Jordan.

Alison Crowther also said children are especially moved by her son’s actions during the attacks. “They’re tremendously moved and inspired … to be better people," she stated.

On the morning of September 11, Crowther had called his mother to assure her he was safe after the planes struck the towers. Hours later, his body was recovered from the wreckage of the collapsed South Tower.

According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Crowther made several trips through the building’s sky lobby to rescue trapped workers, with some accounts saying he helped save as many as 18 people.

The red bandana associated with his story is now displayed at the museum in New York City. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has said Crowther carried the bandana regularly after his father encouraged him to keep it for “messy jobs".

The foundation also recalled Crowther once saying, “With this red bandana, I’m going to change the world."

One survivor later reflected on his actions, saying, “People can live 100 years and not have the compassion, the wherewithal to do what he did."

News world Who Was Welles Crowther? Trump To Award Top Civilian Honour To 9/11 Hero Who Died Saving 18 People

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