How ‘The Man In The Red Bandana’ Sacrificed His Life For A Dozen Others During 9/11 Attacks

Welles Crowther spent some of the darkest hours in American history saving the lives of strangers.

Crowther, 24 and an equities trader for Sandler O’Neill + Partners, worked on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower during 9/11. A former volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Nyack, N.Y., he was well versed in the proper way to handle an emergency. When United Airlines Flight 175 struck his building at 9:03 a.m., he promptly slipped back into the role.

Mom, this is Welles. I want you to know that I’m OK, he said in a voicemail left for his mother, Alison, at 9:12 a.m.